Superintendent

ABOUT US:

As Michigan's third-largest and most comprehensive education service provider serving charter schools, Choice Schools Associates' culture is driven by putting students first, expecting greatness and teamwork. Our vision is rooted in people - the people we employ, the families we serve and the students we teach. Our student-centric philosophy drives us to think smarter, focus on what is most important and add value to each school to ensure everyone thrives.

Choice Schools specializes in school management services, such as curriculum, compliance, finance, human resources, instruction, operations and marketing. We meet the need for education solutions by helping charter school boards create, maintain and accelerate unique schools in their communities.

Mission: We partner with school communities, empowering and equipping them to fulfill their unique mission.

Vision: In our communities everyone thrives. #EveryoneThrivesHere

OUR CORE VALUES:

• Student Focused: At Choice Schools, students come first. 

• Expecting Greatness: We thrive individually and organizationally. 

• Teamwork: Our team is unified and works synergistically to reach our personal, professional, and organizational goals.

• Open Communication: We seek to understand and communicate to reach a mutual purpose.

• Servant Leadership: We put others first, do what is best for the whole, encourage one another, and empower others to make unique mission-based choices.

VISION FOR THE POSITION:

A Choice Schools Superintendent is an impact-driven, mission-aligned educational leader who positively impacts students and strengthens communities. Impact comes through the development of high-quality schools resulting in remarkable academic results, student success, and healthy and sound school environments. As the keepers of Choice's word and driver of the unique educational model, Superintendents are also responsible for cultivating relationships with community leaders, authorizers, stakeholders and school boards to fulfill their school's mission. At the end of the day, a Superintendent at Choice Schools is someone who steadfastly leads the pursuit of ensuring every child knows how to read at or above grade level and is prepared for lifelong success. The Superintendent position occupies an essential and integral seat at the Executive Leadership table as we integrate the company's mission, vision, core values, and strategic priorities into everything we do. Superintendents have unified and focused support at the central office so they can optimize efficiency and focus at the school level. Their Model Experience Team members serve as advisors, promise keepers, doers, thinkers, cheerleaders, and trusted colleagues. Superintendent's are the linchpin in Choice Schools' success at its academies and this role is a critical component of the Choice Schools Promise. 

KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: This individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed below at an excellent level: 

GOVERNANCE AND BOARD RELATIONS:

• Bring the school board's unique vision and mission to life and ensure structures and systems are in place to maintain and enhance it.

• Build collegial, action-oriented and student-focused relationships with board members.

• Ensure the charter contract is carried out by aligning the MICIP plan, model development plan, strategic plans, and other mandated contracts and agreements. 

• Leads the educational service provider evaluation, contract review, reauthorization, and reaccreditation (or accreditation) process for assigned academies. 

• Is fluent in the Open Meetings Act and ensures staff and board compliance with the Act.

• Guides potential new board members through the process of becoming a board member, including recruitment, authorizer application processes, onboarding, etc. 

• Is a change agent for the charter school movement and a champion for all students.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE:

• Lead the development of the educational model and ensures curriculum fidelity throughout all model schools.

• Demonstrates knowledge and effective leadership of the academy's curriculum, consistently ensures implementation, evaluates, and continuously improves offerings to align with the school's educational program and model development plan. 

• Ensures that coherent behavior and academic Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are in place to meet the needs of all students while maintaining a safe, caring, and healthy learning environment.

• Holds assigned academies accountable for consistently and effectively delivering on its educational model and supporting programs/processes to meet or exceed the charter contract goals.

• Partners with the special education department at central office to ensure programs and services are utilizing best academic practices in compliance with state and federal requirements.

• Is an expert on the Code of Student Conduct and Family/Student Handbook, serving to constantly protect all stakeholders, including the company and the board, from unnecessary risk.

• Ensures that academy graduates are tracked so program effectiveness, including college readiness and acceptance, can be analyzed.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS:

• Promote a shared vision and establish effective communication to build support, unity, and trust among the board, administrators, school staff, and community stakeholders.

• Supports the school leader at key school and community activities and events.

• Partners with the Communications team to create and implement a marketing and communications plan for the Academy and holds the school leader accountable for student enrollment count results, including recruiting new students and retaining existing students. 

• Ensures that the new student onboarding process is welcoming and openly communicates the Academy's academic and behavioral expectations to new students and families..

• Is the key relationship builder and conduit between assigned academies and key decision makers such as government officials, legislators, community foundations, MAPSA, etc.

• Consistently supports a positive school culture by monitoring communication and interaction with families and community members/groups.

• Facilitates the conflict resolution process when parents express complaints or concerns about the school. 

• Ensures that the academic results and good news of the academy, model, and company are shared widely.

• Seeks relationships with community foundations and other financial sources to fund special programs at assigned academies. 

TEAM LEADERSHIP:

• Leads their Model Experience Team to continuously improve and support their model. 

• Serves as the key developer, equipper, and supporter of school leaders as they fulfill their duties. 

• Serves as mentor and supervisor of the assigned school leader and helps them develop their leadership team. 

• Leads, inspires, and energizes employees to create a productive workplace, characterized by collaboration, trust, meaning, dignity, and sense of community. 

• Understands and knows the information in the Choice Schools Employee Manual and can fluently discuss Choice's policies and procedures as well as identify when policies and practices are compromised.

• Leads school leaders and administrative teams through the progressive discipline and Individual Development Plan (IDP) creation and implementation process consistently and fairly. 

• Is responsible for supervising and evaluating school-based direct reports such as the school leader and any other positions that report directly to the Superintendent. 

• Cultivates a culture of feedback, open communication, and continuous improvement. 

• Supports school leaders in planning crucial conversations and documenting appropriate next steps.

• Ensures that school leaders, teachers, and support staff are recognized for their accomplishments, work anniversaries, milestones, etc. Keeps the central office abreast of major celebrations.

• Ensures that the new employee recruitment, interviewing, evaluation, mentoring, and onboarding systems are thorough and keeps the financial and strategic needs of the Academy in mind.

BUSINESS, FINANCE, OPERATIONS, AND COMPLIANCE:

• Engages the Board of Directors in budget discussions and workshops to educate the Board on school budget assumptions and practices in the Michigan School Accounting Manual.

• Ensures that financial management, financial policies and operations comply with Board Policy.

• Is well-versed in the Choice Schools financial procedures and can fluently discuss Choice's policies and procedures and identify when they are compromised. 

• Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of school financial statements and can effectively present and discuss them.

• Manages public inquiries and complaints regarding finance and operations to ensure they are handled promptly, courteously, and fairly.

• Works with Choice Schools Operations team to ensure proper safety requirements are in place and training is completed by school staff.

• Supports facility compliance and works with Operations staff to complete necessary changes.

• Oversees the board's building construction, renovation, lease, or purchase projects. 

• Utilizes a systematic approach to continuous quality improvement of all school operations, programs, and human resources.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leads with continuous improvement in mind. 

• Works with Choices Schools Executive Leadership, Directors, Coordinators, and support staff to ensure open communication and best practice service delivery to all assigned schools.

• Provide positive and effective leadership consistent with the management agreement, charter contract, board policy and administrative guidelines, and Choice Schools Promise.

• Monitors performance in all function areas and activates additional support based on our tiered response plan.

• Projects a positive image at all times; is a champion for the academy and for Choice Schools. Is articulate, knowledgeable and well-spoken.

• Provides support to the CEO on special operational projects as assigned;

• Performs other duties as assigned and approved by the Chief Executive Officer.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Master's or Doctoral Degree from a regionally accredited educational institution.

• Current Michigan School Administrator certification or enrolled in an MDE-approved School Leader Preparation Program leading to School Administrator certification within six months after the start of employment. 

• Successful experience as a teacher and school leader.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Frequent travel throughout Michigan required. Work is typically performed in a school or office setting; remote work is also permitted. 

PACKAGE: Compensation is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Choice Schools offers a full comprehensive benefits plan, including health care, a competitive 401(K) plan, professional development, and much more. View our benefits options here - https://choiceschools.com/careers/careers-choice-experience/

 

Choice Schools is a team of educators, literacy specialists, student advocates and many other professions, but first and foremost, we are parents, moms, dads, guardians, grandparents, aunts and uncles who love kids. As a nationally accredited and regionally recognized full-service education service provider, student learning is our organization's mission. We provide a student-focused approach to customized school operations support, including instruction, finance, compliance, communications, human resources, enrollment, curriculum and professional development. Our student-centric philosophy drives us to the path to greatness, allowing everyone - students, staff, teachers, board members and stakeholders to thrive. After more than 20 years of serving diverse models of schools, Choice is committed to being Michigan's most trusted education service provider with the highest-performing schools. 

Choice is an Education Service Provider for charter schools in Michigan and is the employer. Please visit www.choiceschools.com for more information. EEOC

 

This search is being managed by WorkMonger