Job Title: Head of School
Date Posted: 12/18/2018
Job Function: School Leadership
Grade Level: Elementary/Middle School
Job Type: Full-Time
Start Date:

Meridian Public Charter School, located in the Washington DC's vibrant U Street Corridor, is looking for a new Head of School to draw upon Meridian's deep roots in the community to build a Tier I public charter school and implement a new vision for our next decade.

The School
Meridian is a PreK-8th grade school that has served the Washington, DC and Meridian Hill community for almost 20 years. Our 650+ students are a diverse mix of African-American, Latino, Asian, African, and White students. Almost 30% of our students are English language learners, and we have one of the largest Hispanic populations in DC charter schools. Meridian is committed to serving our local community, and one-third of our students live within a half mile of the school. We are also proud of the fact that Meridian is a school of choice for parents—all eight wards of the city are represented among our student population.

Meridian's strengths include a beautiful main campus, with nearby outdoor and recreational grounds; state of the art technology for students and teachers; updated and aligned curricula; an academic program laser-focused on student growth, achievement, and social-emotional development; extensive professional development and support for teachers and leaders; and a school culture grounded in student achievement and support.

In 2015, the Meridian Board and community committed to a comprehensive and intensive school improvement initiative, with a proven school improvement partner. Since that time, the school has seen steady, sustained gains in student learning and achievement and other important outcomes:

• Since 2015-16, Meridian's score on the DC Public Charter School Board's 100-point Performance Management Framework (PMF) has improved by 17.6 points from a 41.8% to a 59.4%. This increase is the among the highest PMF score increase in this two-year period for all PS-8 charter schools. Now, Meridian is on the cusp of becoming a Tier 1 school. See our 2017-2018 Report card here.
• Since 2015, year over year student growth at Meridian as measured by the PARCC in ELA and math has exceeded the District median each year. One-year student growth data indicates that about two out of three students at Meridian improved their math and reading scores faster than their peers across the District of Columbia and nationally for all states participating in the PARCC assessment.
• Meridian's middle school earned a 4-STAR rating on the statewide report card, and the elementary school earned a 3-STAR rating.
• Meridian has implemented best practice school operations—creating an operationally sound school that meets or exceeds all fiscal targets set by the authorizer. Meridian's balance sheet and finances are strong and have positioned the school for long-term fiscal stability.

Meridian has engaged the entire school community to begin to define a new vision for our school as we prepare to celebrate our 20th Anniversary next year—One School, One Community, One City… the World Intersects at Meridian. Our vision will be the jumping off point for becoming a Tier I public charter school, achieving even better outcomes for our students over the next 10 years.

The Board and leadership team has set an exciting course to build on this success and expand the school's impact. We are seeking an experienced, committed practitioner and visionary leader to serve as the next Head of School. Three priorities for Meridian's strategic direction are:

• Continuing to improve student learning and achievement;
• Partnering with community groups to strengthen wrap-around supports for students and families (including expanded after school and summer enrichment opportunities), and
• Expanding the classroom to the community.

We will continue our trajectory to become—and remain—a Tier I public charter school, where students can learn, achieve, and blossom as they prepare to become citizens of our school, our community, our city, and our world. Our school has never been safer, brighter, happier and more filled with the joy of learning.

More information about the school's mission, history, and community can be found here.

The Opportunity
The Head of School will join an established school leadership team and work with a dedicated group of faculty and staff to guide Meridian PCS through the next phase of our journey. The Head of School will lead a team of 100+ across two campuses and report to the Board of Trustees.

The Head of School will:

• Serve as the Instructional Leader, working with both the Elementary Principal and the Middle School Principal to build instructional capacity, implement curricula with fidelity and rigor, and monitor and ensure student growth, learning, and achievement.
• Work in collaboration with our school improvement partner to ensure that Meridian's student outcomes continue to improve.
• With support from our school improvement partner, ensure that financial management, fundraising goals, facilities and operations, and human resources are effectively managed and overseen.
• Serve as the primary external champion for the school, representing and advocating for the school within the DC charter sector, with current and potential partners, and among our communities.
• Ensure that the school meets all reporting and accountability requirements as defined by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) as well as the DC Public Charter School Board's Performance Management Framework.
• Work in partnership with the Board of Trustees and our school improvement partner to execute the school's strategic plan, and hold responsibility for ensuring the school's long-term strength and sustainability.

Successful applicants will meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required. An advanced degree in K-12 school administration, curriculum & instruction, or a related field with strong academic preparation is preferred;
• Previous experience as an instructional leader with proven results in an urban school setting; relevant experience may include having served as a Head of School, Principal, Chief Academic Officer, or similar executive school leadership position;
• A performance- and outcome-driven approach with a demonstrated track record of impact on student outcomes, with strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytic skills;
• Strong communication and listening skills, with a track record in team-building, change management, and building alignment around a shared vision and direction;
• A high degree of personal integrity, demonstrated leadership abilities, and a history of working cooperatively with key stakeholders in a school environment;
• A demonstrated passion for advancing educational opportunities for students from all backgrounds; extensive knowledge of the charter school movement in DC or elsewhere is extremely valuable though not required.

This position begins in July 2019. Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis, and we hope to identify the next Head of School in the spring to facilitate a successful transition.

Interested?

We'll be holding regular, 20-minute informational calls to share more about Meridian and this opportunity, as well as answer questions. Curious but not sure this is your next step? Consider joining us for one of our upcoming information sessions. You can learn more here.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status, veteran's status, or any other factor, which would constitute a violation of the D.C. Human Rights Act or other applicable laws or court order.

One School, One Community, One City... the World Intersects at Meridian