
Associate Head of School
Charles River School, Dover, MA
Charles River School in Dover, MA, has engaged DovetailED to lead a search for an Associate Head of School beginning in July 2025. Interested candidates should review the Opportunity Statement and submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references as a consolidated PDF to Zack Lehman, President at DovetailED Talent Sourcing, at zack@dovetailedsourcing.com, and Madison Sunley, Recruiter, at madison@dovetailedsourcing.com.
Overview
Since its founding more than 100 years ago, Charles River School students have learned to use both inquiry and creativity to build practical skills, discover new interests, and take responsibility for themselves, their communities, and the future. With a deep history and commitment to social justice, the school offers students in PreKindergarten through eighth grade a global curriculum grounded in thematic, hands-on teaching and learning. CRS classes are small, learning is personalized, and teachers are accessible. The faculty and staff at Charles River School are exceptionally talented, diverse, active individuals concerned with the development and education of the whole child.
On any given day, you might find the Associate Head of School
- Greeting students, parents, and caregivers at arrival and dismissal along with other members of the Leadership Team.
- Facilitating an Ages and Stages, a parent education forum, on the developmental characteristics of a specific age group and issues relevant to parents and caregivers of students this age.
- Meeting with the Advancement Team (Development Director, Admissions Director, and Marketing & Communications Director) to plan a series of engaging experiences for new families.
- Partnering with the Middle School Coordinator on a student discipline issue and strategizing on the appropriate response.
- Convening the Student Services Team (School Nurse, School Counselor, and Learning Services Coordinator) to discuss students of interest, to devise learning or behavioral plans and to check on progress toward goals.
- Working with the Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Equity to create a hiring committee for a teaching opening.
- Leading a panel at an admissions event for prospective families to discuss progressive pedagogy and practice and the benefits of a Prek to eighth grade model.
Key responsibilities
- Designing and implementing strategic priorities from our recent strategic plan
- Oversee student services and atmosphere of school operations, ensuring a joyful, developmentally appropriate learning environment.
- Partner with the Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Equity to manage all aspects of staffing including hiring, fostering a culture of growth, articulating and evaluating progress towards individual and department goals, and providing ongoing evaluation, motivation, and feedback.
- Partner with Leadership Team members to design and deliver faculty training
- Facilitate proactive and consistent communication with all constituencies, oversee student support systems and ensure effective communication between teachers, internal and external service providers and families.
- Lead grade-level child study meetings with streamlined agendas, record keeping, and communication.
- Oversee streamlined and equitable process for recommending student neuropsychological and educational testing and tutor recommendations, and serve as point of contact for families on these recommendations and processes.
- Collaborate with the Assistant Head for Teaching, Learning, and Equity to design the schedule, including teaching assignments and duty coverage.
- Collaborate with the Advancement Office and admissions team to recruit and retain mission-aligned families, effectively employing programmatic and messaging strategies, and articulating the school’s strengths and attributes to prospective families.
- Serve on committees relevant to the work and life of the school. This includes serving on ad hoc working groups.
- Serve on the Advancement Team and partner with the Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid to help prospective families understand CRS’s progressive pedagogy
- Be a visible and engaging presence in the school community, including attending students’ athletic and artistic events, parent meetings, and other occasions.
- Attend all board meetings and report, as necessary, on strategic initiatives.
Charles River School
