Jobs

JCDS, Boston’s Jewish Community Day School in Watertown MA, the first intentionally pluralist Jewish day school in the Boston area, is committed to serving families across a wide spectrum of belief and practice. Our core values are: Hebrew and English are spoken throughout the day; Jewish and General studies are integrated in many areas; the school is committed to creative, academic excellence; a whole child approach and to living a joyful Jewish life in a welcoming community. JCDS was founded in 1995 and serves students in grades K-8. Visit our website at jcdsboston.org

The Principal is charged with the comprehensive responsibility for all activities involving students, parents and faculty within the school. S/he serves as a senior administrator under the Head of School for matters involving educational vision, policies, procedures and systems, including setting school-wide educational goals and priorities, identifying areas for improvement, and helping craft a vision for the future.  S/he collaborates closely with other members of the school’s Educational Leadership Team to ensure that the structures and systems in the school maximally support the school’s mission and vision centered on each student’s intellectual, moral, social emotional and spiritual growth and development. Partnering with the Head of School in the development of and execution of an interdisciplinary student-centered, constructivist and creative learning environment is critical. Effective communication, collaboration, proactive management, and systems thinking will be key to success in this position.  

Leadership Qualities:

∙ Has demonstrated leadership, organization, strategic, and management skills along with outstanding interpersonal skills, and the ability and patience to lead change and improvement initiatives

∙ Presents the ability to model and to lead others effectively in managing relationships, interpersonal dynamics, navigating conflict well, and fostering a positive work environment; possesses strong collaboration and team-oriented working and leadership skills along with the ability to balance a pursuit of academic and institutional excellence with compassion and caring for each individual

∙ Possesses excellent communication, listening, interpersonal skills; the willingness and ability to engage in difficult conversations with students, parents, faculty, and staff; communicates with empathy, tact and diplomacy in a clear, courteous and professional manner, and gives timely feedback with the interest of growth and development

∙ Exhibits reflective thinking and a willingness to examine and grow his/her own practice

∙ Models a commitment to intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth and development

∙ Possesses a general knowledge of cognitive, moral, and social-emotional development of children ages 5-14

∙ Has developed an understanding of K-8 faculty culture, curricular milestones and dynamics through working in K-8 settings

∙ Possesses skills and experience in the areas of teacher supervision, observation, and feedback

Personal Qualities:

∙ Is passionate about children and education

∙ Has integrity and a strong work ethic and takes responsibility for actions and decisions

∙ Is honest and open and is an active listener

∙ Is a creative person and has a sense of humor

∙ Is able to have difficult conversations

∙ Is a strong team player

Responsibilities

Senior Leadership:

• Serves on the school’s Educational Leadership Team
• In collaboration with other school leaders, maintains a culture imbued with derekh eretz (respectful behavior)
• Fosters an environment that is conducive to the development of positive religious and individual identities and is respectful of individual differences
• Assumes any temporary duties and responsibilities as delegated by the Head

Instructional Leader:

• Maintains and improves existing high levels of students’ academic achievement
• Guides, evaluates and improves on our academic program to meet the needs of all learners
• Promotes an educational vision and day-to-day operations that put student learning and the student experience at the center of the work
• Creates an orderly, controlled environment in which learning can take place, a school climate which is supportive and which reflects high morale.
• Manages, evaluates and supervises effective and clear procedures for the operation and functioning of the school consistent with the philosophy, mission, values and goals of the school including instructional programs, extracurricular activities, discipline systems to ensure a safe and orderly climate, and program evaluation.
• Acts as a visible presence in all areas of the school while helping to resolve any problems that arise, both routine and unique and keeps the head of school informed of the general programs, activities, and issues of the school on a regular basis.
• Supervises in a fair and consistent manner using effective discipline and attendance systems with high standards, consistent with the philosophy, values, and mission of the school. Ensures a safe, orderly environment that encourages students to take responsibility for behavior and creates high morale among staff and students.
• Collaborates on the professional development vision for the school with a focus on building a reflective and collaborative professional culture in which teachers are committed to, and supported in, growing their teaching practice.
• Establishes the annual master schedule for instructional programs, ensuring sequential learning experiences for students consistent with the school’s philosophy, mission statement and instructional goals.
• Is current about trends in K-8 education
• Envisions, plans and executes orientation for new teachers, professional development days, and faculty meetings in close collaboration with other administrators
• Makes recommendations to the Head of School regarding the hiring and retention, and the assignment of faculty
• Has experience and ability to facilitate constructive meetings in which teams of teachers feel that they are a part of a learning community
• Knows how to solve problems in a way that maximizes learning while considering various stakeholder perspectives

JCDS is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and equal opportunity for all employees without regard to race, color, religious creed, national and ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or physical disability.