Director of Pre-K

About the Opportunity 

The Director of Pre-K sits on the leadership team at DPEE and is responsible for the compliance, academics, and operations of the four pre-k cohorts based in the school. Reporting up through the principal, the director ensures that the pre-K program at DPEE is truly excellent and aligned with the overall school vision, while being fiscally sound and in compliance with all state and local regulations. They work to set the vision and improve outcomes for the Pre-K program across the network. 

Who You Are: 

• An educator with an unwavering commitment to the Democracy Prep mission of college success and authentic civic engagement for our scholars. 
• An organized leader with strong time management and follow-up skills and a demonstrated ability to take initiative, inspire, motivate and coach others and handle multiple projects concurrently.
• A self-reflective and self-aware teammate who is dedicated to aligning their work with Democracy Prep's commitment to antiracism and who is eager to use these skills to contribute to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• An excellent communicator, with demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and persuasively to a variety of stakeholders.
• A strategic and data-driven problem-solver, who thinks critically and plans accordingly.
• An experienced early elementary school educator who understands deeply the nuances of pre-K education. 
• A strong coach who has a track-record of success growing and developing a team to advance academic achievement for students. 
• A constant learner who wants to continually grow in their understanding of academic pedagogy, standards and instruction
• An academic expert who is fluent with all parts of academic pedagogy, including standards, assessments, lesson design and execution
• An experienced early elementary administrator, familiar with NY state rules and regulations around UPK
• A graduate of a Bachelor’s degree program (required).
• Bilingual: Spanish Speaking preferred, but not required. 

What You'll Do        

Program Vision

• Work in collaboration with the DPEE leadership team to set a vision for the program, and then share that vision with a variety of stakeholders at the CMO and at our schools. 

Curriculum Management

• Support in the creation, sourcing and editing of high quality assessments and curricular materials ensuring that it complies with state and federal requirements and is developmentally appropriate.
• Set plans for the implementation of high quality curricula with the network Academics Team

Staff Management

• Provide strong coaching to the full Pre-K teaching and support team that moves the needle on scholar achievement
• Evaluate lesson plans, observe classes, and lead professional development on a regular basis.
• Support teachers and staff in the analysis and use of data to drive instruction in collaboration with the school leader, owning a vibrant culture of civic engagement and scholar self-advocacy.

Culture and Family Communication

• Serve as the ‘face’ of the Pre-K program, managing communication with parents and the community
• Develop in-house policies for the program and communicate the policies to parents
• Lead Pre-K culture initiatives, assemblies and events, including Town Hall
• Support the planning and implementation of FBA/BIP processes

Program Compliance

• Manage NYCDOE UPK regulations and ensure NYC based programs are in compliance
• Liaise with NYCDOE UPK Analyst’s and policy team to ensure we are meeting all compliance requirements and remain in good standing with state and local authorities
• Liaise with DOE UPK instructional coaches and social workers to ensure we are in compliance and have strong relationships with the DOE
• Partner with the People team to ensure all people based compliance for UPK teachers, teacher’s assistants and teacher’s aides are adhered to tracked and organized, and that we are consistently in compliance with all people requirements of UPK
• Partner with the DPPS finance team to ensure that invoicing, budgets and all UPK financial systems function with ease and accuracy
• Partner with network Special Education, Academics, and DOE UPK teammates to ensure compliance with the dual language program.

Compensation 

Salary starts at $112,800 and is commensurate with experience. Democracy Prep employees are provided with a benefits package that includes medical, vision, and dental insurance, 403B matching, and parental leave.

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Democracy Prep is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Our mission is to educate responsible citizen-scholars who will change the world. We strongly believe that by building a DREAM team that represents numerous perspectives, backgrounds, and areas of expertise, we can achieve this goal together. This is a value we highly support and strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.