Early Childhood Education Center Principal

ABOUT CITY GARDEN MONTESSORI

CGMS exists to redefine education by developing the whole child in an excellent, inclusive, Montessori school; to reimagine community by creating spaces and systems that help to restore our collective humanity; and to reinvigorate our world by creating a culture in which individuals and communities thrive without disparities or barriers to success. 

CGMS was founded in 1995 as a Montessori preschool. In the mid-2000s, as a response to the educational inequity that exists in St. Louis, preschool parents worked with the founders to open a charter public elementary school. CGMS’ public charter school opened in the basement of a church in 2008 with 53 students, grades K-3. The school added a grade level each year until the school reached eighth grade and served 275 students, moving into the building at 1618 Tower Grove Avenue in 2012. In 2021, CGMS expanded its preschool and kindergarten program and in 2022, CGMS opened its new Elementary and Adolescent Center (EAEC), housing lower elementary (1^st-3^rd grade), upper elementary (4^th-6^th grade) and junior high (7^th-8^th grade) students. CGMS now serves 581 students in preschool through eighth grade across two buildings. CGMS will continue to grow over the next three years until the school reaches 700 students. 

CGMS has consistently been one of the highest-performing charter public schools in Missouri and has been recognized both locally and nationally for its excellent program, staff and community.

MISSION & CORE VALUES

We achieve our mission by combining the Montessori Theory of Development, rigorous state standards and an Anti-Bias, Antiracism (ABAR) framework in an intentionally diverse school setting. You can read CGMS’s strategic framework here. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

Reporting to the CEO, the principal of our Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) will lead our Early Childhood (Preschool-Kindergarten) building for the 20225-26 school year and beyond. 

We are seeking an exceptional leader of adults strongly aligned with the Montessori philosophy. An ECEC principal will be grounded in anti-bias education and antiracist values and is excited to lead a charter public school that is reimagining education through these lenses. The ECEC principal should be deeply committed to both whole-child education and academic rigor and will have proven success and outcomes in meeting children’s needs holistically and achieving high academic outcomes for children of all backgrounds. We are seeking a leader who is excited to engage deeply with students, guides (teachers), staff, and families as partners, who loves to learn, who is open to giving and receiving constructive feedback, and who will always place children at the center of decisions and actions. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

School Leadership (30%)

• Provide leadership to all ECEC staff and students in establishing a joyful, structured, and outcomes-oriented school culture.
• Contribute as a member of the administrative team in visioning, strategic, long and short-range planning, coordination, budgeting, decision-making and professional growth activities of the administrative team.
• Develop staff capacity and systems to meet the varied needs of a growing organization, including financial management, budget planning, compliance, human resources (including teacher and school leader recruitment and development) contract negotiation, facilities management, vendor management, fundraising and marketing, legal, and information technology.
• Evaluate and revise systems, processes, procedures, and committee structure(s) to meet the various and changing needs of the ECEC
• Build the short and long-term organizational capacity required for excellence, sustainability, and growth. 
• Introduce consistent accountability systems to ensure progress toward shared goals. 
• Promote transparent decision-making processes and embrace distributive leadership principles wherever possible. 
• Set clear academic, growth, operational, and financial goals and manage to them; adapt as necessary given changes in internal and external environment. 
• Directly supervise and evaluate all ECEC staff and lead guides (guides (teachers), family support coordinator, other).
• Cultivate an inclusive school community through managing the director of special services to coordinate special education services.
• Nurture a thriving school culture by coordinating discipline, parent/caregiver engagement, student support, attendance, the Nautilus behavior support program, and school culture initiatives.
• Manage the family support coordinator to ensure student and family needs are being met throughout the school (supplies, access to opportunities, counseling, etc.).
• Coordinate with the Chief Operating Officer to ensure compliance with financial processes and state and federal compliance requirements as they pertain to the ECEC Principal responsibilities.
• Partner with the Elementary and Adolescent Education Center (EAEC) principal and staff to build alignment and culture across the school buildings, reflecting a “one school” approach and ensuring continuity for students and families.
• Serve as a Title IX Investigator as needed.
• Provide updates to the CGMS Board of Directors periodically as assigned by the CEO.
• Plan and execute monthly staff meetings and coordinate staff committees.
• Perform other tasks, duties, and responsibilities as assigned by the CEO.

Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment (15%)

• Ensure consistently high, equitable academic outcomes for all students by partnering with the ECEC Instructional Coordinator and CGMS’ Director of Curriculum & Instruction to coordinate curriculum, instruction and assessment at the ECEC.
• Directly lead and supervise approximately 20 lead and assistant teachers, depending on need and capacity.
• Model and support CGMS’ approach to rigorous Montessori instruction combined with instilling and reinforcing behaviors that lead to academic and life success.
• Partner with the ECEC Instructional Coordinator to manage coaching and professional development support to all guides (teachers) in all aspects of instruction: Montessori pedagogy and curriculum, planning, engagement, differentiation, classroom management, instructional strategies, assessment development and analysis, etc.
• Coordinate, collaborate with, and oversee the staff in the development and implementation of a variety of content and performance assessments and their alignment with the respective Montessori and state standards.
• Lead staff to analyze the effectiveness of instruction through regular student assessment and reflection on teaching practices.
• Participate in working groups of staff and teachers to plan, problem solve, and support one another on an ongoing basis.

Enrollment (10%)

• Partner with CGMS’ Director of Admissions & Outreach on student recruitment efforts (including recruitment events, prospective family tours, newsletters, etc.) to ensure the ECEC is fully enrolled.
• Ensure strong student retention year over year, partnering with the administrative team on the re-enrollment process for returning students.
• Lead efforts to support student onboarding (including communications, new student and family events, new student orientation and support, etc.).

Hiring, Staff Development & Staff Retention (15%)

• Attract and retain high-performing instructional and non-instructional staff.
• Work with CGMS’ Director of Talent & Culture to lead ECEC staff recruitment and coordinate the hiring process, collaborating with the CEO to determine staffing needs and hires.
• Develop and maintain relationships with local organizations (including colleges and universities) to advertise and promote open positions.
• Lead the hiring process, including application reviews, interviews, offers, etc., for the ECEC.
• Support ECEC staff members’ professional development, including increasing the number of Montessori-certified, state-certified guides (teachers), to achieve excellent, consistent teacher retention outcomes.

School Operations (15%)

• Own day-to-day school operations through strong partnership with the Building Operations Manager.
• Implement central databases for both data and teacher resources (lesson plans, unit plans, etc. CGMS currently uses Transparent Classroom and Infinite Campus).
• Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data (especially through direct observations and 1:1 check ins) to be used to guide and improve school-wide programs.
• Develop master schedules.
• Collaboratively manage the ECEC Principal budget, specifically allocated for meeting the instructional and cultural needs of the EAEC.
• Partner with the Director of Curriculum & Instruction to coordinate the purchase of instructional materials.
• Lead communications with families and staff in partnership with the Chief Advancement Officer and others.
• Compliance
  • Assist the CEO in the preparation of city, state, and federal reports.
  • Ensure all CGMS policies are upheld.

School Culture (15%)

• Fully embrace CGMS’ mission, vision, and values and promote them to students, staff, other faculty, parents, and members of the outside community.
• Develop a healthy, effective, collaborative team culture among all adults serving children of the ECEC.
• Cultivate a shared vision for school, student, and adult culture and build systems of support and accountability to sustain excellent culture outcomes.
• Partner with families, leaders, and the full school community through intentional listening and engagement so we can build a healthy, vibrant school culture and bring people together.
• Motivate staff to hold students to high academic, social emotional and behavioral standards.
• Develop and implement, as needed and approved by the CEO or directed by the Board of Directors, standing or ad hoc committees aimed at serving the curricular, instructional and professional needs of students and staff.
• Work in partnership with CGMS’ Chief Advancement Officer to coordinate effective communication systems and public platforms to effectively distribute information to all stakeholders.
• Actively seek support from and engagement with various community groups and leaders.
• Develop and manage effective behavior support and discipline procedures at the school level, embracing and implementing the Nautilus System of Justness, a Montessori behavior support system.
• Be highly present and visible during school hours, relentlessly ensuring a positive school environment.
• Collaborate with other members of the school’s leadership team to create and sustain programs for students and families that build community, educate and inform parents about City Garden’s Montessori and ABAR mission, recognize and celebrate accomplishments, and encourage continuous progress.
• Maintain positive, constructive and professional relationships with students, their families, and colleagues.
• Actively encourage parents to participate in school activities such as parent/caregiver meetings, parent education, field trips, school events, and as classroom volunteers.

QUALIFICATIONS & CHARACTERISTICS

• Bachelor’s degree is required 
• A passionate belief in CGMS’ mission, values, and educational model
• Understanding of and familiarity with the Montessori Theory of Development; ideally Early Childhood Montessori certification from a MACTE-accredited training program and experience as an Early Childhood Montessori teacher
• Understanding of systemic racism and other forms of oppression, and demonstrated success integrating antiracism principles into action as an educator
• 8+ years of experience in Pre-K-8 education
• 3+ years of successful educational leadership experience with exceptional results (school leadership and principal certification preferred)
• Experience in assessment and achievement data analysis
• Experience setting vision for a large number of adults, and helping them work toward that vision
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders simultaneously (ex: students, staff, parents/caregivers, leadership team, board of directors)
• Experience coaching teachers (strongly preferred)
• Experience in a school with strong academic outcomes for all students and a commitment to the whole child
• Satisfactory completion of a background check and Family Care and Safety check, demonstrating results that meet the guidelines for employment at City Garden Montessori School
• Proficient with email, Google Suite, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, calendar management, electronic and physical file management and personal technology

ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS

The environmental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities and functions of the job and are not meant to be all-inclusive.

• Exposure to a variety of childhood and adult diseases and illnesses
• Occasional exposure to a variety of weather conditions
• Exposure to heated/air conditioned and ventilated facilities
• Exposure to a building in which a variety of chemical substances are used for cleaning, instruction, and/or operation of equipment
• Function in a workplace that is usually moderately quiet but that can be noisy at times

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties and responsibilities of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, stand, move and walk at a brisk pace, sit, and use hands and arms to handle, feel and reach. The employee is often required to stoop or kneel and lift and move up to 50 pounds.

Regular attendance on the job is expected and necessary. Additionally, the employee must implement all CGMS Board of Director policies. The employee must be physically and mentally able to react and intervene quickly during crisis situations, such as but not limited to the following circumstances: emergency drills and events, student elopement, physical altercations involving students, student restraint.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities and functions of the job and are not meant to be all-inclusive. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential responsibilities and functions of the job.

Unless reasonable accommodations can be made, while performing this job the staff member shall:

• Use strength to lift items needed to perform the functions of the job.
• Sit, stand, stoop, twist and walk for required periods of time.
• Speak and hear.

• Aligned to the “12-month employee” calendar (July 1^st through June 30th) 
• Benefits:
  • Paid Time Off/Vacation: 21 days of PTO/year + Winter Break, Spring Break, and Holidays as outlined in the school calendar
  • Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance; option to add dependents
  • School admissions preference and free before and aftercare for children of employees
• Retirement
  • Enrolled in the PSRSSTL pension system
• Salary/Pay
  • Compensation is commensurate with experience ($90,000-$105,000)
• Reports to the CEO

1. Updated resume
2. Transcripts (optional at application stage but will be required upon candidacy)
3. Certifications (optional at application stage but will be required upon candidacy)
4. Answer all questions thoroughly, and in your own words. While we value that humans aided by generative AI can be more efficient and effective, we highly encourage you to answer these questions yourself. We are eager to learn about you and your unique leadership lens.