ATS+Partners
Director of Culture
ATS+Partners, Saint Louis, MO
Position: Director of Culture
Organization: Friendly Academy
Location: St. Louis, MO
Work Model: In-person/12 months
Salary: $75,000-$90,000
The Opportunity
Friendly Academy is a proposed K-5 charter school in St. Louis, MO. Friendly Academy's mission is to equip students with a quality and holistic education rooted in love. Partnering with the community and families, Friendly Academy empowers all students to live purpose-driven lives by using their gifts and talents to make a positive difference in their families, their communities, and the world.
We are looking for a Director of Culture. This role is vital in shaping and maintaining a positive school culture that aligns with our values. As the Director of Culture, you will be instrumental in supporting teachers, students, and parents to uphold high behavioral standards and fostering a nurturing and disciplined school environment.
Who You Are
What You'll Do
Qualifications
What we offer you:
Employment Status
Full-time, exempt position. Reports to the Executive Director.
Friendly Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression), citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, military status, veteran status, genetic information or any legally protected status in any of its employment practices, educational programs, services or activities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.
This job description is intended to accurately reflect the duties, responsibilities and requirements of the position. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. The Board reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.
Organization: Friendly Academy
Location: St. Louis, MO
Work Model: In-person/12 months
Salary: $75,000-$90,000
The Opportunity
Friendly Academy is a proposed K-5 charter school in St. Louis, MO. Friendly Academy's mission is to equip students with a quality and holistic education rooted in love. Partnering with the community and families, Friendly Academy empowers all students to live purpose-driven lives by using their gifts and talents to make a positive difference in their families, their communities, and the world.
We are looking for a Director of Culture. This role is vital in shaping and maintaining a positive school culture that aligns with our values. As the Director of Culture, you will be instrumental in supporting teachers, students, and parents to uphold high behavioral standards and fostering a nurturing and disciplined school environment.
Who You Are
- Cultural Leader: You have experience in leading school culture initiatives and are passionate about creating a positive and inclusive school environment.
- Behavioral Specialist: Skilled in behavioral management, you are adept at handling crisis interventions and acute behavioral issues in an educational setting.
- Collaborative Supporter: You are a resource for teachers in instructional practice, particularly in discipline, student relationships, classroom management, and school culture.
- Proactive Communicator: Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, families, community partners, and staff.
What You'll Do
- Cultural Leadership: Will be responsible for executing the school's cultural vision measured by surveys and feedback forums.
- Direct the development and execution of school culture programs, ensuring alignment with our mission.
- Lead in school culture playbook adoption and wellness assessment practices.
- Assist the Executive Director with creating a schoolwide behavior management plan.
- Serve as the point person for behavioral crisis intervention and acute behavioral issues.
- Manage the daily reinforcement of the schoolwide behavior management plan, including measuring the effectiveness of incentives and rubric systems.
- Conduct daily school culture observations and execute feedback meetings for teachers to integrate cultural enrichment opportunities into the curriculum and support the implementation of action steps to improve school culture.
- Collaborate with families, staff, and community partners to bring external cultural experiences to the school, creating enriching opportunities for students.
- Serve on the building leadership team and support the academic and operations teams as needed.
- Organizational Leadership: Will be responsible for supervising faculty and students as a senior building leader aligned with the school's mission, vision, and values.
- Plan and deliver high-quality professional development focused on Friendly Academy's cultural vision.
- Manage implementation of discipline policy including coordinating Restorative Circles and de-escalation practices.
- Support the Executive Director in developing and leading schoolwide Morning Meetings.
- Working with the Director of Academics to utilize data-driven systems and strategies to monitor and evaluate student progress and data on a consistent basis.
- Manage the hiring, training, management, and evaluation of support staff (i.e., social worker and counselor), ensuring professional growth and alignment with school culture objectives.
- Collaborate with the operations and academic directors to ensure the team is united in messaging and communications.
- Work with the operations team to coordinate and manage coverage of support staff in case of absences.
- Represent the school at events and programs during evenings and/or weekends as necessary.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree is required. Master's Degree in Education, Social Work, Counseling, or a related field is strongly preferred
- MO teacher certification or principal certification is strongly preferred
- At least three years of experience in an educational leadership role, ideally in a K-5 setting.
- Proven track record in leading school culture programs and elevating student outcomes.
- Exceptional organizational, leadership, and communication skills.
- Alignment with Friendly Academy's philosophy and commitment to educational excellence.
What we offer you:
- Join a school community where love is the center of our education model without deprioritizing academic rigor and excellence.
- A school culture that promotes wellness by serving the whole child and adult through community partnerships and monthly wellness days.
- The opportunity to innovate and be a part of a founding team that creates the landscape for strong student outcomes.
- Professional development based on growth areas and interests.
- Earn competitive compensation, pension, health, dental, and vision benefits.
Employment Status
Full-time, exempt position. Reports to the Executive Director.
Friendly Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression), citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, military status, veteran status, genetic information or any legally protected status in any of its employment practices, educational programs, services or activities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.
This job description is intended to accurately reflect the duties, responsibilities and requirements of the position. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. The Board reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.