Independent Schools of Saint Louis

Assistant Head of School Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School

The Assistant Head of School serves as a crucial thought partner and advisor to the Head of School and bears overarching responsibility for aligning all academic and co-curricular programs in service to the school’s mission. In partnership with the Head of School, Director of Finance, and other senior administrators, the Assistant Head will be a highly visible presence in the school, helping to shape the day-to-day implementation of the school’s philosophy and long-term planning. The Assistant Head is an educator and a community builder. 

The Assistant Head will lead curricular design, innovation, and strategic initiatives that ensure an integrated educational experience for students and a rewarding professional path for faculty members. 

 

Core responsibilities are likely to include: 

  • Serving as a strategic thought partner to the Head of School and participating as a collaborative and engaged member of the senior administrative team; 

  • Support, coach, and evaluate faculty in partnership with academic leaders

  • Designing and refining systems, processes, and structures that will facilitate a more cohesive and consistent student experience in K-8 curricular and co-curricular programs; 

  • Chairing the curriculum workgroups and working in partnership with faculty and academic leadership to further develop and refine the curriculum and pedagogy to ensure it is both relevant and innovative; 

  • Helping the school to move forward in its strategic initiatives by carefully balancing a rich history and tradition with a commitment to evolving best practices and openness to new ideas; 

  • Continuing to cultivate an inclusive and diverse community that is grounded in equity; 

  • Assisting the Head of School in supporting, developing, and empowering the leadership team; 

  • Assisting the Head of School and the Business Office Manager with the general administration of the school, including planning, organization, management, and supervision of all day-to-day operations; 

  • Coordinating the school’s re-accreditation process, special committees, and task forces;

  • Assisting with the development of the master calendar, updating of school handbooks, and compliance with requirements for non-public schools; 

  • Supporting the activities of the FTA (parents’ association); 

  • Maintaining a strong presence in all areas of the school, keeping the Head informed of the general programs, activities, challenges, and opportunities of the school; 

  • In partnership with the Business Office Director, attending to the needs of the school in the absence of the Head and representing the Head of School as necessary at Mirowitz meetings and functions, and in other engagements outside of the immediate community; and;

  • Supervising and supporting direct reports as determined in consultation with the Head of School.

Professional Qualifications: 

  • Nuanced understanding of the academic and student life dimensions of an independent school;

  • Experience as a curricular leader and deep knowledge of current best practices and innovation in curriculum, pedagogy, and student life; 

  • The ability to communicate orally and in writing with inspiration and clarity to both internal and external audiences;

  • The ability to articulate vision and strategy, the tactical skills to deftly manage the systems and processes necessary to implement strategy, and the organizational fluency to manage multiple streams of information and respond to situations as they emerge;

  • Personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging while also adept at leveraging the ability to support student and faculty growth in this area and to facilitate critical conversations in the design of ever-more inclusive curriculum and programs;

  • Strong organizational, management, and execution skills with significant attention to detail;

  • Experience working in partnership with an engaged parent community that has high expectations of the school;

  • A history of thoughtful innovation moderated by a skillful and sensitive approach to change and;

  • The ability to navigate complexity, in part through effective prioritization, delegation, and management of systems. 

 

Leadership Style and Personal Qualities

  • A spirit of curiosity that fuels the pursuit of evolving best practices and current research on curriculum and pedagogy;

  • The courage, confidence, and humility to advocate for new ideas, invite disagreement, and welcome feedback, engaging in challenging conversations with grace;

  • Eagerness to engage actively with faculty and willingness to prioritize visibility and accessibility amidst the demands of a busy professional schedule;

  • A commitment to excellence, an indefatigable work ethic, and experience prioritizing and managing unexpected interruptions; 

  • Reflective and thoughtful, upholding the highest levels of integrity; 

  • Creative, empowering, transparent, and capable of inspiring trust from stakeholders across the community and;

  • A track record of building deep relationships through self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

 

Compensation 

Salary is competitive with area independent schools and commensurate with experience. Excellent health and retirement benefits are part of the employment package. Funding exists to support continuing education and professional development. Financial benefits include tuition remission for children of full-time employees.

DEI Philosophy Statement

At Mirowitz, we recognize that the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion is deeply rooted in our work as Jewish educators. Our tradition teaches us the value of kavod habriyot, respect for the sacred diversity of all of God’s creations. Our core Jewish values of kavod (respect), hakarat hatov (recognition of the good), limmud (learning), and tikkun (commitment to repair) guide our work in building empathy, promoting sacred diversity of identities, and both studying and committing ourselves to repair of social inequities that have historically stemmed from these differences. We believe in the dignity and worth of every person regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, ability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, or any other individual characteristic.