Holy Family Day Home, Head of School

ORGANIZATION 

Founded by the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1900, Holy Family Day Home (HFDH) has been a "home away from home" for children and families in San Francisco’s Mission District. Their mission is to provide affordable, high quality, early childhood education and family support services in a stable and nurturing environment, thereby providing the children of working families skills and hope for lifelong development. They are currently serving 175 children and their families. 

 

Holy Family Day Home is a play-based child development center that focuses on the needs of the whole child. Starting in 2016, the educational program began an in-depth study of the Reggio Emilia approach that values the belief that children are strong, competent and capable citizens who are full of wonder and curiosity to learn. The approach believes that children have a natural drive that makes them want to understand and know about the world around them and how this world relates to them. HFDH also believes that the family is the primary influence on the child’s growth and development. 

 

To learn more about Holy Family Day Home, go here.

OPPORTUNITY  The last few years have been a very challenging time for families of young children, particularly for the communities in the Mission District of San Francisco. The growing need for additional child care support for these families has brought on the need for additional leadership at Holy Family Day Home, as they look to expand their enrollment. Recommended by the Board of Directors and consultants working with leadership to hire a new position, a Head of School.  

 

The Head of School oversees and directs the planning, organizing, and implementation of education services for children and families. These services contribute to the increased social competence in children and the recognition and enhancement of parents as the primary educators of their children. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Head of School will be responsible for supporting and engaging education staff, in individual and small group formats, by building their capacity to promote school readiness of children in their classrooms. They will be responsible for the day-to-day programming requirements of the school in partnership with the Program Director, Community Health and Wellness Director, Curriculum Manager and Admissions Manager. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Key Responsibilities of the Head of School include:

 

Staff Management:

Supervises Program Director, School Counselor, Family Services Director, and Health and Wellness Director.
Partner with Directors to interview and hire new staff as needed. 
Partner with Directors to support the effective general management of the school, for ensuring the provision of academic leadership and strategic vision, and for the quality of the children and families experience.
Developing a strategic plan for the school, in partnership with the Directors and with the Executive Director, including the preparation of a staffing and resource plan.

Cross Functional Project Management:  

Maintains on-going communication with the leadership team, particularly the Executive Director and remains abreast of current best practice techniques in early education.
Serves as a liaison in partnership with the directors and works with community agencies such as First Five of San Francisco.

Fiscal and Program Compliance:

Starts and maintains the accreditation process in addition to coordinating compliance with all state licensing regulations.
Implements progressive discipline as necessary to correct developmentally inappropriate or unprofessional behavior utilizing the Child Centered Creativity (C3) team as an interdisciplinary approach.

PRIORITIES A successful first year in this role for the new Head of School will include:

Establish strong working relationships, build trust with staff, and promote a culture of collaboration.
Hire and effectively onboard key staff in partnership with Directors.
Establish performance criteria to ensure high-quality Pre-K and other support services to scale, including the assessment of potential providers against that criteria and implementation of an evidence-based process to determine how funds are distributed.

QUALIFICATIONS  In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the ideal Head of School candidate will be:

An accomplished leader with 5-7 years of success supervising at a large non-profit child care program, specifically serving under-resourced communities.
Demonstrated commitment to Holy Family Day Home’s mission of providing affordable, high quality, early childhood education and family support services in a stable and nurturing environment. 
A seasoned professional and experienced manager who knows how to recruit, coach, and develop teachers and staff at all levels.
Culturally competent and a self-reflective leader who understands the effects of race, class, ethnicity, income, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and other issues of difference in society and is able to lead conversations about this.
Thorough knowledge and application of developmentally appropriate practices, such as the Reggio Emilia approach, and performance standard and component plans.
Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development; or advanced degree in any field.
At least 30 credit hours in early childhood education and experience teaching children aged 0-5 years old.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to and passion for educating young children.
A strong understanding of the management of Title Five Childcare Center.
Bilingual in English and Spanish; Chinese Dialects or Tagalog preferred.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS This position offers a competitive salary of $130,000 and a robust benefits package including medical, dental, retirement and vision coverage. More details can be provided upon request.

TO APPLY Please submit a resume online at https://apply.workable.com/j/C1C50F196F. For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Serena Moy at smoy@edgilityconsulting.com or at 510.575.9635.

 

Holy Family Day Home is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.