Head of School

Role: Head of School 

Organization: Libertas College Prep

Start date: July 1, 2021 (with an option for an earlier start date)

About the Organization:

Libertas College Prep is a charter school serving students in grades 4-8 in Leimert Park in South Los Angeles. Our school is founded on the belief that all students can thrive and be successful in a rigorous, structured, and supportive environment. 

Libertas College Prep has an intensive focus on literacy. We utilize a nontraditional starting point of 4th grade to ensure that all students receive literacy support through the transition from “learning to read” in 3rd grade to “reading to learn” in 4th grade and beyond. Our school opened in August 2015 and serves the neighborhood student population, including many first-generation college-bound students. 

Libertas was recognized as a Top School by Innovate Schools through USC’s Rossier School of Education and a California Distinguished School for 2020 and 2021. 

Responsibilities of the Head of School at Libertas include, but are not limited to:

Driving Breakthrough Student Achievement Outcomes

Directly support and supervise the school’s leadership team, and thereby the academic program, to ensure a shared vision for the systems and procedures to support an outstanding academic program. In this role, you will:

• Lead and oversee content areas’ instructional goal-setting and long-term planning 
• Analyze data regularly to maximize student performance 
• Ensure that every student shows dramatic achievement gains and that the school meets the ambitious performance goals set by the Libertas team

Lead Organizational Culture

 Build and execute a shared vision for positive and powerful organizational culture – among team members, scholars, and families alike. Work to create a positive, achievement-oriented, and structured learning environment that excites and invests scholars, thus motivating them to realize high academic and behavioral standards. 

 Manage and Lead School Team

• Directly manage the school’s Assistant Principals, Director of Operations, and Director of Special Education
• Oversee the annual performance evaluation process
• Oversee all employment decisions (hiring and terminations) 
• Collaborate with organizational departments (academics, operations, programs) and develop professional development 
• Conduct one-on-one meetings with members of the leadership team to support school site needs and individual leader development

Ensure Sound Operational Systems & Practices

Directly oversee and manage the school’s Director of Operations to ensure that the school develops and adheres strongly to board-approved procedures and systems, including: fiscal policies, human resources, scholar and employee safety, and management of student data. Ensure that Libertas is compliant with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations including, but not limited to, those pertaining to teacher credentialing and the administration of secondary education codes in the state of California.

Ensure Strategic Growth, Financial Health & Sustainability

Manage the school’s operating budget and steward institutional resources wisely. Partner with the board of directors to develop an annual operating budget and fundraising plan, manage sound implementation of the school’s board-approved annual operating budget minimizing variances. Marshall resources for the organization by applying for grants and leveraging personal and professional networks to raise funds for the school from private individuals’ contributions. Plan and implement strategic growth for Libertas in order to move into a permanent home (including a facilities search, enrollment expansion, and student recruitment). 

What We Look for: Mission Fit, Mindsets & Grit

Successful candidates for any role with the school’s team will evidence the following traits and track record:

• Demonstrated commitment to our organization’s mission and values
• Fundamental and unwavering belief that all children can learn and that they deserve nothing short of excellence in their education
• Capacity to work and lead across lines of difference and build strong inclusive organizational culture
• Extremely high standards for scholar achievement and behavior
• Capacity to receive, digest, and implement feedback with grace and agility
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, especially with scholars, teammates and parents
• Belief in consistent leadership and commitment to leading the school for at least five years
• Track record of leading similar organizations to outstanding academic performance

Qualifications for This Role

The successful candidate will be an experienced educational leader with proven success in executing academic vision and success in leading operations in a school or charter management organization. They will bring the ability to deliver outstanding educational outcomes and will possess exceptional relationship-building skills and the ability to communicate clearly to multiple stakeholders. The successful candidate will also bring some or all of the following experience, skills, and qualifications. 

Required

• Bachelor’s degree from a 4-year college or university
• A minimum of six years of progressive responsibility in leadership roles
• Formal experience managing a team 
• Formal experience managing a budget

Preferred

• An M.Ed., MBA, MPA, or JD from a competitive college/university
• Excellent written and oral Spanish language skills

Compensation:

Libertas College Prep staff members are provided with a competitive salary, benefits, and a working environment that includes all of the necessary technology and resources to succeed. 

To apply: 

Please email your resume and cover letter to Sakshi Jain at info@libertascollegeprep.org.