Chief Academic Officer

ABOUT MERIDIAN PCS

Meridian is a PreK-8th grade school located in Washington DC’s vibrant U Street Corridor. Our mission is to inspire a passion for learning in our students and to help them build their self-confidence and self-respect through academic achievement. Our 650+ students are a diverse mix of African-American, Latino, Asian, African, and White students. Almost 30% of our students are English language learners, and we have one of the largest Hispanic populations in DC charter schools. We are committed to building a community of teachers and staff who reflect the rich diversity of our student body. Our middle school campus serves nearly 200 students in the Columbia Heights neighborhood in grades 6-8.

Meridian is committed to serving families from our local communities; and one-third of our students live within a half mile of the school. The U Street Corridor was once the heart of black culture in DC and offers a tangible historical archive for our students, and Columbia Heights is one of the most racially and economically diverse neighborhoods in the District. We are also proud of the fact that Meridian is a school of choice for parents— all eight wards of the city are represented among our student population.

Meridian’s strengths include two beautiful and historic campuses, with nearby outdoor and recreational grounds; state of the art technology for students and teachers; updated and aligned curricula; an academic program laser-focused on student growth, achievement, and social-emotional development; extensive professional development and support for teachers and leaders; and a school culture grounded in student achievement, collaboration, and student-centered learning.

Join us as we continue to take Meridian from good to great! For additional information about Meridian visit mpcs-dc.org. 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Meridian Public Charter School seeks a Chief Academic Officer to drive the educational performance of the school, provide leadership, accountability, vision and strategic direction for curriculum, instruction, assessment and school improvement initiatives. The Chief Academic Officer is a key member of the school leadership team who collaborates with fellow leaders to design and manage Meridian’s academic programing. Reporting to the Head of School, the ideal candidate will bring demonstrated experience driving academic improvement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Meridian’s Chief Academic Officer will set the vision for instructional success and provide educational and administrative leadership that builds and supports a high-performance education team by inspiring, integrating, and aligning the academic work of the school. The Chief Academic Officer will perform specific responsibilities that include, but are not limited to the following:

• Serve as primary instructional leader ensuring an academic program tightly aligned to student achievement outcomes;
• Develop and evaluate instructional initiatives and strategies designed to improve instructional outcomes as measured by state and national standards;
• Support teachers to implement a rigorous curriculum, aligned to Common Core Learning Standards, and provide actionable feedback that leads to professional growth and student success;
• Oversee high quality professional development and facilitate continuous professional learning;
• Evaluate teacher effectiveness, providing consistent feedback and opportunities for improvement;
• Oversee interim and state assessments; collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data;
• Facilitate the examination of data to assess gaps and inequities, improve practice, and improve student outcomes;
• Lead a positive student and staff culture, modeling high expectations for excellence from the top;
• Assure compliance with established goals, objectives and legal requirements concerning charter school educational and instructional services;
• Establish partnerships with community organizations to ensure resources and opportunities for students, and effectively advocate on behalf of the school community; 
• Collaborate with school principals to ensure program alignment and partner with the senior leadership team to sustain a premier institution in Washington, DC.

QUALIFICATIONS

Successful candidates will possess the following qualifications:  

Educational Background and Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required; a master’s degree or an advanced degree in K-12 school administration, curriculum & instruction, or a related field with strong academic preparation is preferred; 
• A minimum of 3 to 5 successful years of leadership as a Principal.

Skills and Characteristics

• Bi-Lingual in Spanish (speaking/writing) is a plus, but not required;
• A proven track record of raising student achievement in an urban school setting;
• Demonstrates a firm commitment to educational equity for all students;
• Demonstrates passion and energy, and a willingness to engage and empower adults and students to reach their full potential; 
• Possesses a high degree of personal integrity, demonstrated leadership abilities, and a history of working cooperatively with key stakeholders in a school environment;
• Knowledge of state frameworks, curriculum, instruction, assessment and innovative school improvement initiatives;
• Knowledge of state-of-the-art research and proven best practices in areas of closing the achievement gaps and meeting the diverse needs of students;
• Demonstrates success using effective staff development programs and strategies;
• Effective academic accountability systems and services;
• Knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, codes, regulations, guidelines, policies, procedures, state frameworks, including special education; 
• Effective management principles, practices, and supervision techniques;
• Possesses strong strategic thinking skills;
• Displays excellent written and oral communication skills using tact, patience and courtesy;
• Loves to collaborate and is an excellent team player that leverages the skills and abilities of others;
• Works comfortably with people from diverse backgrounds;
• Works confidentially with discretion.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

A TNTP Insight Survey of our teachers placed our staff’s satisfaction with compensation in the top quartile of all charter schools in DC. We also lead the charter sector in compensation transparency, and publish our salary scales for teachers, apprentice teachers, and dedicated aides here.

Meridian teachers and staff are compensated competitively for their time and have opportunities to earn additional income through leadership opportunities at the school level, offering extracurricular clubs and sports for students, and facilitating tutoring programs.