Position: Director of Academics
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 seek a Director of Academics to lead our school to strong academic outcomes by managing and guiding our founding academic team to uphold our high educational standards and ensure students succeed academically and socially/emotionally. The Director of Academics will work closely with the Executive Director to operationalize Friendly’s educational model which is built on 5 pillars:

• Faculty & Student Wellness: We serve the whole child and faculty by addressing their emotional, social, and physical needs
• Family and Community Partnerships: We enroll families, not students, and provide wrap-around services to meet targeted needs
• Service Learning: We learn through hands-on activities that help build our character and serve others
• Literacy: We believe that literacy and reading comprehension are the foundation for rigorous learning
• Personalized Learning: We understand every student is different, and instruction should be aligned with their unique needs and interests.

• Instructional Leader: You are able to craft of vision of excellence for academics and can design and execute the essential instructional enabling systems to drive academic performance for all students
• Educational Innovator: With extensive experience in K-5 educational leadership, you are adept at implementing effective educational strategies and programs.
• Strategic Planner: Your excellent organizational and planning skills enable you to establish clear academic goals that align with our mission.
• Collaborative Communicator: Your experience includes fostering partnerships with staff, parents, and community stakeholders, and you are skilled in clear and effective communication.
• Visionary Leader: You are capable of articulating and implementing academic visions and strategies to diverse audiences.
• Culture Ambassador: You live the values of the organization, communities, and families in a way that honors the assets of all those you represent.

• Instructional Leadership: Will be responsible for driving academic performance as measured by formative and summative assessments for both proficiency and growth.
  • Direct the development and execution of academic programs, ensuring alignment with our mission. Lead in curriculum adoption and assessment practices.
  • Conduct daily observations and execute feedback meetings for teacher and instructional leader development, supporting the implementation of action steps.
  • Provide real-time feedback during instruction and contribute to teacher reviews.
  • Plan and deliver high-quality professional development focused on Friendly Academy’s curricular systems and key pedagogical
  • Organize and lead grade-level or content-area team meetings.
  • Manage organization-wide curriculum and assessment work, including lesson planning, assessment revisions, collaborative scoring, and network analysis.
  • Facilitate assessment cycles, ensuring scheduling, quality assurance of materials, and preparation of teachers and students.

• Organizational Leadership: Will be responsible for supervising faculty and students as a senior building leader aligned with the school’s mission, vision, and values.
  • Assist the Executive Director with implementing a school-wide strategic academic plan
  • Utilize data-driven systems and strategies to monitor and evaluate student progress and data on a consistent basis.
  • Develop and maintain a high-achieving academic environment that provide for the safety, health, and welfare for all students,
  • Conduct interviews and select instructional staff with high growth potential in collaboration with the Executive Director.
  • Supervises and evaluates the performance of all academic staff members.
  • Oversee training and evaluation of instructional staff, ensuring professional growth and alignment with our academic objectives.
  • Build relationships and strong communication with students and families across the school; ensure an inclusive school environment that respects the culture of students served.
  • Collaborate with the operations and culture team leaders to ensure the team is united in messaging and communications.
  • Represent the school at events and programs during evenings and/or weekends as necessary.
  • Work with the operations team to coordinate and manage coverage of all instructional classroom periods in case of absences.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field
• MO teacher certification is required, and 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 academic programs and elevating student outcomes.
• Comprehensive knowledge of curriculum development, pedagogical theories, and best educational practices
• Exceptional organizational, leadership, and communication skills.
• Alignment with Friendly Academy’s philosophy and commitment to educational excellence.
• Possess an attention to detail and the ability to think and act strategically with a sense of urgency.

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.