Job Opportunity: Assistant Principal (Elementary)

Location: Washington, DC 

Department: Administrative 

Application Deadline: Until filled 

Employment Type: Full-time

Expected Start Date of Position: July 1, 2024 

Reports to: Principal 

Compensation: Salary starts at $90,000 and will be commensurate with degree and years of experience 

FLSA Status: Exempt 

About Breakthrough Montessori Public Charter School 

Breakthrough Montessori Public Charter School's mission is to enable children to develop within themselves the power to shape their lives and the world around them.

Founded in 2016, Breakthrough Montessori is a public charter school in Washington, DC. In the 2024-25 school year, we will serve 388 students in PK3 through grade 6. At Breakthrough Montessori PCS, we believe in the unbounded potential of all children. Students of all races, classes, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and backgrounds deserve a personalized education.

Our school is grounded in an institutional commitment to development, prevention, and community. We support human development through a strict application of the time-tested Montessori instructional model. We support prevention through early learning, support, and intervention, enabling us to quickly and effectively address learning challenges. Finally, we support the community through an intensive approach to family engagement.

Breakthrough Montessori PCS is committed to equity in all areas of our school's work. We believe in the unbounded potential of all children. Therefore, we are a supportive environment that seeks to employ a diverse staff reflective of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and backgrounds.

Breakthrough Montessori PCS is a coaching school; all team members receive and give coaching to support professional growth.

Position Summary: 

Under the direction of the Principal, the Assistant Principal for Elementary is a member of the school administrative team. The Assistant Principal creates a community of reflective practitioners and ensures high-fidelity implementation of the Montessori method. The Assistant Principal further promotes the school’s anti-racist, anti-bias goals by ensuring an equitable, culturally-responsive program for all students.

The Elementary Assistant Principal coaches all elementary classroom teams in order to create and sustain an outstanding school culture that supports human flourishing. The Assistant Principal furthermore offers philosophy/curriculum support to families through presentations and demonstrations as needed. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 

The Montessori Assistant Principal is a 12-month position. Typical working hours are Monday-Friday from 7:45 am-4:00 pm. Responsibilities include the following: 

Development and Implementation of Montessori Curriculum

1. Ensures that the educational program is delivered according to the school’s mission and vision and increases access to Montessori education. This occurs within the parameters set forth by the Principal. 
2. Works with educators to ensure equity in access to quality lessons, materials, and experiences throughout the school.
3. Models grace and courtesy in all interactions with children, adults, and families.
4. Integrates the how and the why of Montessori pedagogy through actions and beliefs about human potential.

Academics

1. Supports Principal with protocols, procedures and timelines for Child Study.
2. Leads weekly Lesson Study meetings for Elementary.
3. Supports Principal in disproportionality study.
4. Manages summer school programming.

Planning and Management

1. Coordinates daily substitute coverage for all Elementary classrooms.
2. Collaborates with Principal in Elementary staff performance assessments.
   • Responsible for performance assessments of Elementary Montessori Assistants.
   • Provides input for Montessori Guide assessments conducted by the Principal.
   • Collaborates on the recruitment, selection and orientation of academic school staff.
3. Oversees the processes for Elementary classroom placement for students.
4. Collaborates with the Principal to establish and support procedures and routines of the school.
5. Collaborates on the creation of a school schedule that supports the implementation of the Montessori approach.
6. Helps to determine priorities for use of time in the daily, weekly, and yearly calendars.

Staff Selection and Development

1. Conducts weekly observations and one-on-one meetings with classroom teachers.
2. Conducts weekly group meetings with all non-leads, such as Montessori Assistants.
3. Collaborates with the Principal to create and facilitate a year-long scope and sequence for staff professional development.
4. Organizes and facilitates weekly professional development. 
5. Meets regularly with all adults that interact with children and families to ensure consistency of Montessori practice.
6. Ensures that consistent Lesson Study and Child Study protocols are followed and implemented with fidelity.
7. Helps teachers develop and implement classroom-based, developmentally appropriate interventions for individual children and groups of children to enhance their acquisition of social/emotional and cognitive skills.
8. Foster collaboration and teacher leadership.
9. Demonstrate the importance of feedback, documentation and informal development discussions which supplement the annual performance review.

Data and Assessment

1. Collects data about student work engagement and academic performance through regular observation of all Elementary classrooms.
2. Uses a variety of data points (including classroom observations, lessons plans and records, TS Gold results, and iReady results) to drive conversations about classroom practice and planning.
3. Informs all academic coaching and professional development related to Montessori Curriculum through the use of the Montessori Curriculum to Standards Alignment (MCSA).
4. Analyzes student outcomes data regularly to track progress towards school wide goals. 

Collaboration, Communication and Community Relations

1. Engages directly with families through participating in school wide routines, events, and celebrations.
2. Collaborates on school-wide communications, including progress reports, newsletters, and ad hoc updates to the family community.
3. Fosters dialogue about culturally responsive teaching, current events, and serving all children within our community.

Testing Coordinator

1. Holds standardized assessment and its implementation through scheduling testing windows, proctoring, uploading data, and data reporting.
2. Keeps abreast of assessments needed for all grade levels, with the support of the Principal.
3. Ensures assessment materials and equipment are present for testing.
4. Works with the Operations department to ensure all roster information is correct in various databases. 
5. Ensures that assessment systems (such as PARCC, iReady, NWEA, DRA) are ready by testing dates. 
6. Schedules assessment training for staff, as needed. 

Required Competencies and Qualifications: 

• Deeply committed to the Montessori philosophy and expanding its accessibility to all children.
• Have a firm commitment to upholding the school’s mission and anti-bias/anti-racist pedagogy.
• Proven ability to work as a member of a diverse team of educators.
• Continuously engages in ongoing Montessori professional development.
• Works collaboratively, respectful of differing opinions, with flexibility and a willingness to learn.
• Demonstrates the capacity for independent work, flexibility, and the ability to handle multiple demands.
• Possesses a friendliness to error and is willing to confront challenges with a solutions-oriented approach.
• Actively engages in reflective practice, gives and receives feedback regularly, and consciously develops a high level of emotional intelligence.
• Demonstrates the ability to diagnose complex problems, identify key issues and root causes, and appropriately prioritize steps to solve the problems.
• Commitment to upholding the confidentiality of students and parents.
• Other duties as assigned 

Education and Experience: 

• Experience working with diverse populations of students, parents, and families. 
• Montessori certification in the Elementary level and Montessori classroom experience 
• Masters in Education required 
• Three to five years of experience coaching 
• ABAR training or background a plus

Benefits: 

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance premiums are subsidized by the employer
• Paid time off 
• Paid Covid leave 
• AFLAC
• Vanguard 403b Plan with employer contributions and matches after one year
• Free parking for staff 
• Employer paid life insurance for $50,000 

For information on Breakthrough Montessori PCS, including more information on employee benefits and our company culture, visit our website at www.breakthroughmontessori.org. 

Breakthrough Montessori PCS is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.