Description
The DSCA Board of Directors is seeking a new Head of School to lead DSCA in fulfilling its mission. DSCA is an independent, accredited, Classical, Christ-centered, college-preparatory, non-denomination, 501(c)(3) school serving Dripping Springs, Tx since 2006. There are about 100 students in grades K3-12th. We are a full time, Monday through Thursday school.
You will be responsible for day-to-day operations and ensure the school provides an education in partnership with parents, guiding students to serve others, and to discover God's calling on their lives.
This position is for immediate hire for the 22-23 school year.
New Head of School opportunities:
• Faculty/Staff attraction and retention: Due to the increasingly difficult hiring climate, DSCA must attract and retain high-quality faculty and staff.
• Student/Family attraction and retention: In an effort to both increase interest and enrollment and reduce annual attrition, there is an opportunity to employ methods for promoting DSCA and increased student retention.
• Build goodwill with the DSCA community and beyond: The importance of the HOS promoting unity, keeping the mission/vision central and clearly communicated, applying personal drive and ambition to propel the school forward, and demonstrating how the HOS partners with parents.
• Building Capital Campaign: DSCA has been renting office space in Central Dripping Springs for 9 years. The goal is to own facilities with a full-size indoor gymnasium, outdoor play area, within Dripping Springs city limits.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A DSCA HEAD OF SCHOOL
• Relational leader whose conversation leaves everyone encouraged to better themselves.
• Someone who has a passion for the wellbeing of others.
• Pastoral, one who is dedicated to calling all to become what God desires of us.
• Humble, discerns wise counsel, and aggressively acts when needed.
• Entrepreneur like minded, able to adapt to the challenges and make the best out of the situation
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership
• Provide Christ-centered, Biblically-directed, leadership to the DSCA community.
• Provide visionary leadership for the future of the school and motivate others in pursuit of the school’s mission.
• Meet regularly with the staff regarding operational improvement opportunities.
• Develop and update operational procedures and oversee the formation of school policy.
• Continue professional development and attend conferences as needed (leadership and classical christian education)
• Be visible on campus and in activities.
• Consistently monitor the school’s culture to ensure it aligns with the mission and vision of DSCA.
• Ensure the school’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Overseeing day-to-day operations (finances, facilities, student life, admissions, marketing, instruction, etc.), and long-term planning.
Parent and constituent relations
• Oversee the planning and implementing of strategies for organized parent input.
• Present at school informational sessions.
• Represent the school with local, state, and federal agencies, educational organizations, and accrediting agencies.
• Cultivation of alumni, parents and public relations
Faculty and Staff Management
• Inspire, guide, direct, and evaluate direct reports by providing regular written and verbal feedback.
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, discipline, and, when needed, fire faculty and staff.
• Ensure all faculty and staff are classically trained (Trivium Classical education).
• Model Biblical principles of leadership in his/her relationships with the faculty and staff.
• Develop and maintain programs for professional growth for administrators and staff, including regular feedback.
• Delegates, assigns, reassigns, and/or modifies duties to appropriate subordinates based upon individual technical skill and ability consistent with the demands of the organization.
• Provides a substitute teacher program for instruction of students when a teacher is unavailable, and acts in the capacity of a substitute if needed.
Academic oversight
• Plan and organize strategies for keeping current with educational innovation and improvement in line with the school’s mission.
• Review annual academic performance in order to improve curriculum (scope and sequence) and instructional strategies.
• Articulate a Christian (biblical) philosophy of education and implement this philosophy at all levels.
Student relations
• Attend to the demands for appropriate physical needs for all students.
• Ensure positive and productive spiritual and educational development of students.
• Meet with students as needed to discuss their academic and behavioral progress.
• Occasionally to frequently present to parts of the student body.
Board relations
• Act as representative of faculty, staff, and families to the DSCA Board.
• Meet regularly with the Board, preparing and presenting reports as requested.
• Collaborate with the Board to carry out established school policies, regularly reviewing these policies and recommending improvements.
• Prepare a balanced budget to submit to the Board for review and approval.
Fiscal
• Account for financial funds and provide explanations of financial reports.
• Demonstrate strong fiscal management skills including the skill to develop and maintain appropriate reserves.
• Administer the budget after adoption, recommending revisions as required and responsible for meeting budget figures.
• Research and procure public funds via grants available to private non-profit schools.
QUALIFICATIONS
Personal
• Have received Jesus Christ as personal Savior and believe that the Bible is God’s Word and standard for faith and daily living.
• Be in whole-hearted agreement with DSCA’s Statements on Faith, Life, and Conduct.
• Be a Christian role model in attitude, speech, and action toward others (Luke 6:40). This includes being committed to God’s biblical standards for sexual conduct.
• Be a Christian who is, and will remain during the period of employment, an active member of a Christ-centered church, growing in his/her Christian relationship with God and actively practicing and exhibiting principles of the Christian faith.
• Be spiritually mature and consistently maintain a daily devotional and prayer life.
• Recognize the role of parents as primarily responsible before God for their children’s education and be prepared to assist them in that task.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
• Extensive knowledge of classical, Christian education.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to quickly establish rapport and work well with others
• Demonstrated ability to make thoughtful decisions and to do so quickly when needed
• Ability to spiritually lead others and demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit
• Ability to quickly and efficiently find solutions to problems and diffuse difficult situations
• Strong organizational skills even while multitasking
• Proven ability to work with little supervisory direction
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage a budget and raise funds
• Knowledgeable in FACTS
• Strong financial literacy
** This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the Head of School. The Board of Directors retains the right to modify this Job Description at its discretion**
Education and experience
• Master’s degree or higher
• 2+ years experience in a classical, Christian school
• 3+ years experience in school administration/in a senior leadership capacity
Preferred education and experience
• 5+ years experience in a classical, Christian School
• 2+ years experience as Head of School/CEO or similar role
Additional attributes
• Genuine love for individuals, especially children.
• Relational—being appropriately open, approachable, and vulnerable.
• Selflessness—consistently placing the interests of others above one’s.
• Equanimity—in great measure and especially in times of adversity and crisis.
• Sincere delight in the success of others.
• Visionary—able to clearly articulate what does not currently exist and inspire and lead others.
• Not easily offended.
• Ability to absorb chaos and radiate peace, enduring hardships well and opportunistically strengthening in challenges.
• Generosity—particularly of one’s time and experiences.
• Servant-leadership, steadily persevering.
• Adaptive, and innovative—unafraid of going against the crowd, but also unafraid of seeking counsel.
• Comfortable with managing the constant tension between truth/justice and grace/mercy.
• Prudence.
• Curiosity and inquisitiveness.
• Reflective and deliberate.
• Self-aware and confident—derived from being deeply rooted and daily nourished in Christ.
• Self-effacing, quiet, reserved.
If you do not possess all of the above qualifications or skills, but otherwise believe you would be an excellent candidate, please do not hesitate to apply. DSCA values diverse experiences and backgrounds.
Compensation
The full salary range is $65,000 - $75,000 per year (eligible for performance bonus). Starting salary will vary by qualifications and experience.
DSCA offers the Head of School a range of benefits (standard for all salaried employees as indicated in the school's employee Handbook) including: qualified tuition reduction plan, paid vacation time, sick days and holiday.
4-day work week Monday through Thursday. Office hours: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., however, the Head of School from time to time may work an extended schedule, including weekends and evenings according to demands of the role.
To be considered for this position, please follow these directions.
In a single PDF document, include:
• Letter of interest
• Resume
• Names, addresses and email addresses of three professional references
Please email the document to board@dsca.org. Those chosen for an interview will be contacted.