Career Center

The Opportunity

As Giddens School moves toward celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, our unyielding commitment to social justice and equity is a central guide to our work with children. This 50 year commitment, along with our country’s painful reckoning with the long history of anti-Blackness and the recent increase in bias incidents facing others in marginalized communities has galvanized these efforts. As a school community, we have the foundation to push ourselves forward and engage justice and equity both within and beyond the school walls. The years ahead present Giddens School with interesting and challenging strategic initiatives and the inaugural Assistant Head of School for Justice, Equity, and Inclusion will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the school, the community, and most importantly students. We are excited for the individual in this role to help develop this inaugural position to best fit the Giddens Community.

Through joy and discovery, Giddens School nurtures and develops academically and emotionally confident children who advocate for themselves and others. To accomplish this goal, Giddens recruits and mentors teachers who employ purposeful, standards and inquiry based curricula in their classrooms with equity and social justice at the center of both content and teaching practice. Giddens faculty are known for possessing collaborative and growth oriented mindsets and appreciate the ability to flexibly adjust curricula to best address questions of educational importance.

The Assistant Head for Justice, Equity, and Inclusion will report directly to the Head of School and will serve on the leadership team to review, revise, and develop systems, policies, and practices that support the integration of justice initiatives and efforts across the organization. Their work will be shaped by and shape the experiences of all stakeholders from the Board of Trustees, to the leadership team, to faculty and staff, to students, to families and to the community at large. The salary range is $95,000 to $125,000 annualized, depending on experience; benefits package, PTO and holiday pay is available. Schedule includes occasional weekend and evening hours. The start date for this position is July 1, 2022. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The candidate in this position will:

• Lead, in collaboration with the Head of School, the successful continuation, design, and implementation of justice, equity, and inclusion policies and practices to achieve Giddens school values
• Act as a catalyst in stimulating important organizational discussions and offer insightful solutions on complex topics that help the the school achieve its justice, equity and inclusion aspirations
• Work closely with the Associate Head of School to support justice, equity and inclusion practices within the context of teaching and learning; investigate and develop curriculum collaboratively with faculty and the Associate Head of School
• Develop and maintain active partnerships within and beyond the community in support of justice, equity, and inclusion at Giddens. This will include the revitalization of the service learning program in which Giddens partners with external organizations to support student participation in service learning projects oriented around justice
• Work with leadership to design and implement strategies to help recruit, support, and advance faculty and staff of color as well as faculty who identify as part of other marginalized communities
• Enhance professional growth and development for the Giddens community through participation and leadership in educational programs, in-service meetings, and workshops
• Champion the Giddens School values in the upcoming NWAIS Self-Study and Accreditation review
• Attend monthly meetings of the Board of Trustees and be the liaison to the Equity and Inclusion Committee of the Board of Trustees
• Lead in ways that support and maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in a manner to foster teamwork and by modelling collaboration

Application Process:

Candidates who submit an application by February 11, 2022 will receive preference, though applications will continue to be accepted after that date until the position is filled. Please submit a cover letter and resume. Email your application to employment@giddensschool.org

Equal Opportunity Employment Policy:

Giddens School believes that each individual is entitled to equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. The school’s equal employment opportunity practices extend to recruitment, hiring, selection, compensation, benefits, transfer, promotion, training, discipline, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Qualifications:

The candidate in this position is preferred to have:

• Master’s Degree or above in Education, or related field
• At least three years of relevant professional work experience, including but not limited to, diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice in an educational setting
• Demonstrated knowledge of social justice research, anti bias education, multicultural education or similar and how it relates to organizational and educational practice
• Experience working with students and teachers in an Early Childhood Educational or Elementary school setting
• Documented evidence of a proactive role in leading initiatives that contribute to equity and inclusion within their professional lives

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

To perform this role successfully, the following knowledge and dispositions are required for the essential functions of this position:

• Knowledge and understanding of the contexts, cultures, and politics within schools that impact the implementation and management of effective justice, equity and inclusion change efforts
• Knowledge of how school wide planning and programming enhances the justice, equity and inclusion values of the school for faculty, staff, students, and families
• Knowledge of protocols and practices for responding to bias incidents when they occur within the school community
• Knowledge of how various forms of institutional data are used to benchmark and promote accountability for the values related to justice, equity and inclusion within peer institutions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent skills in team-building and planning including proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a variety of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences
• Excellent organizational and informed decision-making skills
• Ability to articulate the range of evidence for the educational benefits that accrue to students through Giddens’ focus on social justice education
• Ability to work as a mediator with well-developed conflict resolution skills to facilitate conflict resolution between and among students, between students and faculty, and between families as related to student conflicts
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with various constituencies throughout the school
• The proven ability to work with sensitive and confidential information