Career Center

Job Description: Athletic Director

Job Description: Athletic Director

Academy High is an independent, non-profit, college preparatory day school located in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. The school opened its doors to a pioneer class of nine students in 2017, and has grown each year, now serving 60 students in grades 9-12. The mission of Academy High is to inspire students to discover and pursue their passions; to become exceptionally well-educated, academically, and personally; and to lead lives of excellence, purpose, and joy.

Academy High seeks a qualified P.E. Teacher and Athletic Director starting in the 2022-2023 school year.  

Job Summary

The Athletic Director reports directly to the Head of School and is an educational administrator and teacher at the school. S/he develops and supervises the physical education instruction, athletic administration, and overall health education at the school.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Athletic Director will:

• Develop, organize, supervise, and evaluate a developmentally appropriate program of intramural and interscholastic athletics for the entire school.
• Establish an athletic program that promotes Academy High’s larger focus on developing in our students core 21st century skills; the ‘6 Cs’ of Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Cross-Cultural Competency and Character.
• Cultivate lifelong habits of health and wellness that reflect the larger goals and objectives of Academy High’s athletic program (See final section on ‘Academy High Athletic Program Goals and Objectives’)
• Teach, analyze, demonstrate, and explain basic skills, knowledge, and strategies of formal sports, games, rhythms and dance, and fundamental body movement through varied activities and by example.
• Provide safety instruction to students and establish standards of student behavior to provide productive environment for physical education and to ensure the optimal condition and safety of all athletic equipment, facilities, fields, and courts.
• Cultivate in each student an understanding of and commitment to exercise and physical conditioning, health education, and personal hygiene.
• Identify and develop the talents of students in individual, dual, and team physical activities and sports.
• Evaluate and track each student’s growth in physical skills and knowledge.
• Communicate any concerns with student conduct or learning problems with parents and the administration.
• Ensure that all coaching positions are filled with competent and properly trained coaches.
• Provide that all coaches perform their duties with the highest level of professionalism.
• Collaborate with the head of school and administrative team to recruit, evaluate, and hire faculty to the athletic department.
• Review and revise the coaches’ manual annually.
• Schedule regular meetings of athletic faculty to evaluate, develop, and implement athletic instruction that reflects current pedagogy and physical fitness trends and meets optimal standards of safety.
• Report athletic achievements to the director of marketing for dissemination to the school and community at large.
• Prepare and implement an annual departmental budget.
• Schedule all athletic events, arrange for transportation, hire all competition officials, and attend or enlist a school representative to attend all home games.
• Represent the school at various state, regional, and national athletic associations.
• Maintain records of team and individual athletic accomplishments for posterity.
• Oversee the distribution, collection, storage, cleaning, and repair of all school athletic uniforms.
• Participate in committee, department, and staff meetings as well as school-sponsored events that would benefit from your area of expertise.
• Develop relationships with other area athletic directors to provide opportunities for competition with similarly-sized schools
• Be involved in the school community at large. Assume responsibility for other duties and projects as assigned by the head of school.

Common Qualification Requirements

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in athletic administration, physical education, or a related discipline
• At least three (3) years of teaching experience in physical education and/or coaching
• State public school teacher certification and/or IHSA (Illinois High School Athletics) certification
• Successful record working with student-athletes, preferably in independent schools
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with a professional and empathetic approach
• Excellent organizational skills
• Detail-oriented and able to work collaboratively
• High-energy and enthusiastic about working in an academic atmosphere

Academy High Athletic Program Goals and Objectives

Goals

1. To encourage the value and enjoyment of participating and striving for excellence
2. To provide athletes an opportunity for physical and psychological development in a program focused on whole child development
3. To develop and improve citizenship, leadership, sportsmanship and teamwork
4. To realize that these young women and young men are both students and athletes, andthat the athletic program must always be kept in balance with academic goals.

Objectives

1. To develop programs that will encourage broad participation, enhance school spirit and generate a feeling of unity among the student body, faculty, and community.
2. To strive for program excellence that will produce competitive teams.
3. To provide opportunities for student-athletes to develop their confidence, self-image and leadership skills.
4. To instill a desire to succeed and excel.
5. To help students realize the rewards of hard work, practice and sacrifice.
6. To develop self-discipline and emotional maturity in learning to make choices under competitive pressure.
7. To promote the value and importance of teamwork, good sportsmanship, loyalty and a sense of fair play.
8. To develop an appreciation of the need for and enjoyment of physical activity that will carry over to recreational involvements as a lifetime pursuit.

To Apply:  Send an email with cover letter, resume, and personal statement to John Carpenter, Head of School, at jobs@academyhigh.org. Interviews will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Please visit www.academyhigh.org to learn more about the school.

It is the policy of Academy High not to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, color, religion, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry to work or enjoy the benefits of the School’s program, facilities, or services. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.