Career Center

“On our never-ending quest for excellence, community, and integrity, we don’t tell our students who they should be but inspire them to explore who they already are by taking education beyond what can be read on the pages of a book and bringing it to life. Here, we know the work we do today will shape how we see tomorrow because our students will become innovators, decision-makers, leaders, and problem solvers.”

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGO
CHICAGO, IL

Leadership Opportunity

A nationally recognized leader in independent education, Latin School of Chicago is seeking a dynamic, experienced, and collaborative educator to become the new Assistant Head of School. 

Latin is a coeducational day school, serving 1,190 students in junior kindergarten through twelfth grade. Latin boasts a vibrant community that comprises 152 faculty, 103 staff, and approximately 4,500 living and active alums. Founded in 1888, Latin is one of the oldest independent schools in the city of Chicago and provides its students with a rigorous and innovative liberal arts educational program. Latin inspires its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence. Latin’s shared values of excellence, community, and integrity affirm and define their community. They serve as guideposts for all the school does, and connect them — students, teachers, parents, and alumni — to each other and to Latin.

Reporting to Head of School, Thomas Hagerman, the Assistant Head of School will be focused on students and their holistic success at Latin. As second-in-command, the Assistant Head will oversee the day-to-day logistics of the student experience, including academics and support services. Latin is in a period of exciting transition. The Assistant Head will have experience leading through change and will provide Latin with additional constancy, support, and guidance. An expert at building trust, inspiring confidence, and fostering connection and culture, the Assistant Head will partner with the Head of School and the senior administrative team to navigate Latin’s current climate and pursue, with determination, the continued future growth and success of the school.

The Position

The Assistant Head of School is a key member of the senior administrative team and will oversee the following departments: Academic Affairs; Athletics; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Medical and Nursing; Student Life; Social Emotional Learning, Student Auxiliary Programs, and Wellness.

The Assistant Head will be an innovative, steadfast, and highly-relational leader who possesses the vision, creativity, and organizational skills to help lead a community of well-respected and highly-skilled colleagues. They will also have a passion for students, be intent on integrating into their community, relating to them, and earning their trust. Likewise with the professional and student communities, the Assistant Head will also be a main point of contact for the parent/guardian community, partnering closely with the highly engaged Parent Association. As a highly visible and accessible leader, the Assistant Head will bring the divisions together more closely both administratively and culturally, build strong communication and transparency between the senior administrative team and faculty/staff, and maintainan intelligent, thoughtful, and successful academic throughline from junior kindergarten through 12th grade.

Strategic Priorities

The Assistant Head of School will help lead strategic planning and assist division heads in the execution of operations of the school at all grade levels. They will guide, monitor, and assess the quality and efficacy of academic and student support services by prioritizing the following:

• Clarify, articulate, and oversee the academic/ curricular throughline from junior kindergarten through 12th grade
• Provide oversight to the administrative unification of the three school divisions
• Partner with the Head of School to define and articulate roles and responsibilities at all levels of the organization
• Be a visible, accessible, and known administrator to students at all grade levels
• Partner with the Head of School to implement Latin’s strategic plan

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• In a year-round, 12-month role, oversee all internal, operational aspects of the academic and student program
• Supervise multiple direct reports including: Director of Athletics; Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Director of Latin 360; Director of Student Life; Director of Studies and Educational Technology; and the Lead Nurse
• Work collaboratively with the student support teams to continue to enhance the student experience as well as teaching and learning
• Foster a collaborative, professional, and transparent working and learning environment
• Support the work of the Academic Affairs team on the implementation of the school’s academic programs
• Serve as the strategic leader with oversight and management of student support functions as well as to develop and implement key initiatives
• Advise the Head on matters related to the school, generally, and their areas of responsibility, specifically
• Act as the main senior administrative liaison for the Parent Association
• Enrich academic and school programming through innovation and entrepreneurship
• Ensure congruence and alignment between the school’s mission; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement; strategic vision, and all student support programming
• Work to build and enhance a collaborative, professional, and transparent working and learning environment
• Partner with Head of School and Division leaders on advocacy of the school and its programs and services
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and guidelines to ensure that all constituencies are fully informed and comport with expectations
• Support students in all facets of school life

QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES

• Demonstrate passion for working with students, faculty/staff, parents, and other school stakeholders and partners
• Have excellent managerial skills and a record of collaboration, visibility, transparency, and accountability as a leader
• Be an accessible, persuasive, and self-assured leader who can win over hearts and minds and build trust and community
• Be a savvy, dynamic, prolific, and transparent communicator, both written and verbal, to key constituencies, including parents, Board, and faculty and staff
• Able to prioritize goals and set clear expectations and boundaries
• Utilize excellent conflict management skills and with the ability to navigate difficult conversations
• Use data to inform decisions around support for students
• Bring joy into a hard-working community; be uplifting and motivating
• Embrace tech innovation and be supportive of community members who want to do and try new things Build strong relationships with students and support students in pursuing passion, purpose, and excellence inside the classroom and with co- curricular programs, including athletics
• Be organized, unflappable, and level-headed
• Collaborate as an authentic team player with a listening ear

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree (and/or significant graduate- level leadership coursework related to school management and leadership)
• Experience as a principal, division director, or in academic leadership
• Experience leading and evaluating teachers and senior administrators
• Evidence of strong instructional leadership
• Experience leading cross-categorical, large-scale school change initiatives
• Knowledge and experience with, and deep personal commitment to, working on DEIB initiatives
• Experience and comfort speaking/presenting in front of a wide range of audiences
• Significant experience leading cross-categorical staff development opportunities
• Significant experience with conflict management
• Significant experience leading cross-categorical teams and committees
• Excellent speaking and writing skills
• Demonstrated understanding of the current trends and challenges confronting independent schools
• Demonstrated experience as a strategic, forward- thinking, innovative academic leader
• Proficient to excellent technology skills across a number of platforms and domains
• Excellent organizational and delegation skills
• JK–12 experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctorate degree
• Independent school experience
• Knowledge of and experience in working with unions
• JK–12th grade classroom teaching experience
• Prior experience as a AHoS or equivalent is strongly preferred

The School

VALUES

Excellence

• We support and celebrate one another and take responsibility for our words and actions, because we shape the lives of others in our community
• We embrace diversity within our school and in Chicago, knowing that it deepens our learning and enhances our empathy
• We use our resources wisely in order to be good stewards of our community and our world

Community

• We support and celebrate one another and take responsibility for our words and actions, because we shape the lives of others in our community
• We embrace diversity within our school and in Chicago, knowing that it deepens our learning and enhances our empathy
• We use our resources wisely in order to be good stewards of our community and our world

Integrity

• We are honest, fair and fulfill the commitments we make, building a culture of respect and mutual trust
• We give our best effort, take intellectual risks and learn to persevere
• We reflect and live with purpose, working toward goals that embody our genuine interest

MISSION AND VALUES

Mission

• Latin School of Chicago provides its students with a rigorous and innovative educational program in a community that embraces a diversity of people, cultures, and ideas. Latin inspires its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at Latin School of Chicago enable the school to fulfill an important element of its strategic plan, which commits them to “...cultivate a more inclusive and supportive climate for all constituents.” These efforts also further Latin’s expressed desire to ensure that all students and faculty, particularly those historically underrepresented, use their voices and thrive. Latin is committed to fostering a school and classroom culture, and a curriculum that supports these goals. In practice, that means presenting students with authentic windows and mirrors, a variety of perspectives and meaningful, immersive experiences that allow them to understand themselves, others, and the world around them.

To learn more about Latin’s commitment to DEI, click here.

Founded in 1888, Latin is a coeducational day school serving 1,190 students in junior kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Latin brings together “Latin Learners” from 76 Chicago neighborhoods and 14 suburbs and boasts a vibrant community that comprises 152 faculty, 103 staff, and approximately 4,500 living and active alums. Latin’s location in the heart of Chicago affords its community plentiful opportunities to engage, connect with, and learn from the world they live within - just steps from their door. Latin is a school with high expectations and a devoted community.

AT A GLANCE

• 1,190 Enrollment
• 43% Students who identify as people of color
• 152 Number of Faculty
• 24% Faculty who identify as people of color
• 86% Faculty with advanced degrees
• 9:1 Average student-teacher ratio
• 12% Students receiving financial aid
• $4.68 million+ Financial aid allocated

THE PROGRAM

Latin School of Chicago strives to create the best conditions for the growth, wellness, and achievement of every learner in the community. Their research- based approach to teaching and learning is evident at every level and in all areas of school life. Latin’s vision for educational excellence is to reinforce the value of an exemplary liberal arts education that makes learning inquiry-based, personal, and inclusive. Their educational approach will expand each Latin Learner’s capacity for purposeful learning - whether in their school, their city, or their world.

Lower School

The Lower School is a place where children are treasured, where eager learners are encouraged to take the next step, to ask the next question, and to discover the next truth. Latin’s Lower School students publish their own books, put on plays, host art shows, participate in interscholastic athletics, and work on community service projects, all while building the educational foundation that will prepare them for the rest of their lives. Latin’s Lower School faculty are extensively trained in early childhood and elementary education. Their teachers use a team approach, gathering input from parents and on-staff learning resource specialists—as well as their own close observations—to customize their teaching methods and content to address each child’s strengths and interests.

Middle School

Latin’s Middle School (grades 5-8) is a happy, energetic, and vibrant place. The curriculum covers all the traditional core subject areas—math, science, English and language arts, social studies, and language—but they use a range of innovative, creative ways to present the material. Middle School students learn best when they are engaged with the subject matter through concrete experiences like role playing, simulations, lab work, or exploration outside the classroom. Dynamic discussions and interactive lectures are designed to relate to the issues and ideas Latin knows middle school-aged students are thinking about. Additionally, the concept of metacognition is central to Latin’s Middle School experience and the division places a focus on self-advocacy and executive functioning skills. Overall, Latin strives to make the experience in Middle School challenging, joyful, and fun while preparing students for the rigor that lies ahead in high school.

Upper School

During the upper school years, Latin students make deep connections with their teachers and their peers. They become part of a tight-knit community committed to learning and discovering their talents and passion. Latin students actively shape their academic program. The upper school curriculum begins with everything one would expect in a college preparatory high school—literature and history surveys, biology, chemistry, physics, algebra, calculus, geometry, language. But Latin takes it a step beyond. They offer students exceptional educational opportunities and ask them to dig deep, think critically, and commit themselves to fully pursuing their intellectual passions both inside and outside the classroom.

Latin’s educational approach is student-centered and individualized. By understanding how each child learns best, Latin’s teachers help students identify their passions and take on new challenges. Latin students love learning. They are encouraged to do, to create, to try, and to fail. The focus is on the process, not the outcome, which helps students build resilience, remain intrinsically motivated and succeed.

CAMPUS & GEOGRAPHY

Latin is situated in three separate buildings in the heart of Chicago, the third-most populous city in the U.S. A bustling international center for education, finance, technology, arts, and culture, Chicago affords members of the Latin community numerous opportunities to engage, connect with, and learn from the world they live within.

Chicago is home to leading universities such as the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It also boasts a world-renowned arts/ culture scene that includes The John G. Shedd Aquarium, The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, Field Museum, Steppenwolf Theatre, the Goodman Theater, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Joffrey Ballet.

PROCEDURE TO APPLY

Latin is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community are encouraged to apply.

It is Latin’s goal to attract, recruit, and retain an exceptional faculty that is inspiring, diverse, and committed to the school’s mission. Latin supports its employees by welcoming them into an environment that encourages them to excel and by maintaining a generous salary and benefits package that helps them to flourish and grow.

Interested candidates should submit via https://bit.ly/Latin_AsstHeadofSchool_AppForm the following materials confidentially in one, single PDF file:

• A cover letter indicating the candidate’s particular interest in and qualifications for the position
• A current re?sume?
• A statement of educational philosophy
• The names, addresses, and telephone numbers
  of three references, including at least one recent supervisor. References should speak to the applicant’s ability to be an effective educator and administrator, to work successfully with children, and to work collaboratively and collegially with adults (references will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission).

Please address any questions by email to julie@strategenius.org or by phone at 415-881-7105.

SEARCH CALENDAR

February 21, 2023                  Applications Due

Week of March 6, 2023          Semifinalist Interviews

Early April 2023                      Finalist Interviews

April 10, 2023                         Hiring Announcement

July 2023                                Start Date

About Latin School of Chicago

Since 1888, Latin has been committed to academic excellence in an environment that creates a life-long love of learning and supports students as they pursue their passions. Our school is home to students from throughout the city and suburbs and we value the variety of experiences that they bring to our learning environment. “Of Chicago” is more than a part of our school’s name – those words help to define the school itself.

Connections working at Latin School of Chicago