School Director

Start Early Lake County provides high-quality care, best-in-class education, and a stimulating learning environment to children from birth to five years old. As a program that serves low-income families, Start Early’s research-based program helps children develop the literacy, language, early math, and social-emotional skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. We are recruiting individuals who want to join us in this mission and share a commitment to our core values of appreciation & respect, empowerment, diversity, excellence, learning, and communication. The School Director is responsible for the day‑to‑day management of the Lake County Early Learning Centers, providing instructional leadership and program management to approximately 50 staff members in the implementation of the Head Start model and its core features. The School Director is responsible for ensuring the implementation of comprehensive services at the Lake County Early Learning Centers, including evidence‑based early childhood education for low‑income families and their children ages birth to five, family support and engagement, health, nutrition, mental health, and social services in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, and state and local regulatory guidelines. The Lake County Early Learning Centers are in a start‑up phase of transitioning to the Educare Lake County School Building in 2027. The Educare School will be a state‑of‑the‑art, full‑day, year‑round school serving approximately 200 children from birth to five years of age. Building on the program foundations of Early Head Start and Head Start, the Educare Lake County School will promote school readiness by implementing effective programming aimed at preventing the achievement gap from taking root in the early years. Responsibilities Monitoring: Guide the short‑term, long‑term, and annual program planning processes for the program using community assessment, self‑assessment, child/family outcomes data, and parent perspectives. Ensure the full implementation of program services to promote continuous improvement of services and systems. Meet and exceed all relevant standards, including Federal, State, and local standards. Supervision and Management: Guide and support an effective culture for the school, emphasizing a strong focus on instructional excellence, inclusive leadership, reflective practice, and parent/community engagement. Oversee the implementation of a system of reflective supervision and performance evaluation that promotes staff development, teamwork and quality services to families. Responsible for the ongoing communication systems, monitoring and accountability. Administrative: Ensure the completion and submission of all monthly, quarterly and annual reports to funders, eg: PIR, Monthly Management Reports, Semi‑Annual Reports, HS/EHS Reapplications, IDHS Quarterly Report and other public funding reapplications or new proposals as appropriate. Research: Collaborate with Start Early’s Research Division in the implementation of the research‑program partnership, including data collection, analysis, and reporting to teachers, staff, parents, and external constituents. Ensure that developmentally appropriate practices and curricula are implemented for children and families throughout Lake County sites. Family and Community Engagement: Develop and maintain relationships with key community leaders/partners, including the local alderman and school principals. Represent Start Early with external partners as needed. As the School Director, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing our Family and Community Engagement initiatives. This includes increasing community partnerships and promoting our Lake County Programs. Finance: Participate and contribute to the Early/Head Start Networ Leadership Team in support of the Network strategic plan and annual objectives. In collaboration with the Vice President of EHSN, assist in the development of funding proposals and reports and participate in fundraising efforts. Drive the development and implementation of innovative projects and initiatives in the Lake County School designed to improve children’s learning or parent/family outcomes. Professional Development: Design and implement annual and ongoing training programs that enhance the skills and knowledge of Lake County staff. This involves assessing the needs of ECE staff, providing workshops and resources, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The Lake County school director also promotes collaboration among Family Child Care Home Providers, Center Based staff, encourages innovative teaching practices, and ensures that all professional development aligns with Start Early's mission and goals. Additionally, the director must evaluate the effectiveness of the professional development initiatives and make necessary adjustments to optimize outcomes for both staff and children. Other: Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of this job description. Qualifications Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Organizational Leadership (or related field). Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education preferred. Gateways Director’s Level 2 credential required. Advanced knowledge of 0‑5 child development, adolescent development, home visiting, prevention services, organizational theory and practice, program design, development, and management, and adult learning styles. Advanced Knowledge of Head Start programs and Head Start Performance Standards. Must be knowledgeable of local, state and federal licensing requirements. 5‑7 years of direct experience in administration/supervision in an early childhood program, including teaching in a center‑based early childhood program or elementary school. Proven experience developing staff at all professional levels, skillfully identifying and promoting talent, and building productive and cohesive leadership teams. Experience using Data Management Systems (ChildPlus) to manage and analyze Head Start program data, with a strong understanding of Office of Head Start (OHS) monitoring protocols and compliance requirements. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to lead in a multi‑cultural, interdisciplinary environment and with community-based agencies. Must have excellent command of the English language and grammar, both verbal and written. Must have intermediate computer skills. Ability to monitor, analyze, consult, and report on program services and larger‑scale trends. Bilingual Spanish/English is Preferred. We believe that all employees should be paid fairly. As of the time of this posting, this is the expected base annual salary range. The base annual salary will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, experience, as well as business needs and limitations. Benefits Our generous benefit plan includes: Comprehensive Health Plans, Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Holistic Wellness Program, Professional Development Program, 401k Contribution, Paid Volunteer Days, 6‑months paid parental leave and much more. Equal Opportunity Statement Start Early is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to our core values by creating an inclusive environment for all staff. #J-18808-Ljbffr