Girard College, Vice President of Student Experience

Priority Deadline: April 2, 2024

ORGANIZATION 

Girard College is a full-scholarship boarding school that fosters intellectual curiosity, social development, and emotional growth in academically focused students from underserved communities. We ensure every student the opportunity and the means to achieve excellence and preparation for advanced education through purposeful academic and residential programs.

More than 20,000 students have passed through the gates of Girard College since its founding, all of whom have been beneficiaries of fully-funded scholarships that today are valued at approximately $70,000 a year.  Girard’s intentional racial segregation was successfully challenged and overturned in 1968.  Due to the work of the legendary local attorney Cecil B. Moore, the College became the focal point of Philadelphia’s civil rights movement in the 1960s. Girard College’s desegregation led to other schools and city-wide agencies in Philadelphia desegregating. The Girard protests featured national civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and scores of local “Freedom Fighters” who marched around the 10-foot wall that marks the College’s perimeter.  Gender restrictions were dropped in 1984 when the school first admitted female students.

Today, Girard chooses to acknowledge its lived history and is simultaneously focused on leveraging resources and seizing opportunities to deliver on its promise to educate children from limited financial circumstances.  With a student enrollment of approximately 300 children, Girard features a 100% college acceptance rate and continues to provide guidance and support for its students during and even after graduation, with a range of scholarship opportunities that help them become lifelong learners and productive public citizens.

OPPORTUNITY 

Girard College is seeking a Vice President of Student Experience (VPSE)  to join the executive team, execute the shared vision for the student experience at Girard College, and lead the strategic priorities for all student-facing teams and departments. The VPSE will play a critical role as the key leader of the vision for how students experience life at Girard and their preparation for college and beyond. The VPSE will be responsible for leading the Elementary/Middle School (EMS) and High School (HS) Principals, the Dean of Residential Life, the Director of Student Success, and the Director of Athletics. This opportunity is ideal for a visionary, human-centered, results-driven, collaborative executive leader that has a positive track record of leading a college preparatory 1-12 educational program, a robust understanding of college and career readiness standards and practices, a vision for residential living and a passion for vision aligned out of school time programs and opportunities. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Academic Leadership & Vision

• Lead instructional vision, strategy, and program to achieve excellent academic results, and promote a strong culture of teaching and learning from grades 1-12. 
• Lead a coherent 1-12 instructional program that is guided by PA Core Standards and is supported through culturally relevant curriculum, aligned resources, and technology, and prioritizes aligned exploratory learning experiences that include dual enrollment/AP opportunities, after-school tutoring and summer academic programming.
• Lead and develop the Elementary/Middle School and High School Principals through goal setting, progress monitoring, observations, coaching, and support. 
• In collaboration with the EMS and HS principals, develop and implement a professional development program for all teachers to ensure high-quality instruction, including new teacher induction, PLCs, collaborative planning, and teacher coaching.
• In partnership with the High School Principal and Director of College & Career Counseling and Alumni Support, implement programming aligned to PA career readiness standards from grades 1-12, high school seminar courses, and a coherent college exploration and application process that promotes minimal financial impact to families and college completion.
• In partnership with Human Resources, support the selection and professional development of teachers and school leaders. 
• Ensure the timely evaluation of all teachers and counselors according to criteria outlined in the current union contract and non-union staff according to guidelines established by Human Resources.
• In partnership with the Director of Data Strategy and Impact, lead regular data-informed progress monitoring and action planning sessions quarterly, reporting to the President and Board of City Trust’s Academic Committee.

Residential Life Program Leadership

• Lead and develop the Dean of Residential Life through progress monitoring, observations, coaching, and support.
• Support a strategic planning process for the reimagining of the residential life program at Girard College.
• Implement the strategic plan for residential life alongside the Dean of Residential Life.
• In collaboration with the Dean of Residential Life, develop and implement a professional development program for all Residential Advisors, Assistant Deans, and Managers. 
• Support development and execution of out-of-school time (OST) programming improvements, including during the summer.
• In partnership with Human Resources and the Dean of Residential Life, support the selection and professional development of residential advisors. 
• Lead the implementation and progress monitoring of all residential life programming.
• Ensure the timely evaluation of all residential advisors according to criteria outlined in the current union contract and non-union staff according to guidelines established by Human Resources.

Student Success Team Leadership

• Lead and develop the Director of Student Success through progress monitoring, observations, coaching, and support.
• Ensure the implementation of Girard’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) plan across academic and residential departments, prioritizing its alignment to our core values, providing high quality and data-informed support internally and, when necessary, partnering with outside organizations to extend support for students and families. 
• Ensure the execution of programming designed for caregivers and families to support their student’s success at Girard and their own personal development and growth as caregivers. 
• In partnership with Human Resources and the Director of Student Success, support the selection and professional development of social workers, behavior specialists, and family engagement personnel.
• Ensure the timely evaluation of all Success Team members according to criteria outlined in the current union contract and non-union staff according to guidelines established by Human Resources.

Athletics Oversight

• Lead and develop the Director of Athletics through progress monitoring, observations, coaching, and support. 
• In collaboration with the Director of Athletics, develop and execute a plan for athletic requirements at Girard College. 

Organizational Leadership & Collaboration

• Model the mission, beliefs, and values of Girard College.
• Make leadership decisions with students’ and families’ best interests and needs in mind and hold peers and staff accountable to do the same.
• Maintain and promote an authentically collaborative “student experience” team that is thinking about the holistic experience of a student at Girard College and serve as the liaison between the student experience team and the executive team.
• Ensure aligned budgeting and fiscal responsibility of all departments under the Office of Student Experience with the collaboration of the finance leaders on campus and Girard Estate.
• Serve as the Chair of the Scholarship Review Board and lead all hearings.
• In partnership with the Director of Data & Strategy and the Director of Technology, ensure all school-wide assessments are executed, and the use of the school’s student management system is accurate and used with fidelity to track student demographics, scheduling, attendance, discipline, grades, MTSS and aligned data across the school.
• In partnership with the Advancement Team, determine needs on campus to target grant funding requests and appropriately use granted dollars to enhance students' programs, opportunities, and outcomes. 
• In partnership with the Communications Team, student experiences, outcomes, and achievements are documented and shared with all stakeholders through internal, external, social, and website mechanisms.
• Partner with the Admissions Team to support the prospective student admissions process, new family orientation, and new student orientation.
• In partnership with the Operations Team, ensure learning and living spaces meet the needs of all students programming and renovated spaces promote wellness, our core values, student voice, and innovation. 
• Represent the school in educational forums and engage in partnerships that enhance opportunities for students.
• Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations (I.e. Title I, Title IX, Act 89, etc.)
• Develop, present and implement policies and procedures in collaboration with the President and Board of City Trust.
• Support the accreditation process and maintain accreditation standards.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS 

Professional Experience

• A Master’s degree in Education or related field (doctorate preferred).
• Administrative certification or licensure.
• Minimum 10 years of educational leadership experience.
• Excellent knowledge of PA Core Standards, curriculum development, and educational better practices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Financial management and budgeting experience.
• Visionary leadership and strategic planning abilities.
• Experience with change management, leading and motivating employees to make both large and small-scale changes at an organization.

Skills 

• Exceptional manager with the ability to manage at all levels and a capacity for building consensus, deep commitment to helping those they lead in operating from their strengths;
• Enjoys and thrives with a balance of high-level strategic vision work and day-to-day observations and progress monitoring.
• Ability and desire to work within multicultural and multiracial environments and to be a part of leading change within an organization that is striving to be anti-racist.
• Ability to problem-solve both strategically and tactically.

Benefits

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position offers a competitive salary range of $180,000-$200,000 and robust medical, dental, and retirement benefits. More details can be provided upon request.

LOCATION

This position is required to live on campus in a private residence that is reserved for the Vice President on Girard’s beautiful 43-acre campus in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia.

For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Mara Cooper at [email protected].