Assistant Principal-Fieldston Lower

Ethical Culture Fieldston School•New York, NY

4d•$140,000 - $170,000•Onsite

About The Position

Ethical Culture Fieldston School is a progressive PreK-12 independent school that has been serving students from throughout New York City and the surrounding suburbs since 1878. ECFS offers a rich curriculum in the arts, sciences, and humanities. A co-ed, nonsectarian school, it serves an inclusive community of about 1,700 students on two campuses -- one in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and the other in Manhattan. Fieldston Lower, located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, is comprised of approximately 270 students Pre-K through 5th Grade and 60 faculty members. What is essential about working at our school? The Ethical Culture Fieldston School has a long history of inclusion and belonging deeply rooted in our mission and the educational philosophy of our founder, Felix Adler. We embrace all aspects of an individual, including their ancestry, family, identity, culture, and beliefs. We affirm both our differences and commonalities and strive to balance individuality and community. In keeping with our progressive tradition, we are dedicated to increasing our students’ cultural literacy to help them understand multiple perspectives and see the world beyond the self. We expect members of our community to engage in open dialogue about living and learning in an inclusive environment inside and outside the classroom. We see this work, with its creative tensions, as a catalyst for individual and collective growth. On a daily basis, we are committed to making this vision of a democratic, pluralistic, and progressive school a reality. Position Summary Fieldston Lower School is seeking a highly qualified and experienced Assistant Principal beginning July 1, 2026. The Assistant Principal will report to the Fieldston Lower Principal and join an administrative team that includes another Assistant Principal. This role will work primarily with 3rd-5th Grade students, teachers, and families, while the other Assistant Principal will work with PreK-2nd Grade. The AP will be responsible for overseeing both the academic and social emotional development of each child. This includes building community and supporting an environment where the whole child is a priority. The hiring range for this position is $140,000-$170,000. When determining the salary for a position, ECFS considers factors including, but not limited to: the scope and responsibilities of the position, internal peer equity, key skills required for the role, the candidate’s work experience, education and training, as well as market and organizational considerations. Please note that this is an onsite role and not performed remotely. Ethical Culture Fieldston School retains its right to modify job duties in accordance with changing operational needs.

Requirements

A Master’s degree or higher, preferably in educational leadership and/or curriculum and instruction
A minimum of 8 years of distinguished classroom teaching experience and 3 years of administrative experience in a lower school setting is a plus
The ability to confidently collaborate and build relationships with faculty, administrators, students and parent community
The understanding of leading, supporting and developing a rapport with unionized faculty and staff
A commitment to cultural competency and to fostering an inclusive environment that supports students of all backgrounds
The ability to handle confidential material with discretion and possess the highest degree of integrity
Strong leadership, communication, facilitation, presentation, and organizational skills
A willingness to learn and embrace new ideas and procedures and a consistent initiative to help streamline processes and improve efficiencies
Ability to work independently at times and also collaboratively in a group settings
Confidence in ability to stay calm in stressful situations that may arise
Ability to multi task and shift priorities without compromising on the quality of work
Excellent verbal, written and oral communication skills to effectively communicate initiatives, facilitate discussions and present to various levels of stakeholders
Ability to identify issues quickly and problem solve accordingly
A positive attitude and the ability to listen effectively and be receptive to feedback
Must be highly detailed oriented, organized and resourceful
Proficiency in utilizing and learning new technologies with (e.g Google Suite, Smartboards, etc)
Consistency in attendance and the ability to work evening and weekend hours as needed
Reliability, punctuality, and consistent attendance with the ability to work evenings and weekends as needed
The ability to cultivate a welcoming culture in which all members of our community feel valued and appreciated

Responsibilities

Planning and supervising 3rd through 5th Grade curriculum review to ensure alignment both vertically and horizontally
Overseeing a continuum of clear learning objectives and a scope and sequence of skills from 3rd to 5th Grade
Leading student life initiatives such as assemblies, behavior support, advisory programs, etc.
Having a deep understanding of student growth and development and using effective strategies for enrichment and support, specifically within Language Arts and Mathematics
Demonstrated effectiveness with curriculum design and planning, specifically interdisciplinary curriculum development
Supervising, coordinating, articulating and evaluating the implementation of 3rd - 5th grade curriculum in collaboration with the Fieldston Lower administrative team
Collaborating with the school’s guidance team to develop and implement behavior plans for students in need of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) support
Coordinating the language arts curriculum in collaboration with learning specialists and classroom teachers
Supporting teachers in using assessments to oversee the implementation and effectiveness of curriculum and instruction
Coordinating and implementing the student behavioral policy to maintain community and discipline norms for the division
Partnering with administrative team and classroom teachers to develop mission-based best practices related to ethics, service learning, belonging and social impact, health, and student advisory
Collaborating with administrators around the hiring, retention, recruitment and support of teachers
Conducting formal observations and writing summative evaluations for probationary candidates and continuing faculty in an evaluation cycle
Co-designing and implementing new teacher orientation program in collaboration with administrative team
Developing and leading meaningful professional development to nurture a vibrant environment for teachers and students in collaboration with the administrative team
Keeping faculty and administration informed of current research-based instruction techniques
Regularly representing Fieldston Lower at parent and other evening gatherings; this includes coordinating and presenting at those events, as appropriate
Fostering positive relationships with team members and various stakeholders
Performing other related projects, tasks, duties and serving on various committees as assigned