Director of Scholar Support

Democracy Prep Public Schools•New York, NY

About The Position

Democracy Prep Public Schools seeks a Director of Scholar Support who will work alongside the Director of Social Workers and Family Services to provide network-wide leadership and guidance to school-based scholar support teams in the development of a positive, joyful, and rigorous school culture. This role is responsible for driving the consistent implementation and continuous improvement of scholar support systems across campuses, including behavior management, social-emotional learning, and attendance. The Director of Scholar Support will coach and hold school leaders and scholar support teams accountable for implementing these systems with fidelity, using data to monitor effectiveness, identify trends, and strengthen practice across schools. Through this work, the role will help schools cultivate environments where scholars experience strong relationships, high expectations, and a deep sense of belonging—resulting in increased engagement, consistent attendance, and academic success.

Requirements

An education reformer with an unwavering commitment to Democracy Prep’s mission of college success and authentic civic engagement for all scholars, especially those facing the greatest challenges
A self-reflective, equity-driven leader committed to advancing antiracism and fostering inclusive, identity-affirming school communities
A strong relationship builder who can influence across teams, effectively managing up and laterally to drive alignment and results across campuses
A systems-oriented thinker who can translate vision into clear, actionable practices and ensure consistency across schools
An experienced coach with a proven track record of developing leaders (e.g., Deans of Culture, Scholar Support teams) and strengthening their impact
A skilled communicator who can tailor messaging to diverse stakeholders and lead high-quality professional development on school culture, classroom management, and scholar support systems
A data-driven practitioner who uses qualitative and quantitative data to diagnose challenges, identify trends, and drive continuous improvement
Deeply committed to advocating for scholars and partnering with families and communities to support student success
Bachelor’s degree required

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field preferred

Responsibilities

Coach and hold accountable school-based scholar support leaders (including Deans of Culture, Behavior Support Specialists, and Scholar Support Specialists) to ensure consistent, high-quality implementation of behavior, SEL, and attendance systems
Lead and facilitate ongoing professional development, coaching cycles, and team meetings that build the capacity of scholar support teams and school leaders
Conduct regular school walkthroughs and audits to assess the strength of culture systems and classroom environments; provide clear, actionable feedback aligned to network expectations
Analyze school culture and attendance data to identify trends, diagnose root causes, and drive targeted support and intervention strategies across campuses
Oversee and strengthen tiered attendance systems, coaching schools to implement effective interventions that improve student attendance, engagement, and family partnership
Support schools in implementing restorative practices and aligned behavior systems that reinforce strong relationships, accountability, and belonging
Ensure the consistent, high-quality implementation of culture-building structures (e.g., town halls, celebrations, student experiences) that foster joy, belonging, and strong school identity.
Partner with school leaders to ensure classroom culture reflects both strong systems and high levels of student engagement, coaching Deans to translate expectations into daily practice
Collaborate with the special education team to analyze data and align supports for scholars with IEPs, ensuring interventions are coordinated and effective
Provide strategic support to school leaders during high-need situations, including culture resets, complex behavioral incidents, and suspension decision-making
Respond to network and school-based requests with clear guidance, coaching, and follow-through, ensuring alignment to network-wide scholar support priorities