Head of Lower School

Great Hearts Academies•Baton Rouge, LA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Head of Lower School leads the Great Hearts Harveston community in Louisiana, shaping a joyful and ennobling academic environment grounded in classical education and the Western tradition. The role calls for a leader who fosters students’ moral and intellectual formation and builds a community oriented toward truth, goodness, and beauty. The Head works with the Executive Director and the broader Great Hearts network to advance the school’s goals and culture. The position oversees lower school leadership, faculty, staff, instruction, student culture, family engagement, enrollment, budgeting, assessment, professional development, school procedures, and campus projects. The Head is expected to build strong relationships across the school community, support students with special needs, and promote a safe, respectful, and academically ambitious environment. The role reports to the Executive Director - Louisiana. The start date is Summer 2027. Local travel may be required for training and professional development.

Requirements

Degree from an accredited university.
Personal alignment with Great Hearts Academies’ educational philosophy, core values, and ethical standards.
Dedication to lifelong learning and an example of humility, hard work, and civil discourse.
Demonstrated achievement of exceptional results with students and successful management of adults.
Good personal communication skills and ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders.
Ability to work in a team-oriented environment and collaborate with colleagues.
Ability to interpret student data.
Ability to reflect on personal strengths and areas for growth.
Ability to receive frequent feedback with humility and a desire to grow and develop.
Willingness to work in an evolving field and face challenges with a positive attitude.
Professional integrity and clarity and prudence in managing people.
Desire to develop team members and ability to leverage an existing school leadership team.
Exceptional strategic planning, prioritization, and execution skills.
Ability to build relationships and community and actively engage families, staff, and students in school life.
Dedication to cultivating diverse school communities around shared understandings of dignity and respect.
Experience with students with a variety of special needs and circumstantial challenges.
US work authorization required.
Successful completion of a criminal history background check and fingerprint clearance in accordance with state requirements is a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

Three to five years of instructional leadership experience, including two years in school administration, preferred.
Experience working in urban or underserved communities.

Responsibilities

Set quantitative and qualitative goals in collaboration with the Executive Director.
Plan, delegate, and execute work to meet established goals.
Build a capable leadership team that advances the school’s goals and culture.
Manage and evaluate the lower school leadership team.
Coordinate through the Executive Director with home office service departments to ensure school support.
Manage the school budget with foresight and discipline.
Monitor and manage the enrollment process.
Establish trust with students, parents, and colleagues.
Ensure the school has a comprehensive, clearly communicated discipline policy administered prudently and equitably.
Observe and coach teachers in accordance with network expectations.
Interview and hire faculty and staff according to campus needs, hiring protocols, and budget realities.
Oversee planning and execution of projects and events within campus leadership’s purview.
Create a culture of instructional planning among teachers and promote student achievement.
Oversee required systems, practices, and cycles of assessment.
Use identified data sources to inform and evaluate instruction.
Implement professional development specific to teachers’ needs.
Build a unified faculty and staff culture that embraces the liberal arts and strives for instructional excellence.
Meet regularly with parents and foster open communication through formal and informal means.
Ensure students with special needs are properly identified and accommodated by necessary staff and faculty.
Implement school-wide procedures and policies to ensure student safety.
Build a student culture that is civil, respectful, hard-working, and community minded.
Unite the parent community as a supportive and informed group that understands the school’s educational and cultural distinctions and supports student success.