Green School New Zealand Looking for Head of High School – Green School New Zealand at Oakura, Taranaki, New Zealand Full Time

As a member of a motivated leadership team, the Head of High School will perform multiple duties related to supporting, inspiring and promoting the academic curiosity and growth of learners. You will share collective responsibility for the effective management of the teaching and learning that supports the school’s core IRESPECT values, philosophy and strategic direction. You also acknowledge the fact that the relationship between a child and their teacher is one of the most important in a young life. It is, therefore, critical for educators to be passionate, engaged and committed to the school’s mission of creating and fostering a community of learners who make their world sustainable.

This role will be balanced with a secondary school teaching role and will have a leadership component in relationship to the overall school’s strategic planning and enrollment growth. Specifically, as enrolment increases, the leadership component will take on an increasing percentage of the role time. Ideal teaching subjecs are humanities ( economics, history), or Maths, however any combination of subjects have possibility to teach interdisciplinary.

Department – Green School New Zealand Educational leadership

Reporting to – Head of School.

Collaborating with – All community members, including Governing body, educational leadership team and faculty

Job Details – Full Time, Fixed Term (2.5 Years) ideal start date July 15th 2024

Salary: Depending on experience – ranges from $82,000 to $99,000 NZD, plus a position of responsibility allowance of between $5,000 -$13,000 NZD per annum

Closing Date: 29th January 2024

Requirements

Key Duties and Responsibilities

School Community

• Models the IRESPECT values in rhetoric and practice and is ready and willing to engage in solutions-focused dialogues with staff, leadership and the community
• Preserve and enrich the community nature of the High School Communities through vibrant learner-led assemblies, parent gatherings, and celebratory events
• Provide leadership for the day-to-day running of the High School Learning Neighborhood, ensuring that this is in line with the School’s educational philosophy
• Ensure that learners are provided with a caring, appropriately challenging and inspiring learning environment.
• Represent the High School within the Educational Leadership Team and attend weekly meetings as part of the leadership team
• Guide, advise, and then ultimately speak as the unified Educational Leadership Team
• Exercise primary responsibility for the learners and staff in the High School; delegating and following up with teachers and specialists according to the needs that arise.
• Proactively communicate and present the programme to parents and support their understanding of the programming and way-we-work with thoughtful reasoning and a research basis.

Learning Programme

• Understands and promotes, within the School and beyond, our approach to holistic learning, cross-disciplinary learning, REAL learning, educating for competency and learner-directed learning.
• Contribute to the NEASC major learning plans and reviews
• Support the liaison with Tertiary providers to ensure accurate tracking and recording of university entrance (UE) equivalency requirements of the Green School High School Diploma (Advanced) and Green School High School Certificate
• of the current curricula in the High School.
• Collaborate with Green School International and GSNZ consultants, to oversee the planning, monitoring, evaluation and development of the Green School New Zealand High School Diploma (Advanced), Green School New Zealand High School Certificate and the Green Literacy Framework
• Ensure the provision of effective planning, evidence of learning (assessment) and record keeping.
• Encouraging a strong sense of collaboration and teamwork amongst the High School faculty and staff.
• Recruit and maintain a quality faculty who are well qualified to provide an excellent level of student learning in their allocated posts.
• Provide an inspiring range of professional development for the staff in cooperation with the Educational Leadership Team and be committed to your own professional development.
• Liaise closely with the Heads of Primary and Middle Learning Neighbourhoods and Head of Learner Experiences and Wellbeing to ensure the effective transition of learners
• Liaise with the education leadership team to ensure the effective and fair use of campus spaces and resources, sharing generously with each other for the benefit of all learners in the School.

Pastoral Care

• Coordinate overall responsibility for the pastoral care of all students in the High School.
• Maintain effective relationships with the parents regarding their children’s progress at school; empowering the teachers to take the lead.
• Colloborate with the Safeguarding Committee and Health and Safety Committee on all matters pertinent to the High School and support consistent policy and process improvements in this area.

Finance

• Manage the budget for the High School and the ordering of resources and equipment.
• Engage proactively and make thoughtful recommendations on the allocation of the budget in line with Strategic Priorities.
• Follow all School procurement guidelines wherever possible when ordering, including use/re-use of materials and resources wherever possible.

Marketing and Admissions

• Support the Admissions and Marketing Team in the promotion of the High School.
• Support the admissions process for prospective students into the High School and for their transfer to other schools.
• Provide information and time to connect with prospective families to Green School NZ.
• Maintain positive links and effectively promote the School within the local and international community.

People Management and Guidance

The Head of High School is responsible for ensuring that all teachers who report to them meet the high professional duties expected of a Green School NZ teacher, which includes:

Knowing Students And How They Learn

• Green School NZ faculty are expected to have detailed and insightful knowledge of the developmental characteristics and learning needs of the children they teach. They also need to have expertise in meeting the wide range of individual learning and pastoral needs of learners who come from diverse cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds.
• Prepare presentations and communications that proactively communicate with parents about the programme and curriculum as a whole and their child as individuals on a regular basis.

Supervision and Teaching

• The Head of High School shall, in addition to the requirements set out in the paragraphs above, work such additional hours as may be needed to enable the School to discharge effectively their obligations to students and families including in particular (but without limitation) the marking of Learner’s work, the writing of reports on learners and the preparation of lessons, teaching materials and teaching programmes, tutoring and pastoral duties as required.
• The Head of Upper School will teach some classes, workshops, or activities where their expertise can enrich the program and experiences for the learners.

Plan for and Implement Effective Learning and Teaching

• GSNZ Teachers are expected to have current knowledge and experience of the curriculum in the age range they teach. They set high expectations and challenging developmental and learning goals for their learners and use a variety of effective learning and teaching strategies, resources and digital technology to support their learners in achieving these goals. They encourage their learners to be innovative, imaginative, creative and critical thinkers who are able to work well with others.
• Assess, provide Feedback and report on learner learning and progress
• GSNZ Teachers are knowledgeable and effective users of assessment to support learning. They use a range of data measures and assessment strategies to inform their evaluation of learners’ progress which enables them to plan for learning and to report accurately and effectively on learner progress and to design appropriate intervention and support strategies.

Develop Supportive and Safe Learning Environments

• GSNZ Teachers are committed to safeguarding and to promoting the welfare of children and young people. They ensure a secure, stimulating and well managed learning environment that promotes a sense of safety, support and wellbeing both on the School premises and when they are engaged in authorised School activities elsewhere
• Demonstrate a Sustainability Mindset and Global Citizenship
• GSNZ Teachers have an appreciation of their own culture as well as openness to the perspectives and beliefs of people from different countries, cultures, religions and languages. They recognise the importance of developing learners to be ethical global citizens with a passion for the earth and how to care for it
• Engage professionally in learning and with the community
• GSNZ Teachers participate actively in professional learning and work collaboratively with colleagues to improve their practice. They hold themselves accountable to the highest professional standards in their interactions with colleagues, learners and parents
• GSNZ Teachers are responsible, in whole or in part, for the running of co-curricular activities and educational visits during and outside the standard school day, in evenings and weekends
• GSNZ Teachers engage in Staff Meetings and Collaborative planning sessions

Leadership, Continuous Improvement and Development

• GSNZ Teachers will participate in the review, development and management of activities relating to the curriculum, organisation and pastoral functions of the School.

Benefits

Person Specification Details

• Proven success in leading a School department with a minimum of 5 years in a School leadership and management role
• Deep passion and commitment to education
• Proven budget, accounting, and project management experience
• Relevant university degree, masters in education leadership preferred
• Ability to acquire a NZ work permit ( if applicable). You must have or be able to gain NZ registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand along with a provisional or full practising certificate
• Up to date on best practice and research in their learning specialty areas
• Experience of analysing insightful research and developing associated project completion strategies
• Experience of managing internal and external stakeholder groups
• Understanding of and support for the School’s mission, and a commitment to ensure that all aspects of the areas of responsibility, programs, and projects are always aligned
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality and integrity related to all aspects of information disseminated within or external to the School
• Excellent and inspiring writing and communication skills
• Inter-cultural working experiences is preferred
• Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality and integrity related to all aspects of information disseminated within or external to the School

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; Green School New Zealand respects and encourages diversity and is an equal-opportunity working environment. Green School is a Child Protection school and conducts rigorous background checks before hiring any individual. All positions of employment are dependent on comprehensive criminal and professional background checks.

Benefits :

• Being part of a global group of schools that focus on sustainability
• Be part of an awesome team inventing progressive education with a purpose, while enjoying the freedom and independence to engage in new learning methods, projects and experiment with your ideas
• A beautiful campus with undulating hillsides, regenerated native bush, natural amphitheatres, a river and bordering the Egmont National Park which is close to Taranaki Maunga