assistant director home department - St. Louis, MO, United States - The Principia

Description

Title: Assistant Director, Home Department

Department/Location: Home Department (St. Louis campus); Aron House Dormitory

Position Type: Full-time, school-year position (40 weeks)

Organizational Relationship: Reports to the Director, Home Department

Summary

As the Assistant Director of the Home Department, you play a pivotal role in supporting the Home Department Director in fostering a vibrant and nurturing dormitory community. Your responsibilities include actively contributing to the development and implementation of the home department boarding program, including the recruitment, training, and development of houseparents. You will work in close coordination with the Office Manager to ensure seamless administrative operations within the dormitory. You will actively engage with students, offering support, guidance, and mentorship to foster personal growth. Coordinating key dorm functions such as spiritual programming, social planning, restorative justice processes, and boarding student leadership is also part of your role. You will collaborate with other school departments including Sage dining, athletics, faculty (tutoring), facilities, and the Student Health Care team to ensure a smooth coordination.

In collaboration with the Director, you'll cultivate an environment and culture rooted in the school's core value of Love and its attributes - Limitless potential; Overcome obstacles; Value God, ourselves, and others; Embrace excellence. Your role requires a passion for adolescent development, adaptability to change, and a commitment to creating a safe and inclusive residential environment. You will serve as a beacon of positivity, embodying joy and enthusiasm while fulfilling your responsibilities as a character educator. The founder of Principia School, Mary Kimball Morgan, defines character training as the spiritualization of thought (Education at The Principia, pg You will guide and support the spiritual growth of the students, maintaining effective communication with students, parents, faculty, and administrators. The position includes working in the dorm and as a member of the Home Department team.

Who We Are

At our award-winning pre-K-12 school in St. Louis, Missouri, and top-ranked Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, Principia faculty and staff make up a close-knit community of educators, coaches, and professionals taking a distinct approach to education-blending academic excellence with Christian Science-based character education. Principia's team of over 500 employees supports not only Principia School and Principia College, but also a worldwide network of Alumni & Friends.

At Principia School, our core value is LOVE. Love and its attributes underpin our foundational beliefs as well as our educational approach. We focus on developing the whole child-intellectually, physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually, preparing students for the next steps in life. We foster a challenging yet supportive environment where character unfolds naturally, and talent is cultivated through boundless opportunities. Character education plays an essential role in every aspect of the student experience, and classroom work is augmented by character trips, leadership development, and real-world, hands-on, project-based learning.

Principia employees are part of an engaging academic community preparing students to be tomorrow's leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. We strive to create a collaborative and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong and are valued.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide metaphysical support for Aron House and the campus as a whole
• Train and model Christian character while understanding the important aspects of character education, discipline, and parenting
• Display a love for and relate well to middle and high school students
• Plan, organize, and assist with the direction of the boarding program, with an emphasis on providing a family atmosphere and promoting character growth
• Provide leadership and training for the work of the houseparents; participate in and promote professional development of skills, strategies, and direction for the department and staff, always encouraging a metaphysical foundation
• Advise the Director on matters regarding student discipline
• Assist with administrative duties such as record-keeping and budget management
• Counsel boarding students to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their education
• Advise and assist students when difficult situations occur at school and in the dorm
• Celebrate the achievements and positive aspects of students' experiences and Magnify the Good
• Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, and administrators to discuss students' progress, help resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their needs
• Act from a Principle-based, rather than a personality-based, standpoint
• Collaborate with the Home Department and the School's academic faculty and staff
• Serve as a member of the admissions committee, which makes decisions on all applicants to Principia School
• Listen and communicate respectfully and effectively with students, parents/guardians, colleagues, and administrators
• Perform various duties:
  • Coordinate relevant Christian Science based programming that inspires students to turn to God for guidance and strength wholeheartedly
  • Attend chapels and other student-focused religious programs
  • Facilitate departmental meetings that are relevant to the home department's goals and objectives
  • Provide leadership opportunities and activities for the boarding students
  • Connect with and supervise students during meals in the dining room
  • Promote inclusivity and understanding between boarding and day students
  • Support cross-departmental initiatives that build meaningful relationships across the School community
  • Chaperone School social activities on and off campus

Special Requirements:

It is expected that the Assistant Director will be on duty every week that school is in session and on travel days when students are arriving and departing. The Assistant Director may be asked to support International Student travel days, which may have different schedules than those of domestic students. They are expected to be available one week before pre-season training and one week after graduation to attend meetings, lead professional development training, or perform duties to prepare the dorm. Aron House will be closed during fall character trips but on-call presence may be needed for unplanned dorm coverage. The Assistant Director is expected to work during the following school breaks: Fall break (4 days), Thanksgiving (3 days), and Martin Luther King Day.

The Assistant Director will be expected to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends. When school is in session, meals are provided in the dining hall without charge.

Candidates should be aware that living in the dormitory may be a requirement for this position. This expectation will be discussed further during the interview process.

Core Competencies

• Positivity: Optimistic, positive, and focused on elevating and bringing out the very best in themselves and others. Faculty and staff are invited to understand teammates' strengths and how they can complement each other.
• Team players: Ability to collaborate and partner with peers and senior leaders is critical, with an ability to listen, give and receive feedback, and be comfortable exchanging ideas and speaking candidly in a professional and collegial manner.
• Innovative: Presents a problem-solving mindset that helps our team come up with creative solutions to challenging issues, with a mentality of self-improvement and organizational excellence; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work; develops innovative approaches and ideas.
• Strategic thinkers: Ability to consider complex topics from multiple perspectives and offer innovative solutions.
• Professional: Presents and conducts themselves in a manner that reflects a professional and respectful demeanor with students and adults coming in and out of the dorm and exhibits cleanliness and proper attire.
• Communication: Communicates well (written and verbal), delivers compelling presentations, has strong listening skills, passion and drive, and both intellectual and emotional intelligence
• Diversity: Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; promotes a harassment-free environment
• Attendance/Punctuality: Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; able to work long hours
• Safety and Security: Observes safety and security procedures; determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; reports potentially unsafe conditions

Minimum Qualifications:

• Student of Christian Science
• Member of Christian Science Church and/or Organization and completed Christian Science class instruction. If not currently class-taught member or a member of a Christian Science church, required within one year of start date.
• Supportive of Principia's mission, vision, and values as articulated here
• Willingness to turn readily to God for guidance
• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in education or related field
• Experience working with and teaching teenagers
• Experience in building collaborative relationships that fosters trust and respect
• Valid driver's license; Encouraged to obtain/retain a commercial driver's license and drive Principia School buses (Principia provides training); driving records must be in good standing
• Ability to successfully complete an extensive background check process
• Required to obtain a CPR certificate (Principia provides training) per the schedule outlined by Principia's Workplace Safety Director
• Willingness to support student's treatment choice which may include chaperoning students on calls with medical personnel, taking students to medical treatment facilities, and providing responsive and timely follow-up care, administering medicine to students, and communications. Facilitate the storage of medication through processes overseen by the Director of Student Health Care. Training in medicine administration is required.
• Willingness to support all boarding students in a co-educational unified boarding program model (Houseparents will only be assigned to residence halls where students share the same birth gender)
• Willingness to nurture spiritual and character development with students who have limited or no prior experience with Christian Science
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Home Department
• Strong awareness and ability to develop competency in understanding and supporting the cultural needs of international students within a diverse residential community
• Willingness to contribute to other school programs beyond regular dormitory duties throughout the academic year, which may include coaching, substitute teaching, and providing support to performing arts activities.
• Accepts community standards and expectations and is willing to work with others for a collaborative, respectful, and harmonious environment
• Must be familiar with Principia, its purpose, and policies

The statements above describe the general nature and level of work but are not a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of Principia.

Equal Opportunity

Principia, a mission-driven institution, believes every person has the right to an equitable and respectful educational environment and workplace. Principia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender (identity or expression), sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, or military or veteran status. In hiring, admissions, and related decisions, Principia-as an institution with a religious mission-gives preference, where appropriate, to Christian Scientists.