Director of Academic Success

Horizons at New Canaan Country School (NCCS) was founded in 1964 and is the flagship program for what has become a national movement. There are now over 70 Horizons programs across the United States and counting. Each year we serve close to 400 underserved students in Kindergarten through 12th grade, the majority of whom live in Stamford and Norwalk. Our program includes a robust 6-week summer program for close to 300 students and a school year program with academic, enrichment and caregiver programming. We raise our entire budget annually from private sources to ensure that each student can attend tuition-free.

Our Vision:

To build a more just and equitable society.

Our Mission:

Transforming the lives of underserved children and youth through year-round academic and enrichment programs to inspire learning, encourage success, and close the opportunity gap.

Our Values:

• Equity through Opportunity
• Educating the Whole Child
• Joyful and Nurturing Community

Job Summary:

The Director of Academic Success (DAS) is responsible for developing and managing the academic and curricular elements of our year-round program - including our core six-week Summer Program and our K-12 school year program.  The DAS will report to the Executive Director and work in partnership with the Director of Student and Family Programs (DSFP) as well as the rest of the Horizons team.

School Year Responsibilities include:

• Oversee K-12 school year tutoring program.
• Partner with the DSFP on Winter Program and Saturday programs regarding academic content, communication, and tracking of participation.
• Develop and oversee supplementary academic programming for high school students and their families, including SAT prep, financial aid counseling, and vocational counseling to ensure they are college eligible and have a solid post-secondary plan.
• In partnership with DSFP, maintain ongoing communication and partnership with Stamford and Norwalk Public School Districts, individual schools and teachers to facilitate sharing of data, assessments, and student information to ensure continuum of support.
• Partner with the Admissions and Data Manager to directly support the recruitment and admissions process.
• Plan and facilitate College and Post-Secondary Pathway tours.
• Maintain all academic support data to include student report cards, IEPs, 504s, etc.
• At the request of families or school districts, participate in meetings that will contribute to student success, including conferences, PPTs, 504 meetings, etc. 
• In partnership with the DSFP, plan and facilitate family learning opportunities to help them advocate and communicate with their schools, districts, and community support programs. 
• In partnership with the Communications, Development and Grants Manager, analyze student data and prepare reports for internal and external use. 
• Oversee HS graduation with DSFP.
• Work with the Office and Development Manager to manage staff onboarding and payroll processing for school year and summer academic support staff and contractors. 
• Be an active and engaged member of our host school community New Canaan Country School including attending community lunches and designated events
• Other duties as assigned.

Summer Responsibilities include:

• Hire, manage and evaluate summer programming staff in partnership with DSFP and Junior and Senior Program Directors
• Identify academic goals to ensure a continuum of learning over the summer months, preventing the summer slide and setting students up for success as they begin their school year in the fall.
• Develop curriculum and support teachers by providing resources, training and guidance.
• Partner with the DSFP to hire and manage summer staff.
• Plan academic field trips and special events in partnership with the DSFP to embody our summer theme and learning goals.
• Develop and facilitate pre-summer staff training in partnership with the DSFP.
• Implement, analyze and respond to student assessments that capture both academic and social and emotional learning and development in partnership with CCSW.
• Coordinate teacher review and feedback process.
• Work with the DSFP and Office and Development Manager to coordinate payroll for summer staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education required - Master’s degree preferred
• 5 years teaching experience
• Experience with creating curriculum, analyzing student data, and assessing student outcomes
• Demonstrated sensitivity to cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of families/students from marginalized communities
• Proficient with Microsoft Suite and Google Workspace
• Knowledge of Norwalk and Stamford communities and resources preferred
• Excellent organizational, management and communication skills
• Demonstrated competence in team building, supervision and staff development
• Spanish proficiency a plus
• Ability to thrive in a busy work environment and flexibility to work occasional nights and programmatic Saturdays
• Passion for mission

Compensation and Benefits:

The Director of Academic Success position is a full-year, full-time salaried position with medical and vision benefits; life and disability insurance; 403(b); generous vacation and PTO time, professional development support, and access to tuition remission for children of NCCS faculty and staff. The salary range is $70,000-$80,000, dependent on relevant qualifications and experience. This individual is expected to work regular on-site business hours with some evening and programmatic Saturday hours required.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Horizons at NCCS is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.