Director, Early Childhood Site; Evanston

Position: Director, Early Childhood Site (Evanston)
Reports to (title): Senior Director, ECS

Job Summary:

The Early Childhood Site Director is responsible for the planning and launch, overall management, supervision of staff, and family and student acquisition for the JCC Early Childhood program at Beth Emet The Free Synagogue. The Early Childhood Site Director focuses on best practices and supporting teaching teams in meeting our vision of emergent curriculum with a constructivist approach to learning. The Early Childhood Site Director will foster and develop deeply connected relationships with children, families, and staff as they offer curricular support for educators and make the learning visible and valued for our families.

As families grow with our program, the Early Childhood Site Director will work to build engagement and look for stewardship opportunities throughout the agency.

Leadership

• Embody JCC's Early Childhood philosophy with passion, warmth and integrity to parents, educators and peers.
• Proactively understand and assess trends, community needs and identify opportunities for innovation and growth.
• Understand and communicate JCC mission and impact to staff and program participants.
• Partner with the Apachi Evanston Camp Director to develop and execute family and joint engagement opportunities to increase enrollments and deepen community connections.
• Partner with the onsite Apachi Evanston Day Camp Director to seamlessly transition children/families between programs.

Curriculum & Program Excellence

• Be responsible for curriculum excellence and utilizing a Jewish lens which incorporates Reggio Emilia principles and a commitment to Outdoor Classroom.
• Ensure the staff provides a dynamic Jewish context for children to learn about themselves, Jewish values, their community and the world.
• Support, train and mentor staff in emergent curriculum, the Reggio Emilia approach, documentation and classroom-home connections.
• Maintain compliance with DCFS licensing and JCC Chicago policies.
• Confer with teachers, Social Service staff, parents and specialists to be alert to the needs for early intervention; responsible for implementation of recommendations of Social Service Team.

Family Engagement

• Facilitate tours, attend community gatherings, and actively recruit new families.
• Manage Leads in accordance to our SOP process.
• Ensure family programs align with our SOP process.
• Warmly welcome and greet parents and children on a daily basis.
• Maintain timely and effective communications with parents to ensure a quality customer experience.
• Engage with new and prospective families through various engagement programs both on- site and outside of the facility and program.
• Establish, maintain and assist the Family Involvement Group, ensuring that parents are active stakeholders in the school community and build a community within JCC.
• Be knowledgeable about all JCC programs and ensure that staff are actively and effectively stewarding families through offerings.
• Work with families to seek feedback, resolve issues, and offer engagement opportunities.

Staff Management

• Create and execute consistent on-boarding processes and professional development for new teachers.
• Interview, hire, train and supervise teaching staff. Create annual goals, staff development and training plans and facilitate the staff evaluation processes (both formal and informal).
• Provide oversight and guidance to teachers and administrative staff in managing substitute staffing and family events.

• Manage the coordination of substitute teachers and classroom coverage in accordance with DCFS regulations.

• Build a collaborative and collegial community within classrooms and across JCC Chicago departments.
• Manage evaluation process for staff

Business Operations & JCC Partnerships

• Evaluate site performance, growth strategies, and competition, customer and staff feedback and pricing/product strategies.
• Proactively engage in community outreach and engagement to build program registrations and deepen community connections.
• Work closely with Operations Manager and facilities of Beth Emet.
• Serve as a meaningful liaison and partner with Beth Emet clergy and professional staff.
• Become an expert in security policies and procedures. Be able to…