Director of Community Life, Equity, and Inclusion

City and Country School

New York, NY

July 2023

City and Country School, a progressive institution for children ages two through eighth grade and located in the West Village of Manhattan, seeks a committed and collaborative leader to serve as Director of Community, Equity, and Inclusion.

For more information on the position and instructions on HOW TO APPLY, view the full opportunity Statement at https://www.strategenius.org/opportunity-city-and-country-dir-comm-life-equity-inclusion.

Founded in 1914 by Caroline Pratt, an innovative teacher at the forefront of American educational reform, City and Country School (C&C) remains a leader in progressive education today. The nature of the school’s program—the collaborative work, the student jobs program, the shared materials, the cooperative learning, decision-making, and problem-solving—provides children with opportunities to experience and understand how to live and work together with care, fairness, and respect. Although C&C has a 100+ year history, the school refuses to rest on its laurels. Their most recent five-year strategic plan has set goals to focus on the academic program, diversity, community, and communication, to name a few.

Reporting to the Principal, the Director of Community Life, Equity, and Inclusion will be an integral part of the leadership team at a school that is strongly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Director will become part of an exciting new leadership and growth phase for C&C, with the school also welcoming a new Principal starting July 2023. The Director will be a dynamic co-collaborator, bringing big ideas and forward-thinking to the table, while also respecting the school and its current culture. With strong support from the Board, the Director will lead and partner on continued efforts to increase the racial, socio-economic, and ethnic diversity of students and faculty, in curriculum development, and in professional development. The goal of the Director position is to collaborate with all constituencies at City and Country School to ensure a sense of belonging and that the C&C experience is one of inclusion and equity.

The Position

The Director of Community Life, Equity, and Inclusion will develop, uphold, and implement City and Country School’s values and systems. Assuming an ongoing responsibility to understand and reflect the diverse identities, backgrounds, and cultures inherent in the city of New York, the Director will be committed to making C&C authentically inclusive through the lens of antiracism and social justice, ensuring everyone’s fundamental right to be seen, be valued, and belong. There is significant opportunity to evolve this position in real time, guiding thoughtful questions and dialogue both from a community and program perspective. The Director will work closely with multiple constituencies including students, parents, faculty and staff, and the Board to ensure that community life, equity, and inclusion continue to be at the center of the school’s mission, vision, and strategic goals.

Strategic Priorities

The Director of Community Life, Equity, and Inclusion will be a co-collaborator and thought leader in setting and furthering C&C’s vision and strategic plan for community, equity, and inclusion. By working in close partnership with key constituencies, the Director will prioritize the following:

• Ensure that all policies, activities, communications, and programming reflect C&C’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Proactively engage with and support students in a range of areas including emotional needs, disciplinary action, affinity groups, and parent/teacher conferences.
• Provide support for faculty and staff through personal engagement as well as professional development in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Partner in ensuring that DEIJ is embedded in the constructivist and emergent curriculum of the school at developmentally appropriate stages.
• Aid in the search, hiring, and retention of diverse talent.
• Liaise with Admissions teams in the pursuit and retention of diverse applicants and their families.
• Facilitate strong community outreach through events that connect people and communicate ideals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Community Life and Inclusion

• Develop, uphold and implement City and Country School’s values, and systems with the lenses of inclusion
• Ensure that all school policies, efforts, and activities take into account the community’s diverse needs and perspectives
• Initiate a variety of opportunities for community building, by creating school-wide and off-site events, extra curricular activities and encourage attendance by community members
• Ensure that all school policies, efforts, and activities take into account the community’s diverse needs
• Responsible for identifying and supporting diverse community members (either racially, economically, part of the LGBTQIA+ community, or in any other way that identifies someone as being part of an underrepresented group). This support is also extended to all members of the C&C community
• Respond to concerns/issues raised by internal and external community members
• Build relationships and affiliations with outside organizations that provide resources and support for diversity initiatives
• Develop and coordinate community partnerships with local organizations
• Build relationships with students, families, and staff to foster and promote a culture of equity, inclusion, joy, and community
• Develop periodic workshops, bring in outside speakers/consultants, and serve as a resource for Faculty, Staff, Trustees, and administrators around social justice

Student Life

• Support the student affinity groups by serving as an advisor and/or by ongoing providing professional development to advisors/facilitators
• Provide support for student self-regulation issues: Act as backup for Division Directors to support children for disciplinary or emotional needs, follow up with teachers and division directors on incidents.
• Work proactively with the Student Support team in offering support for students, families, faculty; attend meetings when needed
• Create groups, activities, and any other program approved by the Principal that will help underrepresented students succeed

Support for Faculty and Staff

• Oversee and advise affinity groups in order to support a positive, equitable, and successful experience at C&C
• Provide classroom support around topics of equity, and inclusion by leading community meetings, reading books, creating activities

Support for Program

• Actively collaborate with Group teachers to further support their work on embedding issues of equity and social justice into their program using developmentally appropriate practices
• Identify and implement strategies to help the community understand Power, Racism, and the Systematic Structures in place that allow for a group of people to continue to be oppressed, including establishing pathways of understanding and challenging the prevalence of bias (personal and institutionalized) and its impact on self-perception, teaching, choices of and (dis)comfort with various kinds of curricula and or discussions
• Visit classrooms and provide feedback

Support for Hiring

• In collaboration with the Principal, Director of HR, and division heads, strengthen effectiveness and success in recruiting and retaining diverse faculty and staff
• Lead the preparation for, and attend NYSAIS Job Fair to promote diversity
• Actively resource other avenues to support further diversifying Faculty and Staff
• Lead the organization of the Diverse Applicant Reception
• Active participant on hiring committees

Support for Admissions

• Act as a liaison between the school communities that serve people of color to support the school’s outreach and admissions, marketing, and recruitment programs
• Work with the Admissions office to welcome and retain students and families from diverse backgrounds
• Serve as a mentor for new families from diverse backgrounds
• Attend the “mingling” portion of information sessions as time allows to meet and greet families, with an eye toward spreading the word about C&C and its diversity goals, including giving feedback on families
• Participate in playgroups--assess students and provide feedback
• Collaborate on the planning of the Applicant Reception to Promote Diversity

C&C Community Outreach Events

• Organize and facilitate the annual Caregiver’s Workshop
• Continue to create ways to get Caregivers involved and be part of the Community, also to incorporate the richness of their diversity
• Supervise the Service Learning program and partnership with the Red Door Pantry

Parent Groups

• Oversee the Parent Diversity group - by bringing in speakers, creating workshops for the education of parents on equity, inclusion, and social justice
• Collaborate with PA reps to ensure inclusion and equity
• Oversee and advise parent affinity groups
• Oversee the Parent Community Outreach Committee

Financial Aid Committee

• Serve as primary contact with families on financial aid
• Oversee special funds (Sarah Verdone fund) to support families in need confidentially
• Responsible and proactive for supporting the Development office in correspondence/communication with FA families
• Responsible and proactive for correspondence/communication with FA families around any school activity that requires a fee
• Liaison between student support requests and FA Committee
• Liaison between tutors, outside evaluation team etc. and Business office (Payments)

Support for Development

• Connect with C&C’s alumni of color
• Work with the Development team to ensure equity and inclusion in events

Health and Safety

• Serve on the Safety Committee
• Serve as the liaison between Principal and Staff, Faculty and Students if a school-wide emergency occurs or during fire drills

General

• Supervise 1 direct report - Community Life, Equity and Inclusion Administrative Associate
• Work with Communications office to publicize diversity-related events
• Attend alternate Lower, Middle, and Upper School Faculty meetings
• Serve as a member of the Equity Committee, Trustee Diversity Committee, and Safety Committee
• Collaborate with Board Diversity Committee to provide twice annual training to the Board of Trustees
• Attend and report at Board meetings regularly in coordination with the Principal
• Represent the school at local, regional, and national multicultural events

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

The Director of Community Life, Equity, and Inclusion will be a collaborator, communicator, and strategic thinker. The individual in this position will be deeply involved in all facets of the community and must proactively strive to stay connected and engaged. The Director will model C&C’s commitment to making the school authentically inclusive, ensuring everyone’s fundamental right to be seen, be valued, and belong. This person will be a networker and connector, making certain to lead with empathy and compassion while also pushing a progressive agenda on equity and inclusion.

In addition to the qualifications and skills noted above, the Director should possess:

• Bachelor's degree required, master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of five years of related experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Experience in a school setting.
• Knowledge of progressive education preferred.
• Working knowledge of Blackbaud student information system preferred.

PROCEDURE TO APPLY

City and Country School is deeply committed to and supports community and diversity in all forms including race, religion, national and ethnic origin, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other status protected by applicable law. As such, C&C welcomes and encourages all candidates representing the diversity of today’s global world.

C&C is committed to attracting and retaining outstanding professionals through a competitive compensation plan, including a full benefits package with retirement plan and medical/dental/vision coverage.

Interested candidates should submit via https://bit.ly/CityandCountry_DEI_Dir_AppFormthe following materials confidentially as a single PDF file:

• A cover letter indicating the candidate’s particular interest in and qualifications for the position
• A current résumé
• A statement of educational philosophy
• The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references, including at least one recent supervisor. References should speak to the applicant’s ability to be an effective educator and administrator, to work successfully with children, and to work collaboratively and collegially with adults (references will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission).

Search Calendar

• Application deadline: Dec 5, 2022
• Semifinalist interviews: Early January 2023
• Finalist interviews: Late January 2023
• Announcement: Early February 2023

The position of Director of Community Life, Equity, and Inclusion will start no later than July 1, 2023, but depending on availability can start immediately after the offer in late January/early February 2023.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $145,000.00 - $175,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: One location

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