The Organization 

Prospect Schools is a high performing, intentionally diverse (“diverse by design”) K-12 college preparatory charter network serving more than 2,700 students in seven (soon to be 9!) schools in Brooklyn. Prospect Schools models its curriculum on the renowned International Baccalaureate Program, a rigorous program that raises the level of academic responsibility for students while also preparing them to be global citizens. 

Our experienced team is dedicated to our mission to prepare a diverse student body to have a positive impact on society and develop a lifelong passion for learning, and guided by our Core Values: 

● Curiosity: Develop sound judgment and intellect by asking questions confidently and thinking critically

● Care: Support others by grounding every action in empathy while championing equity and inclusion 

● Persistence: Grow and learn by solving problems with determination, creativity and tenacity 

● Passion: Succeed by approaching challenges with excitement, enthusiasm and self-assurance 

We have a vision to become, by 2030, the leading network of intentionally diverse schools where all students and educators can learn, work and thrive. Find out more about who we are and what we believe by spending a few minutes reading our 2024 Annual Report .

About the Position: 

The Network Director of School Culture is charged with ensuring a network strategy for a safe, positive, and inclusive school climate across our 7, soon to be 9, schools that reinforces the principles laid out by our network's mission, vision and core values. The Network Director of School Culture is responsible for ensuring there is a seamless integration and alignment of academic and culture programming at all Prospect Schools, including social emotional learning programming, mental health counseling for students, a vision and aligned guiding practices for student discipline, and aligned professional learning for leaders and teachers to have the tools to work in a diverse school setting and with individual students experiencing high stress/trauma. The work of the Network Director of School Culture directly supports Prospect Schools’ intentionally diverse community and rigorous academic programming to ensure that all students have access to a top-tier educational experience. The Network Director of School Culture will work closely with the Chief Academic and Schools Officer, Managing Directors of Schools, Managing Directors of Teaching and Learning, and members of our People Team in a tight integration of their work with both the day-to-day work and our overall academic vision. Together, the work of the Network Director of School Culture and the Teaching and Learning Team will be to achieve the ultimate outcome of ensuring that all students are thriving in every way: socially and academically. This position reports directly to the Managing Director of Teaching and Learning. 

Outcomes in the first year:

1. Audit current school culture programming, systems and tools (K-12 School Culture Strategic Plan, social-emotional learning (SEL), restorative practices, and trauma-informed care), identify strategies and develop tools for improvement and metrics to evaluate impact. 

2. Develop a cohesive strategy and approach to address Chronic Absenteeism in SY25-26.

3. Ensure full compliance with Title IX, DASA, and McKinney-Vento.

4. Conduct a network-wide audit of clinical staffing and service coverage from both internal social workers and external providers and identify opportunities for strategic improvement

5. Evaluate and strengthen the approach for support of social workers and counselors, ensuring there is a cohesive approach to building alignment, shared resources and tools, and professional development for our school social workers and counselors. 

6. Identify or develop a mission-aligned secondary advisory & community meeting curriculum to launch in SY 26-27.

Outcomes in the second year: 

1. Implement a comprehensive K-12 School Culture vision, guiding principles for discipline and strategic plan that integrates social-emotional learning (SEL), restorative practices, and trauma-informed care aligned to our program model, our portrait of a Prospect graduate, and the International Baccalaureate framework.
2. Deliver high-quality professional development series for leaders on SEL integration, restorative practices, and trauma-informed approaches.
3. Codify a living resource hub and training calendar for consistent procedures across schools for disciplinary appeals, Title IX, and DASA.
4. Evaluate the impact of our culture strategy across schools. 

Job Responsibilities:

Program Development and Implementation 

• Evaluate current school culture approach and practices. 

• Develop a mission-aligned advisory & community meeting curriculum. 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive K-12 School Culture vision, guiding principles, and strategic plan that integrates social-emotional learning (SEL), restorative practices, and trauma-informed care aligned to our program model, our portrait of a Prospect graduate, and the International Baccalaureate framework. 

• Partner with the Teaching and Learning team to identify, implement a K-12 social/emotional learning curricula; ensure strong universal supports and core practices that integrate SEL and promote a positive culture of learning.

• Design a clear framework and execute a network strategy to strengthen and expand restorative justice practices that center equity and successfully provide interventions in Tier 2 and Tier 3 student behaviors ensuring that training and implementation are consistent. 

• Partner with the Deputy Chief to Train, coach, and hold accountable school-based accountable provide counsel to school-based teams to develop effective student interventions within a multi-tiered system of support that provides a holistic and skill-building approach to challenging behaviors, with attention to our highest needs students.

• Collaborate with CASO and the CPEO to develop a strategy to provide cultural competence/ K-12 anti-bias education through staff development, classroom learning activities, community celebrations, and other initiatives that ensure a sense of belonging and safety for all students.

• Evaluate and strengthen comprehensive school counseling program including individual, group and embedded approaches that promote the academic, career, and social/emotional development of all students.

• Serve as an internal and external champion of Prospect’s work in student wellness and SEL. 

Network leadership & Compliance

• Serve as the Title IX Officer for the network, setting and monitoring procedures for responding to reports of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and gender bias while ensuring fair resolutions that repair harm and ensure equal access to learning. Provide direct leadership to schools for high-level situations.

• Serve as the DASA leader for the network, setting and monitoring procedures to uphold the Dignity for All Students Act that are enacted by school-based Respect for All Liaisons. 

• Ensure all reports of bullying, bias and harassment are responded to effectively by school personnel so that diverse identities are welcomed and protected within our schools. Partner with Deputy Chiefs to provide advising to schools for high-level situations, as needed and requested.

• Provide training and support to school-based McKinney-Vento Liaisons to ensure compliance with the law and above-and-beyond services to students and families in temporary housing.

• Work with network leaders to annually review all policies, ensure compliance with federal and state laws, and facilitate alignment across schools through a Student Code of Conduct. Provide expertise in disciplinary policy and practices.

• Receive, review, and lead disciplinary appeals and hearings for expulsion and suspension where a network process is required.

• Collaborate with our Network Operations Team to establish and lead protocols for responding to individual and community crises.

Professional development

• Evaluate and oversee our network-wide clinical service delivery model including hiring, recruitment, and retention of social work staff.

• Design and lead high-quality summer professional development for new faculty that establishes the foundation for implementing aligned school culture practices.

• Create a professional development training strategy for all Principals and their teams on the restorative practices, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 responses. 

• Design resources and training to support the yearly launch of mission-aligned school culture and priority projects across all schools.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Identify key metrics to evaluate and measure the impact of our student culture strategy.

• Monitor school-based data to drive continuous improvement, support tiered support interventions, and lift alternatives to exclusionary discipline.

• Partner with our Operations Team to ensure strong attendance practices, strategy to address student absenteeism, and procedures are executed at the school level, with strong systems to regularly review attendance data and plan targeted student interventions accordingly (e.g., developing attendance teams).

• Conduct on-site school visits to assess climate and culture to provide recommendations and further support to school-based leaders and teams.

• Review student achievement and counseling data for program evaluation purposes, and to ensure that the school counseling program is meeting the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students

• Own all data and reporting to ensure schools are 100% Title IX, DASA, and McKinney-Vento compliant.

About You:

Education & Experience 

• Oversight and management of experienced School Social Workers and/or Counselors (experience required)

• Master’s degree or higher in a related field, preferably teaching, school counseling, school social work or educational leadership (preferred but not required) 

• License in social work, psychology, or psychiatry, (preferred but not required)

Content expertise

• Expertise culturally responsive teaching practices and /or anti-bias educational practices resulting in a proven track record of success in establishing a strong, affirming, and equitable school culture

• Expertise in restorative justice philosophy and practices with proven commitment to successful K-12 implementation of alternatives to punitive discipline

• Knowledge and comfort with the SEL competencies, Response to Intervention, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS), and/or Responsive Classroom 

• Knowledge and expertise with trauma-informed care and best practices of trauma-sensitive schools 

Leadership

• Experience and or an explicit commitment to working with diverse populations 

• Commitment to serving the whole child with an assets-based approach that honors their family, culture, resiliencies, and capacity to build academic and social/emotional skills

• At least 5 years in a leadership position in an urban school or other education/youth and family organization

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and collaborate with diverse groups of professionals across multiple departments and organizations to achieve unified, consistent practices

• Experience planning and delivering professional development for a variety of internal and external stakeholders (ie; teachers, and school based leaders)

• Skilled multi-tasker and excellent time manager; ability to effectively achieve multiple goals and manage multiple projects simultaneously

• Strategic and critical thinker

• Strong project-planning experience

• Exceptional written, oral, and visual communication skills

Salary 

Director role and salary are commensurate with experience, with a range of $116,000-$156,941. Candidates may be considered for a Senior Director Role given previous experience and education. 

The critical features of this role are described above but are not all-encompassing.