The SEED Foundation, Senior School Leader Residency

About The SEED Network

SEED is the nation's first and only network of public, college-preparatory boarding schools, providing a 24-hour, 5-day-per-week learning environment. In classrooms, dorm meetings, dining halls, evening study halls, and exposure opportunities, our students become strong, determined, and self-aware. With the gift of time, we build a community of support that empowers students to own their educational journeys and succeed in college and beyond.

As the first public, college-preparatory boarding schools in the U.S., SEED’s mission and approach to education are unique. SEED schools are tuition-free and, by design, serve traditionally underserved students. Our schools and graduates are supported by The SEED Foundation. In addition to providing programmatic and operating support to SEED schools in Washington, D.C. (The SEED School of Washington, D.C),  Baltimore (The SEED School of Maryland), Miami (The SEED School of Miami), and Los Angeles (The SEED School of Los Angeles County, The SEED Foundation partners with communities to design and operate college-preparatory, public boarding schools that serve students five days a week from grades ranging from grades 6-12. The SEED Foundation’s College Transition & Success (CTS) team provides intensive, individualized support to each SEED graduate from their junior year of high school through their college graduation. Currently, The SEED network serves over 1,100 students in its four schools as well as hundreds of SEED graduates nationwide on their journey to and through college. The success of the SEED model has been showcased in media outlets and publications such as 60 Minutes, The New York Times, and in the documentary film “Waiting for Superman.” For more information, please visit www.seedfoundation.com.

OPPORTUNITY

The SEED Foundation's Senior School Leader Residency is designed to prepare professionals to lead a SEED school. Throughout the program, Residents will be exposed to experiences including but not limited to: Reviewing foundational documents and data such as SEED's Program Model, SEED’s Network Success Measures, Operations and Systems Management (e.g., finance, facilities, human resources), Board Management, External Relations, Compliance, SEED Network Initiatives and Expectations, SEED's approach to Family and Community Engagement (FACE), Managing & Coaching Leaders. The experience will include the Resident completing a capstone project co-created by the Resident and a senior leader at The SEED Foundation. Residents will primarily participate in leadership development opportunities with SEED Foundation leaders and SEED Heads of School at our DC and MD schools, along with having selected experiences working with our Heads of School in LA and Miami. At the successful conclusion of the program, the Resident will receive priority consideration for future interim and permanent Head of School vacancies within the network, as well as special projects that align with the network vision.

The Resident will engage in a range of experiences, both remote and in-person, that are designed to enhance their leadership abilities while also learning what it takes to lead a SEED school. At the end of the Residency Fellowship, this equity-oriented, visionary leader will be able to implement the SEED Model and leverage SEED’s past successes in operating high-quality public boarding schools for resilient youth to deliver outstanding educational experiences and outcomes for SEED students. Residents will have a deep passion for scholars and be able to develop and maintain effective relationships with a variety of constituents, including students and families, school faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees, The SEED Foundation and other SEED network leaders, state and local officials, community and business leaders, donors, the media and other stakeholders necessary to drive exceptional outcomes for the school’s students. 

The right leader for the Residency program must be comfortable with a dynamic and fast-paced environment. This person will relentlessly focus on outcomes, using data at all levels to ensure that activity is never mistaken for progress. This leader will build a strong, positive culture and strategic vision aligned to the SEED Model and will collaborate to actively support work across the SEED network.

During the program, the Resident will:

• Understand foundational documents, current network performance data, School Improvement Plans (SIP), and other strategic planning documents
• Engage in project-based work aligned with the SEED Program Model and/or a special SEED Network initiative 
• Participate in professional development and/or exposure experiences to support skills in areas such as nonprofit management, finance, and fundraising

LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR RESIDENTS

A Head of School is responsible for all aspects of leading and operating a SEED school. Therefore, the Resident will use this opportunity to gain Mastery of the following key responsibilities:

• Implementing the SEED Model: Implementing the SEED Model with fidelity in collaboration with The SEED Foundation. Executing against the SEED network’s vision and building a college-going culture where every staff member is committed to doing whatever it takes to prepare students for success in college and beyond. 
• Hiring and Managing Staff: Setting talent management priorities to ensure that the size and composition of staff meet the school’s needs at all times. Working with talented staff and school leaders to set and lead a high-quality performance management system so staff receive regular and relevant feedback and growth opportunities. 
• Driving Positive Outcomes: Working with a variety of leadership teams and The SEED Foundation to ensure the right metrics are in place to measure student outcomes and drive growth and proficiency across the broad array of all areas (social emotional, character, academic, college and career readiness, etc.). 
• Ensuring Effective Operations: Managing all school operations, including finance and budget, facilities, human resources, administrative policy and procedures, IT, procurement of contracted services, relationships with the relevant regulatory bodies, and compliance. 
• Community Relations: Building a strong relationship with the local community, school authorities, donors, and funding agencies. Ensuring that the funding mechanisms are maintained, that the needs of all constituencies are understood and that everyone is working together to achieve positive outcomes for the children being served. Supporting and leading fundraising efforts.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Certain personal characteristics are essential for success as a Head of School for SEED. Therefore, our expectation is that the Resident will:

• Possess personal integrity and a strong moral and ethical character.
• Be an open and reflective listener as well as a skilled communicator.
• Possess strong management and leadership skills (managerial excellence at all levels of the organization, from adults to children, is vital).
• Be a flexible and creative problem-solver with excellent judgment.
• Be positive, driven, and sensitive to others.
• Have an unwavering commitment to outcomes.
• Be able to manage multiple competing demands.
• Have a sense of humor.
• Work productively with colleagues at both The SEED Foundation and other SEED schools while remaining focused on the SEED network’s vision and mission.

Requirements

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the ideal Resident will be:

• A resident of or be able to temporarily relocate to the DMV area (District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia). 
• An instructional leader with a significant amount of managerial or senior leadership experience in a school setting.
• An equity-oriented systems leader that is passionately committed to students and to their education at every level. Has empathy for and commitment to programs and services for Black and Latinx youth and a solid understanding of child development.
• A resilient but humble leader. Willingly takes responsibility for failures and challenges and works with determination not to repeat them. A constant learner who has been successful and does not shy away from difficult work, eagerly learns from people at every level of the organization. 
• An instructional leader who leads by finding or creating new ideas and actively seeks out innovative strategies to improve student achievement. Possesses a commitment to academic excellence and an awareness of the best practices in education and pedagogy.
• A culturally competent and a self-reflective leader who understands the effects of race, class, ethnicity, income, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and other issues of difference in society and is able to lead direct conversations about them. Has comfort and experience working with Black and Latinx communities.

Benefits

The inaugural year of the Residency program will begin in July 2024 and offer an annual salary of $100,000 through June 2025. The residency includes a robust benefits package, including health and dental insurance, up to four weeks of vacation, a TIAA retirement plan, and life insurance.

For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Mara Cooper at mcooper@edgilityconsulting.com. 

The SEED Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.