Assistant Head of School

Assistant Head of School

Requisition Number: ASSIS003753

Salary Rate: $69,979 - Check out the YMCA's total compensation package

Location: YMCA Academy

15 Breadalbane St, Toronto, ON, M4Y 1C2

Work Hours: Must be available to work Monday to Friday; Must be able to attend Parent/Teacher interviews, Open Houses, Parent Socials, Curriculum Information Sessions for Parents, etc.

Employment Type: Regular Full Time Salaried

Number of Vacancies: 1

Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 2024

Deadline to Apply: June 20, 2024 or until filled

Be the Spark Join our passionate YMCA Academy team and help us to achieve great things in our community

The Assistant Head of School leads YMCA Academy and is responsible for three key areas: providing educational leadership for student success, ensuring the effective day-to-day administration of the school; and ensuring the school's future sustainability including marketing to increase enrollment and expansion of programs.

Inspired and supported by the YMCA of Greater Toronto, The YMCA Academy is a small, innovative alternative secondary school in downtown Toronto. Created to respond to unique learning needs, the school delivers the Ontario Ministry of Education's secondary school curriculum. Our personal differentiated approach, specialized programs and individualized use of assistive technology are ideally suited to those students with learning disabilities or learning style differences. The Academy embodies perfectly the vision of the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

In this role, you will:

Assist in developing and implementing a quality educational program that aligns with the vision and philosophy of YMCA Academy, ensuring it meets the needs of students who learn differently. Support ongoing monitoring, modification, and evaluation of the program.

Support the Head of School in ensuring the school meets all Ministry of Education requirements, including curriculum standards, student evaluations, and the maintenance of academic and attendance records. Assist in preparations for bi-annual Ministry of Education inspections.

Foster a positive and innovative environment that supports the potential of staff and students, promoting educational achievement and social/emotional well-being.

Participate in the ongoing evaluation of student progress and achievement.

Support the approval process of examinations and culminating activities to ensure all curriculum expectations are evaluated.

Maintain the YMCA Academy's Student Rights and Responsibilities document, ensuring disciplinary actions align with established principles and guidelines.

Assist in engendering commitment and enthusiasm from staff, students, parents, volunteers, private sector partners, sponsors, and community organizations to support the Academy's vision.

Support the building and maintenance of positive partnerships with YMCA program staff.

With the Head of School, provide leadership to staff, including supporting hiring and onboarding processes, providing instructional leadership, coaching, performance reviews, and professional development.

Ensure effective administrative operations for the school, including developing and overseeing the annual budget, ordering curriculum resources, maintaining communication with parents and guardians, and ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all stakeholders.

Assist in developing and implementing effective marketing strategies for enrollment and overall school sustainability, including networking and outreach to foster community awareness and support, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and participating in philanthropic activities.

Support the YMCA Academy's admissions processes, including advertising and outreach, identifying potential source schools and organizations for future students, and organizing Fall and Spring Open Houses each academic year.

Establish and implement a system for recording and tracking educational and demographic data gathered during the admissions process.

Develop the teachers' and students' course schedules, as well as monitoring the credit system to ensure all requirements for graduation are met.

Utilize the student information system, PowerSchool, to efficiently manage student records, track academic progress, and streamline communication with parents and staff.

Perform other duties as assigned.

You bring:

Teaching certification and minimum 5 years' teaching experience at the Junior, Intermediate or Senior level (Ontario preferred); additional qualifications in Special education and/or Counselling required; Principal certification completed or in progress; Master's Degree in Educational Leadership an asset;

Experience in administration including managing full and part-time teaching staff, volunteers, budgets and the demands of working within a large, not-for-profit organization; Management in a unionized environment an asset;

Sound understanding of Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum and assessment; ability to integrate the Ontario curriculum and the principles of YMCA Academy;

Demonstrated understanding of Learning Disabilities, ADD/ADHD, ASD, and other learning style issues;

Demonstrated understanding of progressive modes of student discipline;

Enthusiasm for working with youth with exceptionalities including those who are under-performing, have learning disabilities or who are disengaged from their learning process;

Experience in non-traditional teaching environments and an appreciation of teaching the whole person and focus on building of relationships;

Ability to communicate a compelling and inspired vision; ability to inspire and motivate staff, Academy stakeholders, donors and external contacts;

Ability to work as part of a student support team;

Well-developed networks of contacts within the (special) education sector; School Boards and the Ministry of Education;

Strong interpersonal and public relations skills and ability to build constructive and effective relationships with Academy parents, students, staff, YMCA staff, volunteers, potential and current donors, professional associations and the media

Flexibility for responding to multiple demands of staff, students, parents, partners/sponsors, Ministry of Education;

Demonstrated ability to resolve conflict among stakeholders including staff, students, parents, volunteers (mentors, tutors), and partners;

Demonstrated knowledge of the principles and practices involved in volunteer management;

Awareness of the principles of risk management with respect to health and safety;

Excellent written communication skills

Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as well as experience in leading and developing and implementing equity-focused initiatives that address systemic barriers

What you need to succeed:

Commitment to the YMCA's Mission, Vision and Values

Focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA programs including understanding legal and moral obligations related to reporting suspected child abuse to Child Protection Services

YMCA Competencies: Accountable, Relationship-Builder, Improvement-Orientated, Team Player & Leader, Equity and Wellbeing Promoter

Why work for the YMCA?

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead, and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work. We offer meaningful jobs and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities. See what you can expect from the YMCA here .

Joining the Y means contributing to over 165 years of providing opportunities for people to shine through programs and services like health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families, and seniors. Learn more in our strategic plan, Ignite the Light , which outlines how we are focused on boosting well-being and promoting equity across the Greater Toronto Area.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. We strive to remove barriers to employment and recognize that diverse staff who reflect the communities we work in enrich the experiences of our participants and our team. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite applications from all qualified candidates including racialized people/people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, disabled people/people with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection, job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Within the first four months and every three years thereafter, a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required. Learn more about these checks here .

The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview.
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