Career Center

Latin School of Chicago is a coeducational day school serving 1,196 students in junior kindergarten through 12th grade. It boasts a vibrant community that comprises 152 faculty, 103 staff, and approximately 4,500 living and active alums. Founded in 1888, Latin is one of the oldest independent schools in the city of Chicago and provides its students with a rigorous and innovative liberal arts educational program. It inspires its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence. Latin’s shared values of excellence, community, and integrity affirm and define their community. They serve as guideposts for all the school does, and connect them students, teachers, parents, and alumni to each other and to Latin.

Reporting to the Head of School, the Director of Upper School (grades 912) will be an integral part of the senior leadership team, and they will work collaboratively to help guide Latin School of Chicago into the future. Latin is a stable school with a strong reputation in the Chicago area with a commitment to excellence. The school does not jump on the latest bandwagons of education, but rather they are thoughtful, deliberate, and data-driven in their program development and decision-making.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

The Director of Upper School will be a strategic partner and thought leader who will help strengthen and advance Latin School of Chicago’s vision and strategic vision for the School. By working in close partnership with key constituencies, the Director of Upper School will prioritize the following:

• Integrate, deepen, and make personal the Latin learning experience for each and every person in the Upper School community;
• Embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into all facets of the Upper School experience at Latin;
• Invest in Upper School leadership, faculty, and staff as Latin’s most important asset in the development of their students;
• Partner in improving the hiring and retention of faculty and staff from underrepresented communities;
• Focus on authentically engaging with Upper School students, families, school alumni, and the city of Chicago, ensuring the School community is connected to the broader community in which they live and learn;
• Align philosophies and developmentally appropriate best practices with both Lower and Upper School Divisions; and
• Implement and operationalize the LEAD strategic vision within the Upper School.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Oversee the development, alignment, and evaluation of curriculum in collaboration with the instructional leadership team of the school;
• Work cross-functionally across academic and administrative divisions in theplanning and running of the school;
• Act as a spokesperson and champion of, and for, the Upper School division with various stakeholder audiences, including students, parents, prospective families, Board of Trustees, and the like
• Partner with others in the Director’s Office, including the Assistant Director of Upper School, Deans, and the Division Assistant Director;
• Be an integral voice and active participant in the admissions process, including meetings with prospective students and families, serving on the Upper School Admissions Committee, interviewing candidates, and transitioning new students and families to Latin;
• Maintain academic and co-curricular excellence;
• Plan and manage the annual division budget;
• Embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into Upper School curriculum, culture, hiring, and admission’s activities in partnership with key stakeholders, including the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the US DEI Coordinators;
• Meet regularly with Upper School parents in a variety of formal and informal formats;
• Meet with the Board of Trustees to update and answer questions about the Upper School division, when needed; and
• Communicate regularly to parents, prospective families, faculty, students, using a variety of written, meeting, and presentation formats.

QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES

Successful candidates should consistently demonstrate the following:

• Be persuasive and self-assured leader who can win over hearts and minds, and build trust and community;
• Understand child development for older adolescents;
• Utilize savvy, dynamic, prolific, transparent communication, both written and verbal, to key constituencies, including parents, Board, and faculty;
• Innovate and create enriching academic and community experiences;
• Demonstrate a commitment to accountability, integrity, and action;
• Exhibit effective conflict management skills and the ability to navigate difficult conversations/situations;
• Think analytically and use data to inform decision-making;
• Bring joy into a hardworking and deeply committed community;Embrace tech innovation and support teachers' efforts in this area; and
• Engage and collaborate with others around student success.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• A minimum of 810 years of related experience working with students in grades 9-12
• Experience as an upper or high school teacher
• Experience leading and managing a large faculty
• Understanding of, and experience with, restorative justice practices for students
• Strong curricular development/design experience at an academically rigorous school
• Experience with the enrollment management process and Admissions activities
• Experience with budget planning, allocation, and management
• Strong and proven people development skills
• Experience successfully navigating change
• Demonstrated experience serving successfully in an educational leadership role in a school with varied and exacting constituencies

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Significant upper/high school teaching and administrator experience
• Independent school experience
• Knowledge of and experience in working with unions
• K12 experience in grades other than upper school

Latin School embraces diversity of people, cultures, and ideas and is an equal opportunity employer.

About Latin School of Chicago

Since 1888, Latin has been committed to academic excellence in an environment that creates a life-long love of learning and supports students as they pursue their passions. Our school is home to students from throughout the city and suburbs and we value the variety of experiences that they bring to our learning environment. “Of Chicago” is more than a part of our school’s name – those words help to define the school itself.

Connections working at Latin School of Chicago