Founded in 2008 with 50 students in 5th grade, KIPP Columbus currently serves nearly 2,000 students in grades kindergarten through twelfth. The mission of KIPP Columbus is to create a system of schools where students develop the intellectual, academic, and social skills needed to understand and take action on issues they encounter in everyday life. 

KIPP Columbus continues to rank as one of the top five schools for the academic growth of any school in Ohio and is a top-performing urban school in the state for academic growth. In Spring 2021, KIPP Columbus graduated its second class of high school seniors. 100% of graduates were accepted to college, with over $20 million in merit scholarships from colleges and universities awarded.

In addition to academic excellence, KIPP Columbus also partners with more than 100 community organizations to provide extracurricular activities, programming, health and wellness services, meals, and more to KIPP students, families, and the broader community. KIPP is also an Ohio High School Athletic Association member, offering more than ten varsity sports. 

The KIPP Columbus learning campus will continue to advance student learning, expand partnerships, enable superior programming, and serve as a teaching and leadership lab for schools nationwide, reimagining education through a deeper lens of antiracism and excellence and joy.  

To learn more, visit: https://www.kippcolumbus.org/
 

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Superintendent, the Head of Schools is a critical senior leadership team member. They will play a key role in partnering with the Superintendent to bring KIPP Columbus into its next chapter of growth and innovation. The Head of Schools will be charged with leading the work that ensures KIPP Columbus is delivering on its promise to students and families by running high-performing schools that provide a transformational education. To reach this goal, the Head of Schools will lead a team of school leaders and a school leader manager, and collaborate with various campus teams that provide support to our schools.  

This is an ideal opportunity for an entrepreneurial and people-centered organizational leader with significant experience in leading cross-functional teams at the service of high-performing schools. The Head of Schools will co-lead a groundbreaking early childhood-12 education campus alongside KIPP Columbus' Superintendent and Managing Director, Elementary.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Develop and implement/uphold a vision for healthy and high-performing schools that aligns with the region-wide vision of offering a truly transformational education for student success in college and life:

• Co-design, articulate, and monitor progress towards a shared vision for KIPP Columbus schools and classrooms that is grounded in providing an excellent education experience for our students
• Provide guidance and support to school leaders and school leader managers on all elements of running a high-performing school, including but not limited to excellent K-12 instruction, school culture and climate, instruction, teacher and leader development, talent, budget, etc.
• Identify and leverage internal and external bright spots to continuously enhance our school model and support practices
• Oversee the systems/processes to assess progress against our vision and establish new systems/processes as needed
• Provide oversight to equitable implementation of these systems that serve all students regardless of abilities and individualized support needed

Serve as a champion of a strong school and organizational-wide culture that reflects the Northeast Columbus community:

• Ensure there is a positive culture among school and program teams that exhibits care, rigor, and safety
• Create the conditions for an inclusive campus environment that values and affirms all students and families within every KIPP Columbus school.

Serve as a key senior leader and steward for KIPP Columbus:

• Serve as one of the most senior leaders in our organization, helping us achieve our goals and exercising strong judgment in making critical decisions about what we prioritize and how we operate
• Serve internally and externally (e.g., at Board meetings and gatherings with key community partners) as a representative of KIPP Columbus' leadership

• 10-15 years of work experience, including 5+ years of experience as a high-performing school leader who has experience closing the student achievement gaps between racial, ethnic, and economic groups
• A passion for and understanding of the mission of KIPP Columbus, including possessing a deep commitment to improving the lives of kids from low-income communities; knowledge of and experience working with low-income communities, required
• Experience serving as a systems leader, driving and supporting school leaders to close the student achievement gap; secondary school experience ideal
• A seasoned manager who identifies key opportunities and career paths for rising and current leaders gives/receives feedback with humility and holds themselves and others accountable to high standards
• Systems builder with the ability to scale best practices across multiple schools
• Commitment to building relationships and trust with leaders, teachers, students, parents, and the community of Northeast Columbus
• Exceptional organizational skills, including a commitment to maintaining a comprehensive calendar and an ability to build and execute weekly worksheets to guide weekly and monthly priorities
• Ability to take and quickly implement feedback
• Articulate, professional demeanor with strong self-confidence and initiative
• Detail-oriented with exceptionally strong follow-up and follow-through skills
• A belief that outstanding school leaders, staff, and teachers can achieve excellent outcomes for all students
• Ability to persevere with a sense of optimism, strong problem-solving skills, and a desire to learn and grow in a collaborative professional learning community
• Willingness, and commitment, to go above and beyond to prove the possible with students.
• Model the values of KIPP Columbus (Imagine, Navigate, Seek, Persevere, Integrity, Responsibility, and Empathy)
   

Compensation and Benefits

KIPP Columbus offers a comprehensive benefit plan including medical and dental insurance, group term life insurance, retirement plan, and paid time off.   

Statement of Non-Disclosure

KIPP Columbus is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying to the school for consideration of any position (admission, employment, etc.). KIPP Columbus does not discriminate based on disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 4112.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.