Near North Montessori (NNM) is one of the country’s largest and oldest Montessori schools. Founded in 1963, this independent school serves 550 students, infant through Grade 8. The school is located within the city in a well-appointed four-story facility. It includes large and bright classrooms, two gyms, a 300-seat theater, an indoor swimming pool, a two-story innovation STEAM space, and a rooftop urban farm. NNM seeks an educational leader to serve as Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement beginning July 2024.

NNM’s Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement will report directly to and partner with the Head of School and serve as a member of the senior leadership team. The major responsibility of the position is to work at the intersection of constituents (students, employees, parents, and Board of Directors) to promote a culture of engagement and to advance the School’s mission and work in equity and inclusion. The Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement ensures NNM’s strategic vision of equity, inclusion, and belonging and its values of lifelong learning, cultural competency, and courageous leadership flourish.

Responsibilities:

With a lens of equity and inclusion and an understanding of community engagement, the Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Community  carries out the following duties to ensure NNM’s values are accurately reflected:

• Partner with the Associate Head of School, academic coaches, and Director of Wellness to ensure the academic and SEL curricula are culturally responsive
• Coordinate student programs and events to raise awareness of multiple perspectives, cultures, and experiences
• Oversee the recruitment and retention strategy and programming for students and families from underrepresented  communities and participate in admissions open houses and the admissions process
• Manage and lead the Family Ambassador program matching new families with current NNM families and helping them acclimate to the NNM community throughout an academic year
• Collaborate and co-sponsor NNM community events with the Advancement Office ensuring NNM constituents are engaged and involved 
• Manage and train student affinity group leaders and support parent leaders of Family Groups, SEED, and AWARE, and room parents
• Establish a cross-level presence through periodic involvement in the life of each level and attendance at major school events and functions
• Serve on hiring committees and work with the HR Director to develop plans for recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty and staff
• Provide professional development and resources to deepen equity and inclusion and cultivate a climate of belonging for NNM employees
• Collaborate with the Head of School in the implementation of strategic priorities on equity and inclusion
• Partner with the Head of School and the co-chairs of the Diversity Committee of the board to track, document, and report on DEI priorities and establish targeted growth goals 
• Expand the reach of NNM's equity, inclusion, and community engagement work at regional and national events, and among Montessori and independent school organizations as appropriate

The ideal candidate to serve NNM as the Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement will be:

• An experienced educator who has worked with children of the ages served by NNM. 
• A positive relationship builder who possesses EQ and authentically enjoys interacting with children, adolescents, and adults.
• A strategic thinker who has an entrepreneurial mindset.
• An individual with deep experience and training in diversity, equity, and inclusion education, ideally in an independent school.
• While prior Montessori experience is not required, an appreciation for this child-centered philosophy and a willingness to learn is essential.
• An adept and positive communicator who is skilled at leading difficult conversations and inviting inquiries on sensitive topics.
• An educator who has a successful track record of implementing programs and bringing together others in support of achieving goals.
• A skilled leader with well-tuned organizational and executive functioning abilities.
• A skilled writer with strong oral skills.

NNM’s mission states: NNM prepares students for life in an ever-changing and complex world inspiring them to reach their inherent potential through Montessori philosophy and with a strong parent-school partnership. Embedded in this is a commitment to encouraging children’s understanding of a diverse world and supporting all stakeholders’ sense of belonging.

This is a full-time position with a start date in July and a starting base salary of $120,000. A comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off is a part of the compensation package, in addition to professional development opportunities to support future growth and learning.

For Consideration

All inquiries will be treated confidentially, and review of candidate files will begin immediately. Please send electronically: Resume, a Letter of Interest, and a Statement of DEI educational philosophy to:

Jane Armstrong 

Independent Thinking

[email protected] 

617-332-3131

Near North Montessori believes that each individual is entitled to equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, marital status, handicap, military status, sexual orientation, citizenship status (with regard to employment) or unfavorable discharge from military status or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. The School’s equal employment opportunity practices extend to recruitment, hiring, selection, compensation, benefits, transfer, promotion, training, discipline, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment.