Director, Macfeat Early Childhood Laboratory School

Full Job Description

Reporting to the Associate Dean of the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences, the Director provides strong instructional leadership and overall direction for the Macfeat Early Childhood Laboratory School, ensuring safe, appropriate and high-quality learning experiences.

As the oldest continuously operating laboratory school in the nation, Macfeat is dedicated to meeting the needs of all young learners ages 3 to 5, fostering their intellectual, physical, social and emotional development through a student-centered environment. The school also serves as a training site for prospective teachers and other professionals who work with young children. It uses National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards to guide curriculum and program development; is licensed by the Child Care Licensing Division of the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS); and maintains an A+ rating from the ABC Quality Rating System.

Instructional leadership and overall program direction

• Provides strong instructional leadership and direction to the Macfeat school.
• Supports the foundations, mission, and philosophy of Macfeat to serve the university and community as a research and training center for pre-service teachers.
• Provides leadership and training for staff, including an administrative assistant, teachers, assistants and student employees (graduate and undergraduate), to ensure curriculum and pedagogies align with expectations and best practices.
• Supports and encourages engagement of students and faculty in Macfeat classrooms.

Operations, compliance, and resources

• Identifies and hires appropriately credentialed staff, evaluates performance and supports staff growth.
• Plans and monitors the budget, identifies and reports maintenance needs, and identifies appropriate classroom materials through a collaborative effort with school and college personnel.
• Maintains compliance with requirements for approval (licensing) and accreditations, including working with the SC DSS, ABC Quality and other agencies.
• Develops and maintains appropriate policies, handbooks and website.
• Seeks grant opportunities.

Recruitment/retention and community relations

• Leads efforts in recruitment and retention of students.
• Oversees the process of application, selection and admission to Macfeat classes.
• Suggests ideas for continued success.
• Maintains communication and collaboration with the university, community, parents and the Macfeat Advisory Board.
• Promotes Macfeat on campus and in the community to increase exposure and awareness.

Teaching and service to the college/university mission

• Teaches appropriate courses based on academic qualifications (typically one or two courses per semester).
• Serves on the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences Leadership Council.
  

Requirements

Must qualify for ABC Quality (ABCQ) Tier 4 status on the South Carolina Early Care and Education Career Ladder by meeting at least one of the following Tier 4 pathways:

• Minimum 21 credit hours in Early Childhood Education (ECE),
• Early Childhood Certificate/Diploma (minimum 27 ECE credit hours),
• Associate’s degree or higher (non-ECE) plus a current Montessori credential recognized by MACTE, or
• Associate’s degree or higher (non-ECE) plus a current CDA.

Must be eligible to teach undergraduate courses at Winthrop University, which includes holding a master’s degree in an education-related field.

• Knowledge and ability to communicate the relevance of current issues and trends in early childhood education.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, parents and the general public.
• Ability to hire, train, coach and evaluate staff.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and tact when dealing with difficult situations and/or conflict.
• Ability to set clear priorities and effectively manage multiple responsibilities.

Qualifications

• PK12 teaching experience.
• College teaching experience.
• Engagement in scholarly activity.
• Leadership experience within a school setting and/or community organization.
• Experience in event management.

Additional Information

• Travel/Overtime Requirements: Some nights and weekends may be required.
• License/Certification: ABCQ Tier 4
• Annual Salary/Hiring Range: $65,000 (Aug. 1 to May 31 each year)
• To apply go to https://winthrop.peopleadmin.com/postings/20917.