The Community Roots School (CRS)
Silverton, OR
Job title: School Administrator – K-6 Montessori School Principal
Reports to: The CRS Board of Directors

About Us
The Community Roots School was founded in 2009 in Silverton, OR, a small rural community about 45 minutes from Portland. On average we serve 100 K-6 students a year in our Kindergarten, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary classrooms. We teach ways to learn, grow, and lead that contribute to the larger community. We do this by:
● A rich and holistic educational experience that respects the individuality of each young learner
● Positive, effective communication that assumes the best in each other and seeks the best for our children
● Respect for a diversity of backgrounds and experiences, and for the perspectives they add to our collective journey
● A commitment to contribute to the well-being and vitality of our Silverton community
● The practice and teaching of peace and mindfulness in our classrooms, our community and the world
● The practice and teaching of wise stewardship of our natural resources and care our earth

About You
You believe in and understand the value of student-centered education and are passionate about leading a school grounded in the Montessori philosophy. As an experienced professional, you are a strategic thinker/planner and understand the importance of and excel in setting priorities to achieve the organization's goals. With Montessori teaching experience, you’re excited to serve as a mentor and advisor to our Guides, enhancing our classroom and academic program. You are an engaging, heartfelt leader– you ensure that our students, staff, families, and extended community are informed, connected, and included. Our ideal candidate takes initiative, is highly organized and detail-oriented, and is excited to build relationships, and support the growth of our school.

Position Description
The Administrator is the organizational lead and is responsible for the overall day-to-day operations of The Community Roots School. This position reports directly to and works closely with the Board and committed group of 14 staff, fostering a love of learning, encouraging children to grow to be stewards of the planet, and developing values of tolerance and peace in a community of children and their families. We strive to make The Community Roots School a place where our best human qualities are invited to shine.

The position oversees the education programs, governance, facilities, finances, and administration arms of the organization, in conjunction with the Office Manager, Guides, and Board.

Additionally, the Administrator will work with the Board on the school's short—and long-term strategic plans, and with the staff in the implementation and execution of those plans. Other key duties include fundraising and deepening community outreach. As leader of the school, the Administrator will work collaboratively to ensure the overall strength and health of the organization, our staff, and students.

Black, Indigenous, brown, disabled people, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions, and identities are strongly encouraged to apply. If you’re excited about this position, we hope you apply.

A Community Roots School Administrator:
▪ Puts students first. Students are at the heart of our schools and we look to recruit and select leaders who make decisions in their best interest. Students are at the core of each decision made at CRS.
▪ Demonstrates innovative and entrepreneurial thinking. CRS seeks to deliver an authentic Montessori education while still adhering the public school needs and requirements. Our administrator will serve as a liaison to our sponsoring Silver Falls School District to balance these approaches using the most current and innovative methods in the industry. Modeling innovation in other sectors, the CRS administrator will use tools supported by The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector (NCMPS) and Public Montessori in Action (PMA) to advance improved teaching and learning practices and implement more robust assessments, support teachers and leaders as innovators, invest early in promising practices, and collect and use data to diagnose problems-of-practice, evaluate effectiveness of initiatives and to course correct when necessary.
▪ Engages families and the community as equal partners in the school improvement process. The Community Roots School believes that our students flourish when our community works together to create the best environment for them. We are seeking a leader to work with the community in healthy effective manners to further the creation of an inclusive and equitable environment.
▪ Builds a supportive and highly skilled environment. Using inclusive practices to involve guides and staff in decision making. Provide guides and staff with high levels of support while holding them to high levels of accountability, tailored to each individual’s needs and experience.
▪ Fosters professional environments that value collaboration, data use, and continual improvement. Guides must work together to collect and analyze data to sustain cycles of inquiry and improvement. Continual learning and data-driven decision-making are core to the developing and supporting highly effective schools.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Instructional Leadership
• Implement and maintain the school’s Strategic Plan that sets the direction for school improvement efforts.
• Responsible and accountable for ensuring all students leave school ready for the demands of their next level of schooling.
• Analyze student achievement results to identify areas in greatest need of improvement and to inform school improvement efforts.
• Ensure that the learning needs of all students--Special Education, English Language Learners, and General Education--are met. • Effectively supervise the classroom co-teaching teams, Interventionists and Learning Specialists.
• Promote a culture of continued learning, coaching, and collaboration with staff
• Supports and supervises the design of rigorous, Montessori based instruction with measurable outcomes.
• Conduct classroom observations to analyze instruction, supervise staff and provide feedback, to ensure continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
• Engage in continuous learning and on-going professional development

Management and Operations
• Recruit and retain a diverse staff.
• Align the use of people, money, and materials to the school's instructional priorities.
• Develops systems for optimal use of time by creating schedules/procedures that maximize instructional time and provide sufficient meeting time for all teams. Deflects activities that prevent staff from focusing on student learning during team time.
• Ensure a safe and nurturing environment for students, staff, and families.
• Design and implement a professional development plan and/or strategy that addresses instructional improvement priorities defined by student achievement and the individual needs of staff members.
• Manage school, facilities, and operations.
• Complies with the state and federal laws, policies and district expectation/partnerships.
• Monthly reporting to the Board of Directors and the finance committee.

Family and Community Engagement
• Strengthen teacher and staff capacity to cultivate and sustain meaningful partnerships with families of diverse backgrounds and with community members that support student achievement and student well-being.
• Establish two-way communication with parents in their respective languages.
• Seek and develop strategic partnerships that will provide students with access to sports and extracurricular activities and add value and help drive academic success.

Professional Culture
• Demonstrate high expectations for all students and staff and a commitment to providing the support required to attain them.
• Demonstrate cultural competencies and inclusive leadership through behaviors and decision-making through an equity lens.
• Establish a collegial environment that honors and encourages staff's continuous learning.
• Manage conflicts and foster consensus building
• Foster teacher leadership through delegation, shared leadership and decision-making.

Qualifications:
Research shows that many people choose not to apply for roles where they do not meet 100% of the listed job qualifications and skills. We have found that the most successful employees meet the job requirements through a mix of lived experience, personal knowledge, learned skills, and community support.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Master’s Degree
• TSPC Oregon Charter School Administrator license (or willingness to obtain)
• Minimum 3 years of teaching experience
• Montessori training (preferred)
Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Thorough knowledge of CRS policies and procedures, as well as state and federal regulations and laws.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the goals of Montessori education, curriculum, instruction, organizational patterns, school operations and student services.
• Ability to articulate to staff, students and community the vision of the School and the essence of Montessori education.
• Ability to galvanize the community in support of the school.
• Demonstrated competence in staff selection, training, supervision and evaluation.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to act effectively under stress.
• Ability to motivate, encourage and work with staff to ensure outstanding performance as well as morale.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

Additional Education, Training and Experience:
• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university with an emphasis in supervision, educational leadership, and early education or elementary school curriculum.
• Montessori teaching certification from an accredited institution preferred; Montessori leadership training preferred
• 5+ years experience in teaching, administration or leading a Montessori school or program and a track record of successfully motivating staff and managing resources toward shared goals serving diverse learners and student assessment strategies.
• Human resources experience, especially staff management, including but not limited to the recruitment, evaluation and professional development of teaching faculty and professional supports.
• Experience working with teachers, parents and community organizations, as well as strong partnership-building skills.
• Experience working with students and families in a diverse setting
• Experience working with and setting budgets on an organizational basis.

Salary & Benefits:
The compensation for this 205 day contracted position is between $79,000-$99,000, and salary will be determined based on the selected candidate’s specific qualifications, years of relevant experience, specialized knowledge, and internal equity. A shorter-term contract may be offered based on applicant pool and candidate interest.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision coverage for staff and eligible family members, PERS eligibility, paid PTO, paid holidays and paid sick days (10 days total), and family medical leave.

Application Instructions Priority will be given to applications submitted by February 28, 2025. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interested candidates must submit a current resume along with a cover letter. The targeted cover letter should state how you meet the job qualifications. The resume and cover letter should be saved as one PDF document and emailed to hutchinson_kelly@silverfalls.k12.or.us Only candidates who submit a complete application will be considered.

We are committed to conducting an equitable, accessible assessment process. If you would like to request accommodation during the interview process, please email hutchinson_kelly@silverfalls.k12.or.us. Requests for accommodation will be handled confidentially.