Lower School Head
: Job Details :

Lower School Head (Grades 1-5)

Position Start Date: July 1st, 2025

Reports to: Head of School

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $100,000 – $140,000

Glenelg Country School (GCS), an independent coeducational institution in Howard County, Maryland, with approximately 800 students, seeks an innovative and compassionate leader to serve as the Lower School Head for Grades 1 through 5. This position offers a unique opportunity to guide the academic and personal growth of students at a critical stage in their development.

The Lower School Head will be responsible for the overall management of the division, ensuring that students are challenged intellectually, supported emotionally, and inspired to become active and engaged learners. The Lower School Head will play a pivotal role in advancing GCS's mission of cultivating a diverse community of learners who discover, contribute, thrive, and excel.

As the leader of the Lower School, the Head will shape the vision for the division and work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and the broader GCS community to deliver a cohesive and high-quality educational experience. The ideal candidate will be an experienced school leader with expertise in elementary curriculum and instruction, and a passion for fostering a diverse and inclusive school culture. The Lower School Head will collaborate with a highly qualified and able corps of dedicated teachers, providing instructional leadership and situational support as needed while cultivating the ongoing professional development of their colleagues. The Lower School Head will also collaborate with the other division Heads to ensure continuity across grade levels and to uphold the school's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Lower School Head will be responsible for implementing and developing a curriculum that integrates key academic disciplines and promotes critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. Working closely with teachers, the Lower School Head will ensure that the curriculum aligns with educational best practices and meets the developmental needs of all students. In addition, they will play a central role in shaping the professional development of faculty members, encouraging continuous learning and pedagogical innovation.

Family engagement is an essential aspect of the Lower School experience at GCS, and the Lower School Head will maintain strong, trusting relationships with families, offering regular opportunities for dialogue and collaboration. By fostering a warm and welcoming environment, the Lower School Head will ensure that students feel supported and that parents are confident partners in their children's education.

In alignment with the values of Glenelg Country School, the Lower School Head will prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that all students and families within the early childhood program feel valued and respected. This leader will focus on creating an environment that fosters a sense of belonging and respect for all, working collaboratively with the Primary School Head to maintain alignment across divisions.

Glenelg Country School is moving to a new model wherein the Primary and Lower School will be led by two separate Heads who will serve distinct, yet complementary, roles within Glenelg Country School, working closely together to provide a cohesive educational experience from early childhood through the elementary years. These roles are essential to upholding the school's mission of cultivating a diverse community of learners who discover, contribute, thrive, and excel. The Lower School Head addresses the academic and social growth of students in the elementary grades, ensuring a seamless transition from early childhood to more advanced learning. Together, the Lower School Head and the Primary School Head create a cohesive educational pathway that aligns with the school's mission and values.

Key Elements of the Position:

Focus on Elementary Education: The Lower School Head oversees students in grades 1 through 5, emphasizing the transition from early childhood into more structured academic learning. This role focuses on building critical thinking skills, independence, and social responsibility.

Curriculum Development for Higher Grades: They are responsible for creating a rigorous and challenging curriculum that integrates various subjects, encouraging collaborative learning and critical thinking while meeting the diverse needs of Lower School students.

Leadership and Professional Development: They play a key role in mentoring, modeling and supporting faculty, fostering professional growth, and ensuring instructional quality across the division.

Family and Community Engagement: They focus on strengthening connections between the school and the community, enhancing opportunities for families to engage in their children's education, and fostering a sense of belonging among all families in the Lower School.

Student Support Systems: They implement effective student support systems that address academic, social, and emotional needs, ensuring that all students thrive.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: They incorporate specific expectations to actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within their divisions, ensuring that all students and families feel respected and valued.

Attributes, Skills, and Qualifications:

• A highly visible, empathetic and collaborative instructional leader
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• An outgoing “connector” and relationship-builder
• A demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Five or more years teaching or working in an elementary program
• Three or more years in an administrative or leadership role in an elementary school program
• Bachelor's degree and MS/MA, with preference for elementary education

Administration: All prospective employees must be able to clear background checks, as required by the State of Maryland.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to listen, physically direct, and speak. The employee is required to stand, walk, use hands to compute, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus. The employee is also regularly required to climb one flight of stairs and must be able to carry 25 pounds.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those of a school and what an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is moderate; however, variations in noise level may occur when the employee attends school functions such as assemblies, school dances, and other events.

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