Deputy Head of School
The Deputy Head of School (DHOS) serves as a senior operational and administrative leader of the virtual school. In conjunction with the leadership team, the DHOS is responsible for implementing the school’s academic vision, advancing student success, and overseeing daily school operations. The DHOS works collaboratively with the Head of School (HOS) to ensure successful academic outcomes for all students and sustain instructional improvement through professional development, teacher evaluation, curriculum implementation, and effective instructional practices.
The DHOS brings demonstrated experience successfully leading school turnaround, with documented improvements in student achievement and learning gains. The successful candidate has experience serving students at risk of academic failure and/or working in alternative education settings and understands how to implement targeted supports that address academic, attendance, engagement, and social-emotional needs.
About the Opportunity
- Provide leadership that demonstrates professionalism, establishes high academic expectations, and celebrates student and staff achievements.
- Manage and lead the school leadership team in the school’s daily operations.
- Collaborate with the HOS to support the School Board in implementing the school’s vision and mission, making school decisions, and developing policies.
- Lead implementation of the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and Turnaround Plan (TOP), establishing clear priorities, measurable goals, responsible personnel, and timelines.
- Use student performance data and evidence of instructional practice to identify underlying causes of underperformance, monitor progress, and adjust strategies.
- Coordinate with school leadership, the governing board, authorizing district, and state school improvement personnel to monitor turnaround commitments and demonstrate progress.
- Lead targeted strategies for students at risk of academic failure, including students experiencing persistent learning gaps, chronic absenteeism, disengagement, or barriers to successful participation in school.
- Strengthen instructional quality through coaching, professional learning, actionable feedback, and consistent monitoring of standards-aligned instruction.
- Serve as an instructional leader and ensure that data informs academic decisions.
- Ensure teaching staff implements the instructional model, curriculum, supplemental resources, assessments, and targeted instruction to meet individual student needs, in collaboration with national team members.
- Oversee programming that supports career pathways such as Arts/AV, information technology, business, health science, skilled trades, work-based learning, and postsecondary opportunities.
- Collaborate with industry and higher education partners to expand and implement postsecondary opportunities for students.
- Navigate regulatory complexities and political sensitivities in collaboration with the HOS, governing board, state department of education, and local, state, and national stakeholders.
- Develop educational program plans and policies and ensure their appropriate implementation by staff, students, and families.
- Ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.
- Ensure school programs align with authorizing agency requirements.
- Collaborate with the HOS and ACCEL Finance team in developing and managing the school budget.
- Collaborate with the HOS to oversee school marketing and enrollment plans directed by ACCEL, consistent with authorized enrollment capacity and applicable restrictions.
- Serve jointly with the HOS as a public relations liaison between ACCEL and the school community, engaging community and civic groups in support of school programs.
- Recruit, hire, and retain highly qualified staff and develop staff effectiveness through ongoing evaluation and professional development.
- Build a positive school culture by involving staff, community leaders, students, and parents.
- Ensure accurate maintenance of school census information, attendance data, and other reports required by the state and/or school sponsor.
- Coordinate school-level responses to audits.
- Ensure school and office security procedures and emergency plans meet applicable requirements.
- Coordinate school technology efforts and recommend improvements in collaboration with the national team.
- Maintain current knowledge of state school accountability and report card components and ensure appropriate programming supports improvement in those measures.
- Ensure the creation, consistent review, and updating of parent and student manuals, policies, and handbooks.
- Communicate the school’s mission and vision and solicit family input about school performance, areas for improvement, and student needs.
- Build strong professional relationships with parents through timely, regular communication and meaningful opportunities for involvement.
- Contribute to a positive climate and culture by maintaining high professional standards.
- Uphold and implement the school’s philosophy and mission in all school activities.
- Coordinate special projects, including peer mentoring, service learning, and community involvement.
- Ensure student orientation and onboarding programs meet the needs of students, families, and staff.
About You
- Master’s degree in education or a closely related field, or educational administrative experience.
- Current administrative and teaching licenses required.
- At least 10 years of experience in education, including at least five years as a K–12 administrator.
- Demonstrated record of successfully leading school turnaround in a low-performing K–12 school, with documented, measurable improvement in student achievement and learning gains, including outcomes for students with the greatest academic needs.
- Experience serving students at risk of academic failure and/or leading in an alternative education setting, with success implementing targeted academic, attendance, engagement, and social-emotional supports that improve student outcomes.
- Experience implementing and monitoring school improvement or turnaround plans, strengthening instructional leadership, developing teacher effectiveness, and sustaining improvements over time.
- Ability to provide specific evidence of turnaround results, including baseline performance, actions personally led, the timeframe for improvement, and resulting student outcomes.
- Three or more years of experience working in an online school in an instructional role.
- A fundamental understanding of Career and Technical Education (CTE), its indicators of success, and the career pathway approach to implementation.
- Three or more years of experience with CTE, including creating and maintaining external partnerships.
- Experience with research-based instructional practices for project-based learning.
- Knowledge of applicable state academic standards, including Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards.
- Knowledge of state school accountability and report card components.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure, prioritize competing responsibilities, and consistently meet deadlines.
- Ability to manage confidential information appropriately.
- Knowledge of effective instructional strategies, including differentiated instruction and targeted interventions.
- Experience with online learning and relevant educational research.
- Understanding of distance learning methodology, implementation, and measurement of effectiveness.
- Understanding of employee evaluation in a corporate or nonprofit setting.
- Strong relationship-building and community engagement skills.
- Deep knowledge of curriculum development and program design.
- A record of success in managing nonprofit or for-profit operations.
- A record of success in building community partnerships and fundraising.
- Entrepreneurial initiative and a commitment to continuous improvement.
- Knowledge of school and nonprofit management.
- Ability to pass state and federal background checks.
Equal Employment Opportunity
It is our policy to abide by all federal, state and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination based solely on a person’s race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status, veteran status (including protected veterans), marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other protected status except where a reasonable, bona fide occupational qualification exists.
