County House of Corrections (CHC)  Director

County House of Corrections (CHC) Director - Phoenix Charter Academy Springfield

Who We Are

Phoenix Charter Academy aims to show the world what all young people can do, and to defy the limitations of societal assumptions, classism, and racism. Phoenix Charter Academy was founded on the unwavering belief that all students can succeed at high levels. While this mantra is typical of high-performing schools, particularly those in the charter sector, Phoenix truly endeavors to reach every student, focusing on a growing number on the margins of the traditional public district education system: students who have dropped out of high school, students who are parenting children of their own, students who are or have been involved with the juvenile justice system, students who are older and new to the country and cannot gain access to public schooling, and students who are under-credited relative to the number of years they have spent enrolled in high school. We believe that these students, like all students, are completely capable of developing the skills necessary to set themselves up for lifetimes of economic prosperity and success. We support our students with individually tailored and academically rigorous curricula and push them to succeed at the highest levels by providing them with the resources and mentoring that they need to reach their full potential.

Why Our Work is Important

Students across America are dropping out of high school at an alarming rate. Dropping out of high school has a substantial impact on a young person’s life. Over the course of their lifetime, an individual who drops out of high school is more likely to have reduced earning power, greater social service dependency, increased rates of criminal involvement, and shorter life expectancy. Phoenix Charter Academies addresses this trend by creating environments where students can demonstrate their talent and resilience and prepare themselves for success through high school, college, and beyond.

Our Commitment

At Phoenix, we recognize the importance of forming a school community inclusive of all visible and invisible identities. We act to ensure that our students and staff always see reflections of themselves and their communities.

At Phoenix, we aim to break down systemic barriers by providing access to resources, experiences, and differentiated supports for historically marginalized groups.

At Phoenix, we solicit, value, understand, connect, and leverage multiple perspectives and experiences. We invite all perspectives except those that perpetuate oppression or dehumanization.

At Phoenix we do not just accept differences - we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our scholars and the communities we serve. We believe difference makes us stronger. Phoenix Charter Academy is an equal opportunity employer and as such, we do not discriminate against any team member or candidate because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Phoenix Charter Academy is committed to making any reasonable accommodation necessary to support an individual's employment.

Qualities of Phoenix staff member:

• Unwavering belief in our students - Phoenix staff operate with the deeply held belief that all young people want to and can succeed even in the face of substantial systemic barriers and societal constraints.

• Continuous Improvement - Phoenix staff approach problem solving with curiosity and desire to understand the perspectives of others. They carry an internalized sense of “I can always learn more” and know that adults at Phoenix must model the qualities of being open-minded and willing to make mistakes and learn from them. Phoenix staff members embody “lifelong learner” mindsets and strive for constant improvement.

• Eager to Learn - Phoenix staff must be able to learn as they go in a fast paced, ever evolving, urgent environment. They have the desire to receive direct feedback and the ability to implement the feedback into practice quickly.

• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Phoenix staff commit to understanding the ways that their self-identity and experiences impact and interact with their daily work, their colleagues, and their students, and work toward furthering initiatives that promote a more equitable society.

County House of Corrections (CHC) Director would oversee a one year pilot program created to support Phoenix’s core beliefs and values: rigor with support, as well as faith in all students' ability to learn and succeed. This pilot program will support 20 incarcerated students in partnership with the Hampton County House of Corrections. Our CHC Director, above all, believes in ever-ongoing growth and possibility. The CHC Director must model accountability, collaboration, and the effective use of best-in-class, evidence-based practices that support non-traditional students in achieving academic success and the confidence to realize their full potential. They must also demonstrate the ability to problem-solve in creative and nontraditional ways.

Vision, Strategy, and Program Leadership

• Manage and implement a program to support incarcerated students while maintaining Phoenix Charter Academy’s mission and strategic priorities.

• Foster a culture of high expectations, belonging, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Lead initiatives to improve student engagement, credit accumulation, persistence, and course completion.

• Identify innovative practices in virtual learning and alternative education that strengthen student success.

• Partner with the House of Corrections to expand access and improve outcomes for students who have historically been underserved by traditional educational systems.

• This position is funded through a one-year pilot program. Continued employment beyond the initial one-year term is contingent upon the availability of funding and program outcomes.

Academic and Instructional Leadership

• Ensure curriculum, instruction, and assessment are aligned to state standards, graduation requirements, and Phoenix’s instructional vision.

• Oversee course offerings, scheduling, credit recovery pathways, competency-based learning opportunities, and graduation planning.

• Monitor instructional quality through observations, coaching, feedback cycles, and performance management systems.

• Support educators in implementing culturally responsive and trauma-informed instructional practices.

• Lead data-driven conversations focused on scholar achievement, engagement, and growth.

• Collaborate with instructional leaders across the network to ensure consistency and academic alignment

• Develop and facilitate professional development that strengthens virtual instructional practice and scholar engagement.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Build strong professional learning communities that foster collaboration, reflection, and innovation.

• Promote a culture of accountability, trust, and shared ownership for scholar outcomes.

• Support staff in effectively serving diverse learners, including multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and over-age/under-credited scholars.

Scholar Success and Student Support

• Ensure students receive individualized academic, social-emotional, and behavioral support.

• Manage systems to monitor participation, academic progress, credit attainment, and intervention needs.

• Collaborate closely with the Hampton House of Corrections staff, counselors, social workers.

• Champion strategies that remove academic barriers and persistence for opportunity youth.

Operations, Compliance, and Accountability

• Ensure compliance with all DESE, federal, state, County of Corrections and charter accountability requirements.

• Oversee academic progress and support incarcerated students.

• Collaborate with the House of Corrections on technology to ensure scholars and staff have access to effective digital learning platforms and tools whenever possible.

• Manage staffing, and resource allocation.

• Monitor and report on key performance indicators related to scholar achievement

• Prepare reports and presentations for network leadership, governing boards, and external stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Administration, Curriculum and Instruction, or a related field.

• Valid Massachusetts administrator license (or eligibility to obtain)

• Minimum of five years of successful teaching experience.

• Minimum of three years of school leadership experience, preferably at the secondary level.

• Experience with virtual, blended, or online learning environments.

• Strong understanding of high school graduation requirements, alternative education pathways, and student support systems.

• Demonstrated success leading teams and improving student outcomes.

• Exceptional organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing asynchronous or alternative high school programs.

• Experience serving over-age, under-credited, multilingual, justice-involved, parenting, or otherwise nontraditional student populations.

• Bilingual proficiency, particularly Spanish.

• Experience with Learning Management Systems such as Google Classroom, Powerschool, etc.

• Experience with school accountability systems, charter school operations, and continuous improvement planning.

Our Commitment to Staff

• We commit to providing a supportive environment and giving the professional development, coaching, and resources needed to be successful

• We commit to creating an open and tolerant culture that embraces diversity and fosters equity and inclusion through affinity groups and continuous capacity building supported by our Racial, Justice and Equity working group

**The Network retains the right to modify this job description at any time, for any reason, at the Network’s sole discretion**