Education Director

Would you like to work for a non-profit organization where your contributions make a major impact on the lives of children and families?

Elk Hill Farm, Inc. is looking for an Education Director!

Elk Hill's private day schools prioritize individual student needs to enhance social and emotional well-being, enabling students to engage effectively with the academic curriculum. At Elk Hill, we believe every child is unique and deserves a secure, caring, and a safe environment to grow and mature. We provide intensive services tailored to students' social, emotional, and academic needs, utilizing specific strategies and tools to foster a sense of well-being. This approach ensures students are ready for blended learning opportunities, including computer-based, small group, and large group settings.

Elk Hill was honored as a 2025 Top Workplace USA and 2025 Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace. These awards are based solely on employee feedback and recognize the great culture that exists at every level of the organization.

If you want to work for a Top Workplace USA and a Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace organization where your decisions can impact youth and families of Central Virginia, then Elk Hill Farm, Inc. is the place for you!

We are an organization that:

• Is honored as a 2025 Top Workplace USA and 2025 Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace
• Is a Top Workplace Meaningfulness Award recipient
• Has talented, hardworking employees
• Advocates for mental health issues
• Offers competitive benefits, pay, and pet insurance for full-time staff
• Provides a generous time-off and holiday package
• Offers a 401(k) plan with a 5% employer match for full-time staff
• Provides tuition assistance
• Elk Hill is celebrating 50+ years of supporting youth and families across the Commonwealth of Virginia! Stability. Adaptability. Longevity.

Primary Function of the Education Director:

To supervise, coordinate and oversee all programming at Elk Hill's Schools in keeping with Elk Hill's mission

Primary Responsibilities:

• Oversee the institutional growth and development of Elk Hill's schools.
• Hire, supervise, and evaluate Head of School for each Elk Hill school
  • Help implement and assure the quality recruitment, training, guidance, supervision and overall development of educational staff
  • Hold regular Head of School team meetings, as well as have regular supervision time with each individual Head of School.
  • Visit each school on a frequent and regular basis to observe and provide constructive feedback, assess progress of programs and initiatives, participate in short and long-range planning, and address and resolve problems.
  • Serve as a resource for Heads of School to connect families and students to various communities, regional, state, and national services and resources.
  • Maintain a knowledge of the necessary curriculum materials/course delivery options and consult with Heads of School regarding the appropriateness and implementation of specific materials, methods of instruction.
  • Communicate with parents, caregivers, and other stakeholders when necessary.
  • Serve as acting Head of School in the assigned head of school's absence by being present in the facility and fulfilling duties of head of school
• Serve as a resource for questions about referrals and liaise with placing agencies to explain our breadth of services.
• Coordinate and oversee a quality system of statistical record-keeping, including academic and therapeutic reporting for Elk Hill's schools, in conjunction with the organization's PQI initiatives and any locality requirements.
• Build and maintain relationships in the community to foster understanding of and support for special education program
  • Help maintain a flow of awareness, communication, and goodwill between school staff, placing agency staff and other community agencies.
  • Serve as a representative on FAPT, CPMT, VAISEF, and other community and industry related committees as needed or requested.
• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer in the development of an annual operating budget and census for schools and ensure adherence to the operating budgets during each fiscal year.
• Work towards annual goals for personal and professional growth and development.
• Ensure that all Elk Hill schools meet licensing and accreditation requirements and standards, and applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to the VDOE, VAISEF, and VCPE.
• Participate in licensing and accreditation/reaccreditation visits and serve as the liaison between the school and the licensing and accrediting bodies.
• Design and provide foundational trainings and staff development opportunities for educational staff.
• Draft, maintain and implement policies and procedures for every aspect of a successful specialized day school education program that complies with current VDOE regulations and VAISEF accreditation standards. Ensure that these are consistent among the schools (as appropriate).
• Complete an annual review of the Policies and Procedures manual and the school's Crisis Management Plan, making revisions as needed, noting review and revision dates in the manual, distributing revised manual/pages to heads of school, and ensuring training of staff in new/revised policies when applicable.
• Ensure that schools' Behavior Threat Assessment Committees (BTAM) are functioning in accordance with regulations.
• Demonstrate the ability to provide effective, collaborative leadership to the heads of school resulting in well-functioning schools and a head of school team that demonstrate a commitment to the overall mission of Elk Hill.
• Lead the planning of, and attend, Elk Hill School Graduation held in the spring of each year.
• Perform other duties as needed or requested by the Chief Operating Officer and/or the Chief Executive Officer, and/or his or her designee.

CORE COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE:

• Strong organizational, relationship, leadership and management skills
• Experience evaluating, training, and supervising educational and therapeutic staff
• Valid driver's license and good driving record
• Integrity, high moral character, and trustworthiness
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with internal and external stakeholders
• Thorough understanding of pedagogy and various implementation options
• Thorough understanding of best practices related to special education
• Thorough understanding of laws and regulations, licensing requirements, and accreditation requirements related to special education
• Ability to manage competing priorities and ensure that the needs of each school are being met
• Sense of humor
• The temperament to work with, and care for, children and families with special needs
• Must demonstrate sensitivity to Elk Hill's service population's cultural and socioeconomic characteristics

CREDENTIALS AND EDUCATION:

• Graduate degree (Masters - Required, Doctorate - Preferred) in Education or related discipline from an accredited College or University
• Valid Virginia renewable post graduate professional license with endorsement(s) in Emotional Disabilities (ED), and/or Special Education General Curriculum K-12 - required
• Valid Virginia Endorsement in Administration and Supervision - required
• 5 years of teaching experience preferred; 3 years teaching experience required
• At least 5 years of successful, full-time leadership experience in Special Education Administration/Supervision - required
• Experience with the education of, or the administration of a school that provides education to, students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) - preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to traverse inside and outside of the worksite(s) including stairs and uneven terrain
• Periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Occasionally lift up to 25 pounds
• Period of driving long distances frequently.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Travel weekly to each school on a regular and consistent basis - 80-90% of workweek - required
• Travel to the Elk Hill Goochland campus (corporate office) on a regular basis - required
• Travel to conferences as needed or required
• Travel to other locations to perform work on behalf of Elk Hill as needed or required
• Periodic transportation of a client as needed or required

Starting salary depending on experience: $80k-$90k

An Elk Hill vehicle will be provided, along with either a cell phone stipend or an Elk Hill phone.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is at the forefront of what we do at Elk Hill, and we enforce respectful communication and cooperation between all. Elk Hill does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. It is the policy of Elk Hill to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or candidate with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship for Elk Hill. Contact Human Resources for more information.

Note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities or actions may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. Elk Hill Farm, Inc. reserves the right to change or reassign job duties or combine positions at any time.