The Schools. 

The Travis Hill School provides students detained at the Orleans Justice Center and the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center with a high-quality education rooted in restorative, trauma-informed care, a curricular and instructional design that emphasizes relevance, meaning, and engagement, and an approach to learning centered around relationships, trust, and mutual accountability. The Travis Hill School also provides significant transition support for students when they return home by offering support with school placement and retention, workforce development, and ongoing, day-to-day case management.
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Through work with families, community partners, and scores of individuals, we work to create an unbreakable network of support for court-involved teens and young adults that will enable them to return to the community successfully and positively contribute to the vibrant, creative City of New Orleans.
 
Travis Hill School is supported by BreakFree Education, a 501c(3) nonprofit organization. 
 
The Opportunity​.

Approximately 40 students are detained at the JJIC on a daily basis. They range in age from 11 to 17 years old. All students attend our school located inside the JJIC. Nearly 1,100 individuals are held at the OJC. We operate a full-time school for approximately 70 students between 18 and 21 years old. 
Nearly all the students have faced school failure--many did not attend school regularly when they were younger, most have been suspended or expelled at some point, nearly all of them are far behind their peers academically, and 30-40% of them have special education needs. Despite this, they all have hopes and dreams, skills and talents, and family and friends who care for them.
 
Our mission at Travis Hill is to create a transformative learning environment where students held at the JJIC or OJC develop the academic and socio-emotional skills they need to become positive, contributing members of their community when they are released.

Position Description​

The Principal at OJC will lead the school under the supervision of the Director of Academics. This will be an exhilarating and demanding job, requiring someone completely committed to the students and willing to do anything to make education happen. We are looking for a Principal who takes the initiative, has good judgment, is committed to doing what is right and just, is collaborative, self-reflective, and not afraid to ask for help, is inspirational and creative, and brings out the best in others.

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For the right person, this is the opportunity of a lifetime.

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The Principal will provide daily leadership and support to the school staff, focusing on academics and school culture. In addition, the Principal will collaborate closely with facility leadership and line staff to ensure that OJC's institutional climate is appropriate for students and staff and to develop and nurture strong relationships with parents. The Principal will be a site-based- and cross-campus leadership team member.

Primary Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

 

• Assuming a leadership role in various related functions, including recruiting, hiring, and supporting teachers and other staff, implementing Travis Hill School's curriculum and instructional practices, and supporting school-wide practices designed to support high achievement, mutual accountability, and positive school culture.

• Creating and nurturing a collegial professional learning community where staff are inspired to continuously improve their skills and stretch the limits of what they have to offer--in service of the students we serve, in what at times may be challenging circumstances

• Advocating for our students relentlessly, particularly regarding their access to school while detained at the facility.

• Supporting and evaluating teachers using the Travis Hill School rubric and LEADS Mini-lesson Observation protocol

• Ensure that the school meets NOLA-PS, Travis Hill NOLA, and LDOE operational and administrative expectations (testing, attendance, grades, disabilities, etc.).

• Communicating the school's academic calendar to staff and facility partners

• Ensure that the school operates following Travis Hill NOLA expectations regarding school culture and norms (restorative justice, PBIS, award ceremonies, themes, etc.).

• Collaborating with the school's leadership team to ensure appropriate support and services are made available for diverse learners.

 
 

Additional Qualifications and Experiences:

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• ​Have at least five years of experience in urban education, working with adolescents in secure facilities, alternative school settings, or working with adolescents/young adults who have yet to succeed in traditional settings.

• Leadership within an educational setting is preferred.

• Experience with and a commitment to utilizing highly relevant, student-focused curriculum and instruction

• Experience with and a commitment to using project and/or thematic-based learning and integrating technology and blended learning in curricular and instructional design and implementation

• Experience with and commitment to meeting the needs of students with significant learning gaps and special education needs, focusing on building on student strengths and interests while addressing areas requiring intensive, targeted support.

• Have experience and a commitment to setting performance benchmarks and then using data and results to drive instruction, programming, change, and improvement.

• Possess an unwavering belief that every student can achieve and succeed.

 

Salary and Benefits:

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BreakFree Education offers Travis Hill staff a competitive salary and benefits package. Our salaries are on par with local schools and youth-serving nonprofit organizations, taking into account experience and skills. BreakFree offers a Simple IRA plan for all staff and provides a 4% employer contribution once staff has worked for one year. BreakFree provides health care coverage for all staff and covers approximately 80% of the monthly premiums and 50% for dependents of employees. The English, Social Studies, Math, Art, Foreign Language, and Science positions are 10.5 months, full-time positions. Vacation time is primarily aligned with the school calendar. In addition, special education staff at Travis Hill work through the summer with agreed-to time off.

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BreakFree Education is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that a diverse staff is a better staff. Women and persons of color are encouraged to apply to work with us at the Travis Hill Schools. For additional information about BreakFree Education and the Travis Hill Schools, please visit our website at www.breakfree-ed.org or https://www.travishillnola.org/.