Chief Executive Officer CEO
Job Description
Job Description
DeKalb Agriculture Technology & Environment, Inc. (D.A.T.E.) is an award winning, local and state celebrated public charter school, outside of Atlanta, Georgia. With over 770 students in Stone Mountain, Georgia, this k-8 charter school is ranked by U.S. News as being in the top 10 and 11 of Georgia Elementary and Middle Charter Schools. With its robust curriculum and integration of Environment, Agriculture, and Technology; D.A.T.E. continues to be the only educational model of its kind in the southeastern region, outperforming its local district and state on mandated assessments.
The mission of the DeKalb Agriculture Technology & Environment, Inc. (D.A.T.E.) is to educate a student population about the essential needs to consider environmental, agricultural, and technological ramifications to improve conditions and other business decisions; via a hands-on, community-oriented instructional curriculum. This STEAM Academy is unique in that it is the only academy in Georgia, to have a Triple Integration Approach to education: Environmental, Agricultural, and Technological Sciences, our (EAT) model for K-8 scholars.
For 20 years, the school’s mission supports the legislative intent to increase student achievement through academic and organizational innovation of its curriculum. By linking Georgia’s content standards within depth information about agriculture, technology, and the environment, the purposeful intent is to demonstrate and improve the effectiveness of education overall, boost enthusiasm for learning, decrease discipline and attendance problems, and produce students capable of making real-world decisions, which necessarily implicate dwindling environmental resources. Our Vision of, “Engaging Hands on with Minds On”, with the implementation of Environment, Agriculture, and Technology provides Relevance, Relationships and Rigor for the learning ecosystems purposed for our scholars, faculty and staff, and stakeholders. Present and past parents, members of the community, and other interested parties, have had a long-standing history of being heavily involved with the creation of this school, since 2004, and have continued to be extensively involved in the subsequent renewal processes, task forces, and surveys.
The charter schools’ students, governing board, faculty, and staff does indeed reflect the socioeconomic diversity of the community it serves in by the charter school. D.A.T.E. services a large student percentage of African Americans at 91.3%, Hispanic students at 6%, American/Alaskan Native at .03%, Asian/ Pacific Islander at 1.4% and students of Two or More Races at 1.3%. While the school is in one of the largest counties, DeKalb, the school is fixed in Stone Mountain, Georgia; and we are blocks away from a very diverse city, Clarkston. With Stone Mountain having a total demographic of close to 80% African Americans and 1.3% of Two or More Races; and Clarkston having close to a total 71% African Americans, 12.31% Asian, 11.82% White, the academy meets the diversity description of inclusiveness. D.A.T.E. continues to surpass the two cities with Native American population totals by having almost 7% during its charter tenure, affirming the academy’s goal in maintaining its diversity on the levels of socio-economic, as well as, its gender, and intellectual abilities.
Qualifications
Minimum of a Doctor’s degree; extensive business/managerial experience; minimum three years’ experience in an educational position or equivalent; superior written and oral communications skills; well respected as a community leader; exemplary human relations skills; and experience with at least one of the Academy’s Foci Areas: Technology, Environment, Agriculture.
Summary
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DeKalb Agriculture Technology & Environment, Inc. (D.A.T.E.) serves as the chief administrator of the school, responsible for the overall management and strategic leadership of the institution.
Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the CEO is tasked with implementing the school's mission and vision, ensuring academic excellence, and maintaining operational and financial integrity. This role requires dynamic leadership to guide all facets of the school's programs, personnel, and strategic planning.
Responsibilities
Executive Leadership
● Leads the development and implementation of a rigorous, aligned curriculum and instructional systems that prepare students for college and career readiness.
● Develops and maintains relationships regionally and nationally to extend the preparation of students within a global context.
● Works with school staff to create opportunities for students to engage with skilled technicians and industry professionals
● Develops and executes a comprehensive academic improvement plan to address challenges and support school leaders in meeting performance goals
● Works with school, district, and state counterparts to ensure that D.A.T.E.’s unique offerings are in line with the requirements of authorizing entities
● Advises the Board of Directors on all matters related to academic performance, strategic planning, budgeting, and both short- and long-term planning for Board approval
● Convenes appropriate partnerships with stakeholders to ensure that decisions are informed and reflective of best practices, vision, mission, and strategic plan as based on Charter goals and objectives
● Ensures effective and efficient school-wide operations by leading interactions with the State and other external stakeholders on matters of academics, instruction, and assessment
● Conducts annual discussions with authorizing personnel regarding the overall effectiveness of governance, academics and accountability, as well as fiscal management
● Cultivates a school-wide culture that sustains a positive learning environment, engages families, and builds character among students
● Supports staff and students to foster a team approach to address challenges and ignite innovation
● Facilitates community relationships to engage consensus building
● leads various activities and organizations that are community focused to support academic achievement
Financial Management and Reporting
● Ensures the effective and efficient operation of the school by overseeing all financial matters, including the development of the annual budget and long-range financial plans
● Manages all federal program budgets to assure alignment of school improvement goals and objectives
● Facilitates the effective process of instructional scheduling to maximize FTE funds and provide optimal learning environments for all students
● Advises and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors by providing monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, including cash flow statements and budget variance analyses
● Manages relationships with external financial partners, including auditors, banks, and investment managers
● Oversees and approves all expenditures, ensuring compliance with budgetary constraints and financial policies
● Works with local and state budgeting associates to manage grants and other federally funded programs
● Balances the budget to ensure that expenditures are made appropriately and timely.
Human Resource Management
● Ensures the effective and efficient operation of the school by directing all human resource functions, including the hiring, supervision, evaluation, and professional development of all staff.
● Works with the staffing team to determine the needs of staffing and implications for changes in student enrollment
● Facilitates processes to provide relevant professional development and evaluation tools to align state and local requirements for teaching and learning
● Builds and supports a high-performing educational team by inspiring and aligning the academic work of the schools and fostering inclusive decision-making processes
● Supervises key leadership positions, including the Principal, Academic Officer, and Operations/Finance Director
● Holds timely meetings with school leadership to establish norms for communication, instructional support, and effective school operations
● Advises the Board of Directors on personnel policies, staffing needs, and compensation structures.
School Operations and Facility Management
● Ensures the effective and efficient operation of all school facilities by overseeing the Director of Operations in the management of the school building, grounds, and transportation services.
● Manages compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, including health, safety, and civil rights laws
● Oversees the implementation of the school’s emergency and crisis management plans.
● Makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding facility improvements, capital projects, and long-term facility planning
Technology
● Ensures the effective and efficient operation of the school’s technology infrastructure by overseeing the Technology Director
● Guides the continued development of the school's technology plan to support the academic and operational needs of the institution
● Advises the Board of Directors by presenting regular reports on technology-related issues, needs, and strategic initiatives
● Works closely with the technology director to balance the vision and mission of the school with the advances of technology and innovation
● Develop short- and long-term technology plans and enlist stakeholders for engagement to maximize student learning and experiences
● Attends conferences and engages in the professional community to support relevant learning experiences for students at D.A.T.E
Community Relations and Fundraising/Development
● Serves as the primary public spokesperson for the school, promoting its mission and achievements to the community
● Conducts meetings with community influencers and stakeholders to build partnerships and support for the school
● Ensures the effective operation of the school's growth and outreach by overseeing all student recruitment and promotion efforts
● Oversees all fundraising and development activities, including grant writing and community outreach, and serves as an Ex-Officio member of the D.A.T.E. Foundation
● Networks and engages in community outreach
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive salary based on experience
- Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance.
- Retirement plan options
- Opportunities for professional development and advancement
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit the following:
- A resume highlighting relevant experience. A 10-minute minimum Prerecorded Asynchronous Interview Video summarizing: Educational leadership experiences, highlights and accomplishments, challenges; and (academic, organizational, and financial) forecasting.
- A cover letter detailing your leadership philosophy and how it aligns with the mission of D.A.T.E.
- At least three professional references.
Applications and Video should be sent gjones@dateacademy.org with the subject line “CEO Application – [Your Name]” by [January 8, 2025 ].
For more information about D.A.T.E, please visit our website at https://www.dekalbacademy.org
Company DescriptionThe goal of DeKalb Agriculture Technology & Environment, Inc. is to educate a student population about the essential need to consider environmental, agriculture and the ramifications of technology and other business decisions, via a hands-on, community-oriented instructional curriculum. The Academy will improve student achievement via a curriculum which:
Recognizes the important link between technology, agriculture, and the environment.
Promotes higher order thinking skills – critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making
Motivates students by offering a real world context for learning
Engages learners in investigative, hands-on/minds-on, student-centered, and cooperative activities between industry and environmental groups
Advances educational reform goals
Correlates to state and national academic standards
Considers the environment in its totality, i.e., the co-existence of business and the environment
Promotes continuous lifelong learning
Company Description
The goal of DeKalb Agriculture Technology & Environment, Inc. is to educate a student population about the essential need to consider environmental, agriculture and the ramifications of technology and other business decisions, via a hands-on, community-oriented instructional curriculum. The Academy will improve student achievement via a curriculum which:\r\n\r\nRecognizes the important link between technology, agriculture, and the environment.\r\nPromotes higher order thinking skills – critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making\r\nMotivates students by offering a real world context for learning\r\nEngages learners in investigative, hands-on/minds-on, student-centered, and cooperative activities between industry and environmental groups\r\n\r\nAdvances educational reform goals\r\nCorrelates to state and national academic standards\r\nConsiders the environment in its totality, i.e., the co-existence of business and the environment\r\nPromotes continuous lifelong learning