Robert C. Parker School
Director of Upper Elementary and Middle School
Start Date: July 1, 2025
Coed, PK3-8, Progressive Day School
150 students
4254 NY Route 43, Wynantskill, NY
Educators Collaborative is delighted to be assisting the Robert C. Parker School, in its search for an innovative and experienced educational leader to serve as Director of Upper Elementary and Middle School. This key leadership role involves overseeing the academic program for grades 3-8. The Director of Upper Elementary and Middle School will oversee all aspects of the curriculum, the academic life of the students, and professional development for faculty. Reflecting Parker’s mission of fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a love of learning through hands-on, interdisciplinary, and project-based approaches will be key.
A vibrant, progressive, coed PK3 – Grade 8 school in the Albany, NY area, Parker has a clear mission and is located on a beautiful, wooded campus that allows for a robust outdoor program, including a Toddler Forest Program. Parker has resonated with the Albany area because of its close community, steady commitment to progressive education, and reputation for excellent teaching.
About the School
Founded in 1991 by a group of educators at The Emma Willard School in Troy, NY and named for one of their beloved principals, The Robert C. Parker School serves 150 students from the greater Albany area. Though the school is located in a bucolic setting, it is only ten minutes from downtown Albany, making for an easy trip to or from the city.
Parker students enjoy the expansive 77-acres that include forest trails, a tree-house classroom, butterfly garden, pond, and meadows. Students are outdoors in all seasons and the campus is often the inspiration for learning from activities such as gardening and composting, wildlife study, and engineering projects.
Lower School comprises grades K-4, with mixed grade classrooms for 1 and 2, 3 and 4. Middle School includes grades 5-8. Head of School, Jennifer Gresens, started as a Parker parent in 2011, began teaching at the school in 2012, and was Director of Academics for five years before assuming the role of Head of School in 2021. Jennifer has developed a strong and copacetic leadership team and works with a very effective Board, all dedicated to the mission and vision of Parker.
The Albany, New York Area
Albany, the capital and oldest city of New York State, is inhabited by a bit over 100,000 people. One hundred fifty miles north of Manhattan, Albany was claimed for the Dutch by Henry Hudson in 1609, chartered as a city by the British (who had taken over the Dutch rule) in 1686, and designated as the state capital in 1797 after the American Revolution. Albany is the center of New York State’s Capital Region, which includes the suburban towns of Troy, Colonie, Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs. Approximately 1.1 million people live in the Capital Region.
Albany’s cost of living is higher than the national average but lower than the state average. The 2024 census reported the racial makeup of Albany as 50.5% White, 26.6% Black, 10.7% Hispanic, 8.1% two or more races, 7.9% Asian, and all other demographic categories under 5%. Outside of the larger suburbs, Albany is surrounded by bucolic towns and is just south of the beautiful Adirondack region, making the area a wonderful place for outdoor enthusiasts.
Albany’s importance lost ground in the latter half of the 20th century, but significant financial investments since the 1990’s have renovated and redeveloped much of the city center, thereby improving its infrastructure and attracting, most recently, several high-tech companies, including nanotechnology firms. The revived city boasts many beautiful parks, music and theater venues, museums, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. The city also hosts a wide array of festivals and parades throughout the year.
The Capital Region is home to a number of public and private schools and colleges, including (aside from Parker!) Emma Willard School, Albany Academy, The College of Saint Rose, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and SUNY Albany.
About the Position
The Director of Upper Elementary and Middle School will collaborate closely with teachers to support curriculum development, alignment, and implementation while ensuring high academic standards and continuity across grade levels. The role includes mentoring and supporting faculty, organizing professional development opportunities, and maintaining a cohesive and dynamic academic program that meets the needs of diverse learners. Additionally, the Director will serve as a vital link between faculty, students, and families, working to foster a sense of community and shared purpose. The outgoing Director, a longtime Parker teacher and administrator, will be retiring in June.
Ideal candidates will have a strong background in progressive education, experience with project-based and student-centered learning, and a passion for guiding both students and educators toward excellence. This is a unique opportunity to shape the academic journey of Parker students while advancing a school-wide commitment to inquiry-based learning and meaningful collaboration.
The position is year-round with six weeks of vacation in the summer as well as all regularly scheduled school breaks. At times, the Director of Upper Elementary and Middle School will need to be available in the summer to collaborate on student admissions decisions, meetings with colleagues, and for class schedule updates.
Mission
Robert C. Parker School engages each student in a thoughtful and challenging learning process that inspires curiosity and a passion to achieve, nurtures confidence and community, and cultivates purposeful action.
Responsibilities of the Position
- Serve the school’s mission and core values;
- Oversee the Academic Program, including related programming and support of special needs of students;
- Supervise and develop faculty, including running division meetings; assisting with hiring; and maintaining positive faculty morale;
- Collaborate and partner with parents regarding students’ academic lives, including oversight of extended day and coordination and timing of progress reports;
- Work collaboratively with the Director of Early Childhood (PK3-grade 2);
- Serve as a member of the school’s leadership team;
- Report to the Head of School.
Requirements
- A Masters degree in Education;
- Deep knowledge of, commitment to, and experience with progressive education, specifically in relation to upper elementary and adolescent development and schooling;
- At least five years of successful teaching and/or equivalent educational leadership experience at the upper elementary or middle grades level, ideally in grades 3–8;
- Demonstrated personal and professional commitment to social justice and equity;
- A successful track record supporting adult growth and development in the role of team leader, instructional coach, assistant principal/division head, or equivalent;
- Proven experience in curriculum development and review;
- Experience supporting diverse learners and their families;
- Demonstrated success in participating in and leading adult collaborations;
- Strong written and oral communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills;
- Proven ability to work through challenges–often simultaneously–with strength, self-reflection, warmth, humor, flexibility, and optimism.
Salary range: $55,000 – 68,000, commensurate with experience
How to Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Sally Mixsell (Mike’-sul) of Educators Collaborative for a preliminary conversation, if desired, before submitting materials.
Qualified candidates interested in this position are asked to submit the following materials in a Single Merged Document:
- EC Candidate Summary Sheet (contact Sally Mixsell for this document)
- Letter of Interest addressed to Jennifer Gresens, Head of School
- Current résumé
- Contact information for three to five references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission)
- EC Disclosure Form (contact Sally Mixsell for this document)
Sally Mixsell, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Listing Date: February 27, 2025
Statement of Non-Discrimination
Robert C. Parker School is deeply committed to maintaining and strengthening a diverse student, family, and faculty population. All members of the school community are accorded equal rights, privileges, programs and activities. Robert C. Parker School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, or disability in the administration of its educational policies, hiring policies, admission policies, financial aid programs, and athletic or other school-related programs.
Robert C. Parker School practices a progressive model of education with a thematic, project-based approach that inspires students’ curiosity and passion to achieve. We use our 77- acre classroom of meadows, woods, streams and pond for learning in all seasons. There is an expectation of continuous growth and improvement for all faculty, and we support professional development both inside and outside the school.
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