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Attack on the Heart of Democracy

The Attempted Coup

On Wednesday, January 6th, we were witness to an unimaginable insurrection, at attack on the United States Capitol, the center of our democracy.

How could this have happened? To understand it, it is important to understand the history of public education. In his book, the Underground History of American Education, John Gatto finds the smoking gun that showed that some of the founders of the current education system were clear about their intent to create a process to control and manipulate students, rather than to foster creativity and empowerment.

We’ve often said that the best way to prepare children to participate in a democracy is for them to grow up in one. Conversely, it makes no sense to have children spend 12 years in an authoritarian school system if we want them to become good citizens in a democracy.

In the current system, students are rewarded for following orders, doing what the teacher says, respecting the teacher’s and the principal’s authority, not for being entrepreneurial or independent.

This is perfect training to prepare students to be part of an authoritarian, dictatorial society. This, then would naturally lead to training people to follow orders, be competitive, climb over others to be the top ones, and crave authoritarian leaders.

I was witness to this process when I visited the USSR and Russia, just as the coup happened. There was an explosion of creativity and innovation, especially in education. But as time went on, many of the people felt uneasy about their freedom and craved the system in which there was an authoritarian leader who would tell everyone what to do. Now they have it.

And in the past four years, many of the authoritarian oriented people in the United States began to follow a very authoritarian president. Those people tended to follow him in a cult-like fashion, even if he often promoted capricious and prejudiced ideas. No matter how bad it got, the “base” (a well-chosen word) believed and followed everything he said, the way an abused and unloved child might still worship their father, no matter what he did.

Therefore, is it no surprise that this process may have led to January 6th? Yes, it was a minority of people. Most of us were appalled at this attack. But when that authority called upon his followers to attack the heart of our democracy to keep him in power, they gleefully complied. Father had spoken.

A significant number of American people are authoritarian in orientation, enough to almost reelect him (over 70 Million). We are not the only country in which this process is taking place. This general approach to education is world-wide.

If we hope to move humanity away from this dangerous precipice, we need to change our education system NOW. It must become one that respects and empowers students, helps them become cooperative not competitive. It needs to encourage creativity, entrepreneurialism, tolerance and initiative. It needs to be democratic!

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Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School Seeks Executive Director

Job Details
Position: Executive Director
Reports To: Board of Trustees, Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School
Application Deadline: February 15, 2021 or until filled
Start Date: July 1, 2021
Position Type: Full-time (12 month)
Salary: $95,000 – $120,000

About LMACS (Employer Description)
Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School (LMACS) is a public charter high school that targets adolescents who have
officially dropped out of high school or are seriously at-risk of doing so. The mission of LMACS is to enable its students
to achieve academic, social, and career success. This supportive school community identifies, encourages and develops
interests and abilities, while acknowledging and respecting each student’s personal and cultural identity. The curriculum of
LMACS is built around a core of academic subject areas and is supplemented by required psychoeducational courses and
career preparation. LMACS provides all students with a school-to-work component, daily advising, and offers dual
enrollment at Middlesex Community College. The LMACS curriculum reflects our small size and mission-driven culture.
The school was designated a Vanguard School by Massachusetts Insight and is a recipient of the Edgerly Leadership
Award in recognition of student achievement on the MCAS.

Job Description
Executive Director Summary
The Executive Director contributes leadership, enthusiasm, and efforts toward the fulfillment of the school mission and
the development of an innovative learning community that serves its diverse student body holistically – academically,
socially, and emotionally. LMACS is seeking an innovative school leader to commit themselves to the urgent and exciting
needs of our students and community. The Executive Director is responsible for providing educational leadership and
overall management of the charter school, as well as building community relationships for LMACS. In this role,
emphasis is placed on advancing the school’s position to ensure the future success of students and fostering an
environment that addresses their educational, cultural, emotional, and safety concerns.
Core Competencies
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to:
● Lead a diverse school community – faculty, staff, students, and families – effectively;
● Ensure compliance with state and federal guidelines and follow reporting procedures;
● Promote and represent LMACS amongst various stakeholders including families, Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education (MA DESE), community partners, and funders;
● Develop (and support faculty/staff in developing) innovative programs and initiatives that contribute to students’
academic, social, and emotional success and combat academic, institutional, and societal disadvantages;
● Practice cultural competence and a commitment to equity and inclusion;
● Attract, hire, train, retain, and evaluate talent; and,
● Oversee school budget and practice sound fiscal management policies and procedures.

Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School – Full-Time Executive Director
Job Posting

Essential Duties/Responsibilities
The Executive Director oversees all aspects of the school, including:
● Provides educational leadership that encourages students’ academic, social, and career success;
● Works closely with the Board of Trustees to maintain alignment between LMACS’ mission/vision and the
policies and strategic direction of the school;
● Ensures compliance with state and federal guidelines (e.g., 504, Special Education, English Learners);
● Develops relationships with students, families, and community members;
● Engages in community outreach and fundraising efforts;
● Creates policies that promote a positive learning culture for both students and staff;
● Prepares reports for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation, charter
renewal, and Program Quality Assurance;
● Hires, trains, and evaluates LMACS staff;
● Develops and manages the school budget;
● Engages in day-to-day operations of the school;
● Oversees and implements strategies around recruitment and retention of students and faculty/staff; and,
● Performs all other duties as required.
Supervisory Responsibilities
The Executive Director supervises faculty, staff, social workers, interns, and other employees as assigned. Responsibilities
include interviewing, hiring, training, and managing employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising
performance; addressing complaints and resolving problems; establishing and following LMACS policies and abiding by
any applicable employment laws.

Job Requirements
● Master’s Degree required. Doctorate preferred.
● Minimum of 8 years teaching and/or administrative/managerial experience with students considered to be at-risk.
● MA DESE Principal/Assistant Principal 9-12 or 5-12 licensure or licensure in progress
● Massachusetts Teacher certification.
● Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement as a teacher or administrator.
● Strong interpersonal, organizational, and writing skills.
● Knowledge of Title I and all other public-school entitlement programs/grants, Special Education/504 procedures
and curriculum frameworks.
● Culturally competent with experience and/or knowledge working with students, staff and/or faculty of diverse
socioeconomic, cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, including those with different levels of academic
preparation and varying physical and learning abilities.
● Bilingual or multilingual skills a plus.

Application Instructions
Apply on SchoolSpring or submit the following to Colleen Cox, coxc@middlesex.mass.edu, by February 15, 2021:

  1. Cover Letter
  2. Resume
  3. Candidates may be required to produce References, Transcripts and Proof of Certification upon request.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Lowell Middlesex Community Charter School is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation,

Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School – Full-Time Executive Director
Job Posting
marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic
information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against
individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.
The community and students we serve are diverse, and we are committed to reflecting that diversity in our staff. We strive
to have the most diverse applicant pool possible; to that end, we encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply for any
position at Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School. By fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, we provide the
best educational experience to prepare our students for a future reflective of the world we live in.
Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School understands that persons with specific disabilities may need assistance with
the job application process and/or with the interview process. For confidential assistance with the job application process,
please contact Colleen Cox at (978) 656-3284.

Contact Information
Colleen Cox, ED Search Committee Co-Chair
coxc@middlesex.mass.edu
(978) 656-3284

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Honey Creek Community School Seeks Principal

Principal, Honey Creek Community School 
Position: PrincipalHours: Full-TimeReporting relationship: Executive DirectorEducation/Certification: Master’s Degree or higher, Michigan Administrator CertificationSalary: $45K- $60K plus benefits

Location: Honey Creek Community School, Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor, MIDescription: Honey Creek Community School was founded in 1995 with support from the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD). Honey Creek has grown from a K-2 charter school with 33 students to a fully staffed K-8 charter school with 250 students. Honey Creek Community School was founded out of the community and emphasizes and maintains our relationship and connection with the community as well as a commitment toward ensuring children interact and learn from a diverse community. The response from the community to Honey Creek is overwhelmingly positive as evidenced by the strong participation of our parents in school activities. Our project based, thematic, integrated curriculum, small class sizes and strong student-teacher relationships illustrate our uniqueness as a charter school. Our effectiveness is demonstrated through strong academic performance and recognition from various accrediting agencies. 

Details: The Principal and Executive Director comprise the administrative core of the school. The Principal facilitates the smooth and healthy functioning of the school through supervising, training, and evaluating the teachers as well as providing direction and support in curriculum development. Additionally, the Principal will assist in coordinating communication among all elements of the school and network with the community. The Ideal candidate will have a strong student and community focus coupled with an instructional background and commitment advancing equity in the educational system. 
The position has four key day-to-day responsibility areas. An overview of each area is provided below but is not exhaustive.   

1) Student Focus

  • Greet students in morning, and at afternoon departure
  • Facilitate student discipline/counseling
  • Attend IEPs and 504s
  • Ensure excellence through equity and access for all students.
  • Lead, support and supervise the implementation of state standards, standards for college and career readiness and district curriculum of elementary schools in all subjects
  • Lead and support the use of digital learning tools including a learning management system, student information system, grade book and collaboration services

2) Community focus

  • Meet with parents
  • Coordinate activities with other groups who use the school
  • Represent the school and its programs professionally to both the greater community and to other educational entities
  • Serve as a community resource person to staff and families
  • Participate in the development of grant applications
  • Attend, lead, supervise and participate in school and district activities including but not limited to graduation, extracurricular activities and conferences
  • Effectively lead, positively influence and support a culturally diverse educational community
  • Create and maintain a safe environment for all stakeholders

3) Instructional

  • Provide instructional coaching
  • Schedule substitutes
  • Schedule/provide professional development
  • Conduct teacher evaluations
  • Provide leadership to the Instructional Consultant Team
  • Spearhead review and revision/ alignment of general curriculum
  • Lead and supervise the implementation of research based instructional strategies for all grade levels including but not limited to sub-group populations
  • Implement in-depth and on-going professional development to support instructional strategies

4) Administration

  • Organize benchmark testing
  • Review/analyze results of benchmark testing and share with faculty
  • Collaborate with the Executive Director in recommending the hiring of staff
  • Advise the Board and Executive Director regarding annual teacher renewal
  • Coordinate with staff to ensure that students are well cared for and closely supervised and that the flow of HCCS and all transitions are smoothly executed
  • Provide leadership in the development and implementation of the school improvement plan, aligning the plan with the District’s vision, mission, initiatives and district improvement plan
  • Monitor the revenue and expenditures of the school

Required Qualifications

  • Ability to meet requirements for Michigan Administrator Certification
  • OR Willingness to obtain certification within 2 years
  • Bachelor/Masters Degree in Education
  • Prior supervisory experience
  • Prior teaching experience

Desired Qualifications

  • Current Michigan Teaching certification in grades K-8
  • Masters degree in educational leadership or related field
  • Prior School Leadership Experience

Preferences: *Please address each of the above in your cover letter.

  • Demonstrated ability to develop instruct in interactive theme and project-based curriculum
  • Committed to the concepts of equity and social justice
  • Understanding and commitment to multi-age groupings

Additional requirements:

  • Current physical with no restrictions and drug screening
  • Current negative TB test
  • Current First Aid and CPR
  • Clear criminal background history

Completed application packets may be emailed to awaters@hc.wash.k12.mi.us or mailed to:
Honey Creek Community School
Attn. Al Waters
1735 S. Wagner Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103