West Island College (WIC)

Founded in 1974 and conveniently located in suburban Montreal, West Island College (WIC) is two schools under the same roof: a French school, offering an entirely French curriculum and an English School, offering a French immersion program.  Both schools deliver an enriched curriculum and mother-tongue language courses and seamlessly coexist to offer the ultimate bilingual experience for students of all backgrounds. For almost 50 years, WIC has been redefining the educational experience through innovative teaching methods delivered in a technology-infused environment. At WIC, we are committed to the pursuit of personal excellence, fostering a passion for knowledge and instilling fundamental values that empower our students to succeed in the ever-challenging environment of today and tomorrow.

WIC values environments rich in experiential learning, where students and staff critically examine the world around them, grow as individuals and play an active role in learning about and addressing today’s most pressing challenges. With outdoor education a long-standing strength at WIC and a renewed focus on holistic development and well-being within our current Strategic Plan, weaving the philosophy of experiential learning into every step of a WIC education is foundational to a unique and complete WIC education that connects classroom learning to real life.

For further information on WIC, you are invited to visit https://wicmtl.ca/

West Island College is currently seeking to fill the newly created position of

 

Assistant Head – Senior School (Sec 5 and PreU)

 

Opportunities and Challenges 

Reporting to the Head of school, the Assistant Head – Senior School is responsible for the holistic management of the student experience for the students under their care. This individual becomes the primary contact for parents and students and oversees all aspects of the academic and social/emotional well-being of their students. The Assistant Head – Senior School works collaboratively with the various program coordinators, the teachers, and the leadership team to develop grade-appropriate experiential learning opportunities for our students. These enriching academic experiences, coupled with engaging extra-curricular, service learning programming and leadership opportunities are the cornerstones of the WIC Difference experience, and help each student develop the necessary life skills to position themselves for personal, academic, and professional success. 

Experiential learning has been the foundation of the WIC experience since its inception, and we are now looking to enrich this experience for our WIC Voyageurs. As part of its strategic plan, WIC has decided to extend its experiential learning offering by introducing a PreU program. The program will serve to broaden the post-secondary options available to our students by providing a direct path toward university.

The Assistant Head – Senior School will play a critical role in shaping the student experience of our Senior School students, as well collaborating with the Head of school and board members for the design, implementation and support of the PreU program.

The new Assistant Head – Senior School joins the two existing Assistant Heads (Junior and Middle Schools), as the three core members of the school’s Academic Leadership Team (ALT). 

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Academic leadership: In collaboration with the leadership team, actively participate in the development and implementation of the College’s vision, values, strategic direction, objectives and priorities; Serve as a key member of the Academic Leadership Team (ALT), supporting teachers in their mission-appropriate teaching and learning; Introduce substantial, innovative ideas that challenge and inspire both teachers and students to see the world as a classroom, to rethink and reimagine how learning takes place and their role in the process of learning; Work collaboratively with the various program coordinators and provide oversight for the design, implementation, and growth of experiential learning opportunities for the senior school students to enrich their programming, both inside and outside the classroom; Work with community stakeholders to expand our students’ learning experience so they can make connections between the local and global communities; Act as the ALT link for the secondary 5 and PreU grade levels, responsible for the holistic management of the student experience for those grade levels (e.g. primary contact for parents, oversees all aspects of those students’ academic and social/emotional well-being).

• Student management: Ensure the academic support, progression of learning, social/emotional well-being and disciplinary monitoring of the students under their care; Communicate proactively with the families of the assigned secondary 5 and PreU students; Participate in weekly meetings and monitoring of student success plans for assigned secondary 5 and PreU students; Actively participate in student activities and trips related to the assigned grade levels; Attend school events (music concerts, WIC show, etc.), in rotation with other members of the leadership team; Coordinate regular student assemblies for the assigned grade levels; Contribute to the admissions process for new students by participating in admissions dialogues and evaluation of the assigned secondary 5 and PreU students; Guided by the Academic Coordinator, ensure the proper registration, evaluation and promotion of the assigned secondary 5 and PreU students.

• Program development: In collaboration with the Head of School and PreU task force, help to shape the design and implementation of an enriching PreU curriculum that builds on the College’s rich experiential learning tradition and provides exciting new opportunities to prepare students for their post-secondary journey; Work collaboratively with the different Coordinators (e.g. Athletic, Outdoor education, extra-curricular/student leadership and service learning) and Post-Secondary Career Counselor to ensure that the WIC Difference programming meets all Ministry and post-secondary admission requirements, while ensuring our students acquire the valuable life skills and knowledge to meet the demands of post-secondary studies; Build and manage relationships with community stakeholders and other potential collaborators to support program goals (mentorship, internships, work experience, etc); Help to build a 3-year senior school budget.

• Personnel management: Play a lead role in supporting the Senior school and PreU staff; Participate in the interview and selection process for new faculty members, Assist the Head of school in the performance evaluations of the Sec 5 and PreU teachers; Organize and participate in the department meetings for the assigned grade levels; Work collaboratively with the Academic Coordinator to examine the course plans and pedagogical resources are in line with the College and Ministry standards.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Confidently bilingual in both oral and written French and English.
• At least 5 years of experience in a leadership role in the education sector, preferably at the senior secondary or post-secondary level.
• A strong pedagogical background with sound knowledge of various forms of student assessment and evaluation
• Solid knowledge of ministry curriculum and matriculation requirements at the secondary level would be an asset.
• Good knowledge of post-secondary and university admission requirements would be an asset
• A valid Quebec teaching permit, combined with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. A background in math/science would be an asset.
• A Master’s degree or certificate in Educational Leadership is preferred.
• Technological literacy across a range of platforms.
• Core Competencies:
  • a passionate, energetic individual who is comfortable working in a dynamic, evolving environment
  • a solid understanding of an experiential learning approach and curriculum
  • a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and ability to think outside the box
  • demonstrated relationship building and networking skills
  • a demonstrated unifying and mobilizing leadership style
  • ability to provide collaborative, supportive and inspirational leadership
  • ability to objectively and constructively observe, coach, and mentor
  • proven positive impact, influence and change management skills
  • commitment to building an inclusive learning environment
  • ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams (staff, students, parents and outside partners) to establish goals, objectives and action plans.

Application

If you believe you have the profile we are seeking, please forward your résumé with a letter explaining your interest via our form.  All information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.  The Selection Committee will begin reviewing candidates as they are received and will continue its work until a recommendation for appointment is made.

WIC is an equal opportunity employer.