Title: Administrator, East Hartford Science and Technology Academy (12 months)
Salary range: $147,191-$155,010 (Per Contract)
REPORTS TO: Superintendent of Schools or designee
The following documents must be complete and current for application to be considered for this position:
X Online Application
X Letter of Interest
X Resume
X Copy of Valid Certification and/or License
X Official Transcripts
X Three Current Letters of Recommendation (dated within one year of application)
DESCRIPTION OF CLASSIFICATION: An integral part of the District Leadership Team, the Administrator of the East Hartford Science and Technology Academy (EHSTA) will provide direct leadership, oversight, and accountability for the development, launch, implementation, and continuous improvement of the East Hartford Science and Technology Academy. EHSTA is being developed as a specialized, competitive application-based grades 5�8 academy focused on science, technology, engineering, innovation, robotics, coding, applied science, project-based learning, and real-world problem solving.
The EHSTA Administrator is fully responsible for the academy program, including instructional coherence, student experience, staffing, family communication, admissions coordination, partnerships, student supports, program culture, and measurable outcomes. The position is not subordinate to the EHMS principal for EHSTA program decisions. However, because EHSTA will be housed within the EHMS campus, the Administrator will share leadership responsibility for building-wide matters that impact all students and staff, including safety, operations, student supervision, scheduling coordination, emergency response, facilities use, and school climate, except where matters are designated solely for the EHSTA program.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Thorough knowledge of EHPS programs, strategic initiatives, procedures and practices, policies and regulations, and budget; experience in coaching and evaluating teachers and administrators; demonstrated ability to organize and supervise cross-functional teams, to manage and deliver large-scale projects, to handle diverse needs of stakeholders, and to collect data/information and create necessary information to support full program implementation.
Required Qualifications
• Connecticut Intermediate Administrator or Supervisor Certification, or appropriate administrative certification.
• Successful experience as a school or district administrator, assistant principal, principal, program administrator, or equivalent leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience leading instruction, supervising staff, supporting students, and using data to improve outcomes.
• Strong understanding of middle school learners, school culture, student engagement, and family communication.
• Experience with STEM, project-based learning, career-connected learning, innovation programs, magnet/specialized programs, or pathway development preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead new program implementation with clarity, organization, collaboration, and accountability.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, facilitation, and systems-building skills.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to:
• Build a new program from vision to implementation.
• Lead with clarity, measurement, and accountability.
• Communicate expectations clearly to staff, students, families, and partners.
• Create systems that support coherence across instruction, operations, staffing, and student supports.
• Support a rigorous, inclusive, and future-ready learning environment.
• Develop a culture of curiosity, creativity, collaboration, problem solving, and student leadership.
• Work effectively with a middle school principal while maintaining direct responsibility for the academy program.
• Manage complexity without losing focus on the core work.
• Strengthen student opportunities while keeping students connected to East Hartford.
Performance Expectations: The Administrator will be expected to demonstrate progress in the following areas:
• Clear launch and implementation plan for EHSTA.
• Strong instructional model aligned to project-based STEM learning.
• Effective staffing, onboarding, and professional learning systems.
• Clear admissions, recruitment, and family communication process.
• Functional and coherent partnership calendar.
• Strong student support systems.
• Positive student, family, staff, and partner experience.
• Evidence of student engagement, academic growth, attendance, retention, and pathway readiness.
• Clear collaboration with middle school campus leadership.
• Regular reporting on implementation progress, barriers, and next steps.
EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE: Master's degree required from an accredited college or university with coursework in educational administration or a related field:
Preferred Qualifications
Demonstrated ability to balance program identity with shared campus leadership.
EXAMPLES OF PERFORMANCE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Leadership and Coherence
The Administrator will lead EHSTA as a distinct academy program within the EHMS campus and will be responsible for ensuring the academy has a clear identity, strong implementation plan, and measurable outcomes. Responsibilities include:
• Lead the planning, launch, and implementation of EHSTA as a specialized grades 5�8 academy.
• Maintain clarity around the academy's purpose, expectations, instructional model, student profile, and program outcomes.
• Ensure the academy is not treated as a traditional middle school program with additional science classes, but as a rigorous academic program built around applied learning, project-based learning, STEM innovation, and real- world problem solving.
• Develop and monitor systems that support coherence across curriculum, instruction, staffing, scheduling, partnerships, admissions, family communication, and student supports.
• Align EHSTA to district priorities, including Pride in Five, Portrait of a Graduate, future high school pathways, college and career readiness, and district goals for student retention and expanded opportunity.
• Provide regular updates to district leadership regarding program implementation, readiness, barriers, progress, and next steps.
Instructional Leadership
The Administrator will lead the instructional design and daily academic implementation of the academy. Responsibilities include:
• Ensure all students receive strong instruction in core academic areas while also participating in specialized STEM-focused learning experiences.
• Support the development of an instructional model that balances core academics, STEM-focused coursework, project-based learning, enrichment, and partner-supported learning experiences.
• Guide the development of interdisciplinary learning experiences across English Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Engineering, Technology, Coding, Robotics, and Applied Technology.
• Support staff in designing learning experiences connected to robotics, coding, engineering design, applied science, technology, innovation, project-based learning, teamwork, communication, and student leadership.
• Ensure students engage in projects, presentations, exhibitions, capstones, prototypes, portfolios, and applied learning opportunities.
• Use data, classroom observations, student work, and implementation evidence to strengthen instruction and ensure follow-through.
• Build a culture where academic rigor, creativity, problem solving, collaboration, and student voice are visible and expected.
Staffing, Supervision, and Professional Learning
The Administrator will be responsible for the leadership, supervision, and support of EHSTA staff. Responsibilities include:
• Help define and implement the EHSTA staffing model, including core academic teachers, STEM/engineering/technology staff, special education support, multilingual learner support, student support staff, and clerical or administrative support as needed.
• Participate in the selection, onboarding, supervision, and evaluation of EHSTA staff, consistent with district procedures and collective bargaining agreements.
• Identify staff who demonstrate readiness for interdisciplinary planning, project-based learning, student engagement, collaboration, STEM mindset, equity and access, family communication, innovation, and flexibility.
• Build and monitor a professional learning plan for EHSTA staff before and after launch.
• Support teachers in curriculum design, common planning, student exhibitions, partner-supported projects, and performance-based assessment.
• Ensure staff understand the expectations of a smaller academy model with a focused mission, high accountability, and strong student support.
Student Admissions, Access, and Support
The Administrator will oversee the academy's student admissions process and ensure access, fairness, and support for all students. Responsibilities include:
• Help define what "competitive application-based program" means in practice and ensure the admissions process is clear, fair, accessible, and not overly burdensome for families.
• Coordinate the student application process, student profile, selection criteria, review committee, scoring guidance, waitlist process, and family communication.
• Support student recruitment for current East Hartford students and residents, including information sessions, school-based presentations, and family-facing materials.
• Ensure application materials address transportation, language access, special education, multilingual learner support, student services, and other access considerations.
• Build systems to monitor student attendance, academic performance, behavior, engagement, belonging, project completion, and overall student experience.
• Ensure students are supported academically, socially, and emotionally within a rigorous academy model.
• Maintain clear communication with families regarding expectations, progress, supports, and opportunities.
Partnerships and Pathway Development
The Administrator will serve as a key point of leadership for EHSTA partnerships and pathway development. Responsibilities include:
• Coordinate with district leadership and external partners, including local, regional and national businesses and non-profits focusing on technology, science, higher education, and workforce development partners as applicable.
• Work with partners to develop student experiences, curriculum support, professional development, mentorship, field trips, guest speakers, capstone support, and future pathway connections.
• Help develop and monitor an annual partnership calendar.
• Ensure all partner activities are aligned to EHSTA's instructional goals and are not isolated events.
• Coordinate with district leadership to ensure partnership agreements, supervision expectations, student safety, transportation, permissions, background checks, student data privacy, and communication protocols are clear before implementation.
• Support a strong grade 5�12 pathway into East Hartford High School's advanced engineering, technology, computer science, robotics, and STEM pathways.
Shared Campus Leadership
Because EHSTA will be housed within the middle school campus, the Administrator will work collaboratively with the middle school principal and other school leaders to support building-wide coherence. Responsibilities include:
• Share responsibility for building-wide operations that impact EHSTA students and staff, including arrival, dismissal, safety procedures, emergency response, student supervision, facilities use, hallway expectations, shared spaces, and school climate.
• Collaborate with the middle school principal on matters that affect the broader campus, while maintaining direct responsibility for EHSTA-specific program decisions.
• Participate in campus leadership meetings as appropriate.
• Ensure EHSTA students have access to middle school extracurricular activities, fine arts, athletics, and other shared opportunities, consistent with district expectations.
• Coordinate schedules, facilities, student movement, transportation, lunch, specials, electives, and shared staffing needs where applicable.
• Address operational issues with clarity, professionalism, and shared accountability.
Family and Community Communication
The Administrator will serve as a visible and trusted communicator for families, staff, students, and community partners. Responsibilities include:
• Develop clear family communication regarding EHSTA's mission, expectations, application process, timeline, student experience, supports, transportation, and program opportunities.
• Lead family information sessions and school-based recruitment events.
• Ensure families understand that EHSTA is a rigorous academic program focused on project-based learning, science, technology, engineering, innovation, and applied learning.
• Communicate regularly with families regarding student progress, program development, student showcases, partner experiences, and opportunities for feedback.
• Support translated materials and accessible communication for families.
• Build community confidence in EHSTA as a high-quality East Hartford option.
Data, Measurement, and Accountability
The Administrator will be expected to build the academy with clear measures of success. Responsibilities include:
• Develop and monitor key indicators connected to enrollment, retention, attendance, student achievement, student engagement, family participation, project completion, student supports, and pathway readiness.
• Use data to identify strengths, gaps, barriers, and next steps.
• Provide regular progress monitoring updates to district leadership.
• Ensure that implementation does not rely on activity alone, but on clear evidence of student experience, instructional quality, and program impact.
• Support continuous improvement through student feedback, family feedback, staff feedback, partner feedback, and outcome data.
• Maintain a focus on follow-through, not just follow-up.
*Performs other tasks and responsibilities as delegated and/or assigned by the Superintendent of Schools
CERTIFICATE AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: Connecticut State Department of Education Administrator (092) certification or other such qualifications approved by the Superintendent of Schools.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: (Special requirements such as lifting heavy objects and frequent climbing.) As required by the duties and responsibilities of the job
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to work flexible hours including some evening and weekend work 12 months of the year
EVALUATION: Performance of this position will be evaluated annually by the Superintendent or designee.
TERMS of EMPLOYMENT:
• Twelve-month position
• Salary and work year in accordance with the EHEASU Agreement (A5)
• Comprehensive benefits package available
• Reports to the Superintendent or designee
• Performance will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the East Hartford Public Schools policy for certified administrators and applicable Board of Education policies
INTERVIEW SCHEDULE:
Posting Schedule: July 22 � August 4, 2026
Round 1 Interview: August 6, 2026
Final Interview: August 10, 2026
EHPS Leadership Institute: August 17-18, 2026 (attendance is required for the selected candidate)
At East Hartford Public Schools our vision speaks of Schools that are the Pride of our Community. To this end, we are committed to providing a high-quality learning experience for every child, every day. Our core institutional beliefs focus our staff on the importance of their expectations, efforts, and growing competencies. We believe that there is a solution to every challenge and through an educational focus on positive relationships between home, school, and child, we will achieve extraordinary results.
We invite you to view our current job openings at: applitrack.com/easthartford/onlineapp
