Director of Wonder Academy(Pre-K and Kindergarten)

For Water Street Mission to fulfill our mission and purpose, it is critical for all staff to participate in the development and maintenance of a healthy Christian Community. By living out our faith with one another and creating a space where our guests are invited to experience that community with us, we participate in lives being restored. Even as some positions have minimal direct contact with guests, each staff member has an essential role in forming and maintaining Christian community. The love of Christ, evidenced in our Water Street community, is the real impetus for change with our guests.

Summary: Lead, manage and continuously develop Wonder Academy as a part of WSM's Next Gen Youth Ministry. Lead, build, coach and develop the Wonder Academy team as an effective whole to fulfill its mission and purpose in partnership with VP, Next Gen Ministries.

FLSA: Exempt/Full-Time

All Water Street Mission staff must be:

• Willing to sign the Water Street Mission Statement of Faith

• A current and active member and/or regular attendee of a local church

• Able to fully support the Water Street Mission core values and ministry philosophy

Essential Functions:

Culture and Values

• Share the Good News of Jesus Christ in words and actions with people we serve, communicating hope and dignity

• Walk alongside fellow WSM staff in Christian community as we journey toward maturity

• Encourage restoration in the lives of guests, recognizing we are each restored by God to become restorers

• Work in full coordination with other WSM staff at all times to identify, report and respond appropriately to any potential threats to the safety and wellbeing of guests

• Embody, encourage and cultivate WSM culture, purpose, mission and values in words and actions

Role Specific Responsibilities

• Model Christ-centered leadership by maintaining a growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

• Provide overall leadership for Wonder Academy, so that who we serve and how we serve is a true expression of our mission, vision and values, ensuring that its programs, culture, and practices reflect the mission and purpose of the ministry.

• Lead strategic vision and planning in partnership with the VP of Next Gen Ministries, developing and implementing an annual plan with measurable goals aligned with the broader objectives of Water Street Mission.

• Oversee holistic student programming that supports students' spiritual, academic, social, emotional, creative, and physical development, including but not limited to chapel, special programs, school-wide activities, trips, and opportunities for appropriate family engagement.

• Work alongside Teen Haven and Next Gen teams to develop strong collaboration and relational bridges for students and continuously developing how Teen Haven and Wonder Academy work together for students. 

• Recruit, equip, and coordinate volunteers in partnership with the Director of Volunteer Ministries, ensuring proper orientation, role alignment, and meaningful service opportunities.

• Steward operational responsibilities including managing program expenses within budget, coordinating tuition tracking with the business office, ensuring appropriate facility use, and maintaining policies and procedures in collaboration with People & Culture and Facilities Director.

• Promote strong relationships and student safety by communicating regularly with parents, working with staff to identify, report, and respond appropriately to any concerns related to student health, safety, or wellbeing.

• Represent Wonder Academy to community partners, grow awareness in the Lancaster City community, and actively promote Wonder Academy among prospective families.

• Actively contribute to the vision, development, and alignment of Next Gen Ministries by participating in collaborative meetings and trainings with organizational leaders.

• Work in coordination with People and Culture Ministries and VP, Next Gen Ministries to hire and onboard new staff.

• Provide supervisory leadership to Wonder Academy staff, ensuring practices align with Water Street Mission's Talent Stewardship model, enabling the team to successfully reach established goals.

• Performs other duties as assigned by VP, Next Gen Ministries

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor's degree in early childhood or elementary education.

Experience: 5 years of experience in full-time teaching and administration is expected; experience with young children preferred. 4+ years of experience in leadership. Experience working with students experiencing poverty, and perhaps unstable home environments preferred.

Language and Communication Skills: Collaborative leadership and strong interpersonal skills. Strong time management and problem-solving skills. Strong conflict resolution skills. Ability to building strong relationships with families of students toward the goal of wholistic development of the students. Valid PA driver's license.

Reports To: VP, Next Gen Ministries

Key Internal Relationships: Wonder Academy, Next Gen, Facilities, and People & Culture Teams

Physical Demands:

Occasionally = 1%-33%; Frequently = 34%-66%; Continuously = 67%-100%

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

Stand, walk, or sit – Continuously

Use of fine motor skills – Continuously

Sitting for extended periods of time using computer – Continuously

Bend, squat, kneel, and reach – Occasionally

Lift and/or move up to 50 pounds – Occasionally

Christian Life:

Water Street Mission is a privately funded 501(c) 3 non-profit, evangelical Christian ministry. Our designated purpose is religious, and we are a Christ-centered ministry that is dedicated to sharing the Gospel and helping the homeless and impoverished. We consider every position to be essential in the fulfillment of our ministry and purpose statement. As such, each employee must have a relationship with Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. All employees must:

• Be able and willing to share the Gospel and participate in the ministry activities of Water Street Mission.

• Subscribe to the Water Street Mission Statement of Faith and Qualifications of Employment upon hire and continuously while employed.

• Adhere to the Water Street Mission Employee Handbook.

• yee Handbook.