Associate School Director (2027-2028 School Year)

POSITION: Associate School Director (ASD)

GRADE LEVEL: Hiring for both middle school and high school positions

LOCATION: Multiple DSST Public Schools locations across Denver and Aurora, Colorado. View current openings. We encourage you to apply even if your preferred location is not yet listed, as additional opportunities may become available throughout the hiring season.

SALARY : $94,000–$112,750 based on up to 10 years of aligned experience. We also offer a relocation stipend for candidates moving from 75 miles or more outside Denver!

STATUS : Full-time, year-round, benefits-eligible, exempt, in-person position

START : Summer 2027, beginning with new administrator training. Specific start date will be confirmed closer to the beginning of the school year. View the school-year calendar.

Lead with Purpose. Develop Exceptional Educators. Drive Student Success.

At DSST Public Schools, we believe exceptional school leadership is essential to creating rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning environments where every student can thrive. We're looking for experienced, mission-driven educational leaders who are passionate about developing people, strengthening instruction, and driving meaningful schoolwide impact.

As an Associate School Director (ASD), you'll serve as a senior school leader and strategic partner to the School Director, helping drive student achievement, develop exceptional educators, and strengthen schoolwide systems and culture. Depending on your school placement, your leadership portfolio may focus more heavily on instructional leadership, school culture, operations, or a combination of these areas. Across all placements, you'll coach and develop staff, lead key school priorities, and share responsibility for schoolwide success.

Why Join DSST as an Associate School Director?

• •Make a Schoolwide Impact: Help lead a rigorous, vibrant, and inclusive school community, driving student achievement, instructional excellence, and a culture of belonging.
• •Develop Teachers & Future Leaders: Coach, manage, and inspire educators while building strong teams and cultivating the next generation of school leaders.
• •Grow Within a Collaborative Leadership Community: Partner closely with your School Director and engage in DSST's networkwide Instructional Leadership Development and Culture Leadership Development opportunities.

Explore School Leadership at DSST: Interested in growing your career as a school leader? Visit our School Leadership webpage to learn more about our leadership approach, professional development opportunities, and the community of leaders you'll join.

What You'll Do

As an ASD, you'll serve as a key member of the School Leadership Team, sharing responsibility for schoolwide results and supporting the growth of students, teachers, and leaders. Specific responsibilities and areas of ownership vary by campus, based on school needs and the School Director's leadership team structure. The responsibilities below reflect the range of work ASDs may lead across DSST.

Lead & Develop Exceptional Teams

• •Serve as a strategic partner to the School Director, helping execute a shared vision for student achievement, school culture, and operational excellence.
• •Coach, supervise, and evaluate teachers and school leaders through actionable feedback, professional development, and performance management.
• •Identify and develop emerging leaders, building a strong and sustainable school leadership teacher observations, coaching, assessment analysis, and continuous improvement cycles.
• •Partner with teachers and department leaders to strengthen curriculum, instructional planning, and rigorous, standards-aligned assessments.
• •Use student achievement data to guide instructional decisions, monitor progress, and improve academic outcomes for all students.
• •Support schoolwide assessment systems, including standardized testing, and lead professional development aligned with instructional priorities.

Build a Thriving School Culture

• •Foster a joyful, inclusive, and achievement-oriented school community grounded in DSST's core values, high expectations, and strong relationships.
• •Partner with school leaders to strengthen systems that support student engagement, belonging, accountability, and social-emotional growth.
• •Support schoolwide culture initiatives, including Morning Meetings and opportunities to celebrate student and staff success.

Lead Schoolwide Systems & Strategy

• •Design and implement effective, sustainable schoolwide systems that support student success and operational excellence.
• •Collaborate with school leadership to solve complex challenges, establish priorities, and ensure responsible use of school resources.
• •Support schoolwide priorities, including staff recruitment and hiring, student recruitment, and family engagement.
• •Partner with DSST's Home Office and network leaders to strengthen curriculum, assessment systems, professional development, and instructional practices across the network.

Depending on school needs, additional responsibilities may include teaching a course, advising students, or supporting other schoolwide initiatives.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• •Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• •At least 5 years of experience working in schools and classrooms.
• •At least 2 years of school-based leadership experience in grades 6–12.
• •Demonstrated success coaching, managing, and developing adults to improve student outcomes and professional growth.
• •A deep commitment to educational equity and the belief that every student deserves access to an exceptional education.
• •Strong instructional leadership, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills, with a commitment to continuous reflection and growth.

Preferred Qualifications

• •Experience leading instructional improvement, curriculum development, or schoolwide academic initiatives.
• •Experience supervising teachers, instructional coaches, or other school leaders.
• •Demonstrated success using student achievement data to improve academic outcomes.
• •Experience supporting students from historically underserved communities, including students of color, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities.

We know exceptional school leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences! If you're excited about this opportunity but have questions about your qualifications or eligibility, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Talent Team at humancapital@scienceandtech.org. We'd love to hear from you!

Please note: The DSST Talent Team replies to every application. If you haven’t heard from us by the indicated timeline, please check your spam folder first. If you don’t see an email there, reach out to us at humancapital@scienceandtech.org . We’re committed to providing an exceptional candidate experience.

Application Timeline

This is an evergreen position, meaning DSST Public Schools recruits for this role on an ongoing basis to support current and anticipated hiring needs across our network. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and qualified candidates may be contacted for interviews as opportunities become available.

For positions with a defined hiring timeline, the anticipated application deadline will be listed at the top of the job posting.

Who We Are

At DSST Public Schools , we are proud to achieve transformational results for our 7,500+ students — 97% of whom attend a Green (top-rated) school. Just as important is how we achieve them: values-centered, human-focused, and together.

We invite educators and leaders who share our belief that there is more in us — more brilliance, more courage, more possibility — to join us.

Our Impact

• •100% of DSST graduates have been admitted to college or a postsecondary program
• •15 of 16 schools rated Green on the 2024–25 SPF
• •9 out of 10 DSST families would recommend DSST to a friend
• •95%+ of staff say their managers check in regularly and care ab