Founding School Nurse
Description
Organization Overview
Excel Academy was founded in 2003 with the mission to provide a high-quality education to students in East Boston and Chelsea Massachusetts, communities that are predominantly low-income and Latinx and historically have faced significant social and educational barriers. Our success in Massachusetts is proof that the opportunity gap can be closed. At Excel Academy Charter Schools, we believe that when a student has the support and tools to pursue a productive post-secondary pathway aligned to their personal identity and values, it can fundamentally change their life trajectory.
Over the years, we have grown from one middle school to a network of four schools with 1,400 students in grades 5 to 12. In the fall of 2022 we will welcome a founding class of 5th graders to help us launch Excel Academy Rhode Island. By 2032, Excel Rhode Island will run 4 schools serving over 2,100 students from Providence, Central Falls, and North Providence.
We present our students with educational experiences that allow them to grow and discover their best selves so that when they leave our halls, they can successfully navigate all of the post-secondary options available to them. You can read more about the impact of the Excel Academy model.
At Excel Academy we learn from our students, families, and staff and make improvements. We have increasingly adapted to provide a holistic education that values our community as collaborators in the learning process, social-emotional support, equity for diverse learners, and fosters identity development. We prioritize an approach that is both rigorous and inclusive. Our team of passionate, intelligent, driven, and loving staff are at the core of the work we do. Growth Happens Here.
About the Role
Excel Academy is seeking a Founding School Nurse who is responsible for supporting the development, implementation, and management of the school’s health program at our Founding High School in Providence, Rhode Island. General responsibilities include program management, nursing services, collaboration, health education, and professional practice.
Salary and Start Date: $60k - 86k, commensurate with experience. The ideal candidate would start in August 2026.
Duties & Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Establish and manage a comprehensive school health program consistent with the Rhode Island guidelines, regulations and statutes governing nursing and school health, and Excel Academy’s policies;
- Collaborate with other professionals, team members and community providers in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating programs and other school health activities;
- Using the nursing process, collaborate with the parent/guardian and student, where appropriate, to develop and implement an individualized health care plan for the student;
- Assist students and families to achieve optimal levels of wellness through health education and promotion;
- Apply appropriate nursing theory as the basis for decision-making in the school setting while expanding knowledge and skills in response to the student health needs and participating in research; and
- Serve as a productive member of the Excel community.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
- Understand how your identity markers (including race, class, and gender) impact your leadership.
- Demonstrate understanding and respect for the cultures and languages of our communities.
- Solicit and welcome collaboration and feedback from colleagues, students, families and the surrounding community.
- Understand the impact of historical and structural racism and use this lens in your decision-making.
- Take action to demonstrate personal reflections and growth/ be responsive to feedback and lessons learned.
Qualifications
- Must hold a BSN or RN with a Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline;
- Must have RIDE certification for the role or be willing to apply for certification;
- Minimum of 1 year experience in public health nursing, community health nursing, school health nursing, or pediatric nursing; school nursing experience preferred;
- Familiarity with insulin administration and/or Hoyer lift preferred, or a willingness to learn;
- An unwavering commitment to and belief in the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel’s values and educational model.
Preference will be given to applicants who also:
- Have experience in a public or charter school setting, and
- Speak Spanish, Haitian Creole, Khmer, and Vietnamese.
Excel Academy Charter Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or a foreign language or prior academic achievement.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.