Independence Preparatory Academy is a new, academically challenging, highly structured, and joyful K-8 school in Fairfield, AL. We are on a mission to equip all students with the academic tenacity and strength of character necessary to choose their destiny and create a fulfilling life. We develop empowered learners through agency, purpose, and tenacity. 

In August 2025, Independence Preparatory Academy opened its doors to 60 students in kindergarten through second grade. We will continue to grow until we reach a total capacity of 485 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. We are actively building a team that shares our belief that with rigorous academics, high-quality instruction, and character development, all students can excel in high school, college, and life.

EMBRACE YOUR CALLING 

Are you passionate about creating schools where every classroom is calm, joyful, and focused on learning? Do you believe scholar culture is built through proactive systems, strong relationships, consistent expectations, and restorative practices—not simply consequences? Are you energized by coaching teachers, developing scholars, and building schoolwide systems that allow every child to thrive? If so, Independence Preparatory Academy could be your perfect fit!

To achieve our vision, we seek a Scholar Culture Manager with a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) and 3-5+ years of teaching experience and/or school leadership experience (Alabama certification preferred). The ideal candidate has demonstrated success establishing strong classroom culture, reducing discipline incidents, coaching teachers, and cultivating joyful, structured learning environments.

JOIN THE MISSION

The Scholar Culture Manager serves as the school's culture leader, ensuring every scholar experiences a safe, structured, respectful, and joyful learning environment every day.

Working closely with the Executive Director, teachers, and scholar support staff, this leader develops systems that proactively foster positive scholar behavior and coaches teachers to establish exceptional classroom cultures.

Rather than simply responding to behavior, the Scholar Culture Manager implements systems, coaching, and structures that prevent behavioral challenges before they occur, while ensuring consistent implementation of iPrep's culture model.

Our ideal candidate believes deeply in our scholars and community and demonstrates the following orientations:

• Adaptability: Our educators are oriented toward building alongside each other.  This means a commitment to:
• Learning and iterating
• An openness to giving and receiving feedback
• An entrepreneurial spirit: building from the ground up
• Collaboration with other adults and families
• Belief in our model and our graduate profile through a commitment to:
• Student agency and advocacy
• Supporting students in finding their purpose
• Mastery-based grading 
• Profound learning experiences
• Student result orientation: through a commitment to:
• Hard quantitative academics 
• Holistic indicators for success 
• Knowledge of self: confidence in describing your identity, purpose, and passions

We are hiring for the 2026-2027 school year. The salary range for this position begins at $50,000. Salary is competitive and aligned to experience and internal equity.

Requirements

LEAD AT INDEPENDENCE PREPARATORY ACADEMY

• Implement the culture systems of a growing public charter school
• Receive coaching and leadership development
• Lead in a structured, joyful, mission-driven environment
• Influence scholar success beyond the classroom
• Join a team committed to excellence, continuous improvement, and purpose

DRIVE MEANINGFUL RESULTS

• Lead the implementation of iPrep's scholar culture vision by building and maintaining systems that promote a safe, structured, joyful, and academically focused learning environment.
• Ensure consistent implementation of the Eagle Code, schoolwide routines, restorative practices, and scholar discipline policies across all classrooms and common spaces.
• Coach teachers through classroom observations, modeling, feedback, and professional development to strengthen classroom management and maximize instructional time.
• Manage scholar discipline processes, including investigations, documentation, behavior interventions, and restorative conferences, while ensuring consistency, fairness, and alignment with school expectations.
• Analyze scholar culture and behavior data to identify trends, monitor progress, and develop proactive strategies that improve schoolwide culture and reduce behavior incidents.
• Develop individualized behavior support plans and collaborate with teachers, families, and support staff to address the needs of scholars requiring additional behavioral interventions.
• Build strong partnerships with families by communicating proactively, facilitating conferences, and providing resources that reinforce positive scholar behavior at home.
• Lead schoolwide culture initiatives, including behavior incentive systems, celebrations, assemblies, and programs that reinforce iPrep's core values and strengthen scholars' sense of belonging.
• Serve as a visible campus leader by supporting arrival, dismissal, transitions, lunch, recess, special events, emergency procedures, and overall scholar safety.
• Partner with school leadership to continuously evaluate, improve, and sustain systems that foster exceptional scholar behavior, classroom culture, and a positive school climate.

Benefits

ENJOY OUR INVESTMENT IN YOU 

What we offer:

• A chance to be part of community development and work alongside the community to SOAR
• Being a part of a new, innovative, unprecedented school model
• World-class peers - we are looking for exemplary educators committed to pushing your practice, collaborating with peers, and being aligned with our mission and vision
• Discipline that makes sense - restorative practices rooted in our core values and celebrated through positive incentives and rewards
• Deep care about your personal and professional growth
• Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, and vision plans
• 403(b) retirement plan; iPrep offers contributions of up to 5% of your salary toward your savings
• Competitive compensation