REPORTS TO: Senior Athletic Director or designee

HOURS: Dependent upon practice, competition, and event schedule as designed by Athletic Director

ASSIGNMENT: SY 26-27

STIPEND: $4,500

EXEMPT STATUS: Non Exempt

CAMPUS: High School

Summary

The Head Varsity Cheerleading Coach leads a safe, organized, inclusive program that strengthens school spirit, game-day performance, scholar-athlete development, and the grade 6-12 cheerleading pathway. The coach teaches progressive cheer skills, prepares athletes for approved school events, and develops the program toward competition readiness within two program years. Success is measured by safety, skill growth, participation, culture, communication, compliance, event readiness, and completion of the two-year competition-readiness pathway - not trophies or competitive placement alone.

Requirements

In order to be considered for the Head Varsity Cheerleading Coach position at Foundation Academies, candidates must:

Embrace Foundation Academies' college- and career-readiness mission and core values.
Lead with patience, energy, inclusion, accountability, sportsmanship, body-positive coaching, and a safety-first developmental mindset.
Teach cheerleading through approved progressions, qualified spotting, purposeful repetition, clear feedback, and age-appropriate expectations.
Communicate professionally, protect confidentiality, maintain appropriate adult-student boundaries, and work effectively with scholar-athletes, staff, families, event personnel, and the community.

Certification

Appointment and approval by the local educational agency and a valid New Jersey teaching certificate or instructional substitute credential; the substitute credential currently requires at least 30 semester-hour college credits.
Current adult CPR/AED and Basic First Aid certification through an approved provider, including an in-person skills component when required.
NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching completed before first employment as a coach, unless an applicable NJSIAA exemption applies.
Annual NFHS Concussion in Sports and Heat Illness Prevention training.
One-time NFHS Implicit Bias and NJSIAA BeNice training, plus all school-required safety, medication-response, mandated-reporting, and emergency training.
Completion of criminal-history and employment-authorization requirements and the ability to maintain credentials throughout the assignment.
Complete school-approved cheer-specific safety and risk-management training, including performer readiness and proper tumbling, stunt, and pyramid progressions, before independently supervising those skills.

Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Pipeline Building

Establish the varsity program philosophy, annual plan, team standards, skill progression, performance calendar, and development pathway in alignment with athletics leadership.
Coordinate with the Head Middle School Cheerleading Coach on shared terminology, safety standards, fundamental skills, athlete transitions, and appropriate grade 6-12 program alignment.
Supervise assistants and volunteers, assign duties clearly, and ensure every staff member satisfies Foundation Academies and applicable New Jersey requirements before working with athletes.
Promote equitable participation, multisport involvement, leadership opportunities, school pride, and transparent program information through approved school channels.

Practice Design, Skills & Performance

Plan progressive practices that develop motions, jumps, voice, dance, conditioning, flexibility, tumbling foundations, stunts, pyramids, transitions, synchronization, crowd leadership, and performance confidence.
Teach only skills appropriate to athlete readiness, staff qualifications, available spotters, approved surfaces and mats, and current governing safety rules.
Use written progressions, skill stations, video, performance evidence, and athlete feedback to adjust instruction and build complete routines safely.
Prepare organized, school-appropriate material for assigned games, pep rallies, showcases, ceremonies, community events, and other approved appearances.