Middle School Academic Director of Humanities (Available 2018-2019)
An Invitation to Apply for the Position of
Middle School Academic Director of Humanities (Available 2018-2019)
Girls Prep Bronx Middle School
Girls Prep Lower East Side Middle School
Bronx, NY & New York, NY
Overview: About Public Prep
The Public Prep Network (PPN) is a nonprofit organization that develops single-sex elementary and middle public schools that pursue excellence through continuous learning and data-driven instruction. Our model is designed to empower each student to build strong character, demonstrate critical thinking, possess a core body of knowledge and be on a predictive path to earn a degree from a four-year university.
Our network is currently comprised of three tuition-free single-sex public charter schools across five campuses and one tuition-free single-sex Pre-K. Our campuses are: Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary, Girls Prep Lower East Side Middle School, Girls Prep Bronx Elementary School, Girls Prep Bronx Middle School, and Boys Prep Elementary School. The Pre-K program, PrePrep: the Joan Ganz Cooney Early Learning Center, is housed inside of Girls Prep Bronx Elementary School.
Public Preparatory Network/Public Preparatory Academies is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.
Primary Function & Position Overview
The Principal, Academic Director of STEM, and Academic Director of Humanities are the core of the instructional leadership team of the school and drive strong instructional outcomes for all learners. The Academic Director of Humanities is responsible for creating a climate of instructional excellence in the building, analyzing student performance data, and ensuring that teachers are prepared to execute the highest quality instruction. The chief responsibilities for the Academic Director of Humanities include (1) overseeing the school-wide implementation of instruction and assessment of Public Prep’s content-explicit curriculum; and (2) the supervising, coaching and evaluating of teachers.
The Academic Director of Humanities fulfills these responsibilities by coaching and supervising Humanities instructional staff to build teachers’ capacity for planning, instruction, and assessment; observing Humanities classrooms and identifying instructional strengths and needs; planning and leading professional development; managing assessment systems; driving results through the analysis of student performance data; ensuring that best practices are used to ensure consistent, coherent, high quality instruction; aligning units with curricular resources. As a key member of the school and instructional leadership teams, the Academic Director of STEM will also support and advise the Principal on hiring, budgeting, scheduling, and other matters of concern.
Duties & Responsibilities
Managing instructional evaluation and assessment systems (administration, analysis, and reporting):
•Supervising 15+ instructional staff through frequent walk throughs of classrooms and instructional observations to identify school-wide strengths and needs, to ensure fidelity to interdisciplinary curriculum and the Common Core shifts, and assess levels of rigor and student ownership of student assignments.
•Building teachers’ capacity for planning, instruction, and assessment
•Engaging in targeted coaching cycles based on meeting school-wide goals.
•Leading the planning, facilitation and/or debriefing of instructional team meetings related to curriculum and assessment (grade level team meetings, data analysis sessions during professional development days, etc.).
•Working alongside Public Prep’s Network Academic Team to drive results based on student academic results through testing and assessment.
•Ensuring that both internal and external assessments are appropriately scheduled, implemented, and reported.
•Assisting the Director of Operations with all assessment guidelines in collaboration with the Director of Operations of the school and the Data and Assessment Manager at Public Prep Network.
•Collaborating with PPN’s Academic Team, Academic Directors at PPN sister schools, and external vendors (e.g. NWEA Map, STEP, etc.) to ensure alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Leading the school-wide, ongoing curriculum mapping process and aligning maps with curricular resources:
•Supporting the creation and effective delivery of vertical, horizontal, and Common Core State Standards alignment of curriculum units for all subjects, as assigned by the principal, in collaboration with the Academic Team at Public Prep and the school-based Instructional Leadership Team
•Helping departments and grade level teams identify strategic opportunities for interdisciplinary units and integration of technology and performance assessment
•Working with departments and grade level teams to revise curriculum maps based on student data and current research about effective practices
•Ensuring that all curriculum maps and lesson plans are stored and well-organized on school’s shared drive or online curriculum mapping tool to promote consistency and collaboration
•Coordinating instructional materials and resources that align with curriculum maps and working with the operations teams to ensure additional materials are purchased as necessary
•Acting as a liaison between companies and programs that support the instructional core of the school (scheduling school and classroom visits, attending trainings, and providing regular information and updates from external providers to school-based staff)
•Researching and approving additional curricular resources
•Providing input and feedback on curriculum maps, unit and lesson plans, and assessments to ensure Common Core Learning Standards alignment.
•Ensuring that standards-based unit plans and lesson plans reflect appropriate levels of rigor and incorporate the Common Core instructional shifts.
•Drawing on content expertise to develop and lead staff-wide professional development as directed by the Principal and the network academic team.
•Coaching and evaluating teachers using Danielson’s Framework for Teaching.
•Supervising faculty and staff as directed by the Principal.
Serving as an active member of the School Leadership and Instructional Leadership Teams
•Participating in weekly School Leadership and Instructional Leadership Team meetings.
•Working with the School Leadership Team (the Principal, Director of Student & Family Affairs, and the Director of Operations) to coordinate each of the components of our College Completion curriculum: Academic Achievement, Character Development, and College Knowledge.
•Working alongside other members of the School Leadership Team in analyzing programmatic effectiveness and identifying opportunities to leverage the school community to improve student academic performance, (i.e. hosting family events related to interdisciplinary curriculum or report cards).
•Working with the Instructional Leadership Team to develop annual goals and theories of action related to student learning and achievement.
•Leading the analysis of current data regarding student performance to support the Instructional Leadership Team’s ability to improve teaching and learning.
•Working alongside the Humanities Integrated Co-Teachers (ICT) and home office Managing Director of Special Education to analyze current data to improve teaching and learning for special education and ELL students.
•Regularly analyzing student performance data for other high-needs populations (ELL, previously retained, etc.) to improve teaching and learning.
•Creating action plans to achieve SMART goals and monitoring progress towards these goals.
•Regularly representing Public Preparatory Network externally by conducting workshops, trainings, and presentations with partner non-profits, universities, education foundations, etc.
•Exemplifying Public Prep core values of scholarship, merit, community, and responsibility.
The ideal candidate will have:
•A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
•An M.A., Ed.M. or Master’s degree in Education Leadership, Teaching or relevant content area
•School Building Leader/School District Leader NYS Certification, preferred
•A minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated success in teaching, preferably in a high-performing, urban school setting
•Demonstrated ability to manage complex systems of data, resources, and information in a systematic way
•Familiarity with multiple secondary grade levels and content areas
•Deep understanding of Understanding by Design, Common Core State Standards, and curriculum mapping and the processes involved in creating vertical and horizontal alignment reflective of learning progressions
•Knowledge of interdisciplinary planning, performance assessment, and integration of technology (within classrooms and adult learning)
•Embodies a consistent approachable, encouraging, and cooperative demeanor to effectively inspire, coach, develop, and retain educators across a diverse continuum
•Excellent track record of success in the classroom or at the school level with data that you can explain.
•Superior oral and written communication skills
Please be sure to attach a resume and a cover letter detailing how your experience makes you a suitable candidate for this opportunity.