Full-Time, Exempt
New Roads is seeking a Full-time Upper School Assistant Director to join our community in June / July 2023.
A complete job description and application instructions are below.
ABOUT NEW ROADS
In an authentically diverse community reflective of Los Angeles, New Roads prepares young people for life by developing in them a personal dedication to learning, a respect for independent thinking, an expanding curiosity about the world and its people, and a commitment to the common good.
Please visit our website at https://www.newroads.org/
JOB SUMMARY:
In consultation with the Upper School Director, the Upper School Assistant Director is charged with aligning the school's unique educational program with the vision of our Mission, Statement of Philosophy, and Commitments and promoting innovation in pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment as well as establishing a climate and culture that is dynamic and collaborative within the Upper School. In this role, the Upper School Assistant Director, in conjunction with the US Director, will develop the capacity of Department Chairs and Faculty to deliver New Roads incomparable approach to teaching and learning. The Upper School Assistant Director will engage colleagues in substantive conversations about teaching and learning and will spearhead curriculum review and development alongside the Upper School Director, oversee academic planning with families, faculty, and Department Chairs, and coordinate professional development opportunities for the Upper School. The Upper School Assistant Director will partner with the Upper School Director and Assistant Head of School for Program, The Director of Student Wellness,and Administrators and Faculty at the Elementary and Middle School to articulate and implement a coherent K-12 approach to curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, professional development, and Faculty professional growth process. The Upper School Assistant Director, in collaboration with the Upper School Director, will also be responsible for assessing, drawing on data, the effectiveness of the program in achieving its aims, including the student outcomes outlined in the Statement of Philosophy. The Upper School Assistant Director reports to the Upper School Director and in the absence of the Upper School Director, the Upper School Assistant Director becomes the administrator in charge of the Upper School.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Curriculum
- Maintains congruency between the School's board-approved philosophy and academic program, particularly the school's commitment to social justice, diversity, and environmental stewardship
- Educates faculty about state, national, and international educational standards and brain-based teaching rooted in the New Roads model
- Ensures that curriculum meets the needs of diverse learners
- Monitors the outcomes for students and disaggregates data for subgroups to promote reflective conversation and growth
- Supports the work of individual departments in balancing curricular traditions and priorities with significant trends and developments in their fields and the schools educational vision
- Facilitates efforts to improve curriculum coordination and innovation within and across grades
- Articulates skills and habits necessary for success across disciplines
- Stimulates curricular innovation across and within traditional disciplines, including promoting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning
- Helps to develop a clear sense of the meaning of grades and what they signify: executive functions/mastery
- Leads faculty to embrace New Roads unique approach to intellectual rigor and academic excellence
- Ensures a curricular continuum throughout the K-12 program working with Department Chairs
- Integrates well being into the foundation of the academic program with the intent of liberating the full potential of each student
- Serves as liaison to department chairs in establishing and reviewing annual course offerings and developing new programs and courses
- Assists in the development of new course offerings when necessary and oversees the UC Approval Process
- Networks with administrators at other independent schools, public schools, and universities, both within and outside of the United States
- Publicizes within the school community the scholarship and endeavors of departments and gives recognition to exceptional achievements within departments
- Encourages teachers to construct knowledge for larger educational landscape and to engage in action research
- Reviews all proposed changes to the curriculum and provides updates on a yearly basis to the Upper School Administrative Leadership Team
- Develops instruments to evaluate the academic program, including working with students to hear their voice in this evaluation process.
- Works closely with the Upper School Dean of Students to align the curricular and co-curricular program within the framework of New Roads' educational vision
Faculty
- Provides support, supervision, and instructional leadership to the entire Upper School faculty
- Creates and implements embedded professional development plan to increase capacity of the teachers to deliver the mission and an integrative classroom culture and climate
- In conjunction with the Department Chairs, develops orientation/transition program and implements, alongside the Director, the evaluation system for new teachers, including leading New Teacher meetings
- Works with the Upper School Director in leading faculty reviews/ evaluations
- Serves as a resource to teachers in matters of classroom management, teaching methods, and general school procedures
- Coordinates professional development activities (individual and collective) for the upper school faculty (including workshops, speakers, school observations, in-service training programs, and the like)
- Serves as an advisor to teachers in all matters pertaining to curriculum development, effective pedagogy, and assessment as well as classroom culture and climate.
- Observes, supervises, and helps evaluate the faculty in the development and implementation of curriculum
- Assists teachers in matching appropriate assessment instruments to the schools assessment philosophy
- Educates the faculty in the effective use of technology to support personalized and engaged teaching and learning and innovation
- Works with the Upper School Director on the hiring and retention of faculty
- Articulates with Department Chairs the program section of WASC
- Guides the use of data in improving curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment
Students
- With the assistance of The Director of Student Learning and The US Dean of Access, Inclusion and Equity, oversees the academic programs of all students in grades 9-12
- Seeks to understand and to foster conversation about the quality of students academic experience. Towards this end, the Assistant Director is specifically concerned with such issues as homework load, reading level appropriateness, effectiveness of course projects, coordination among grade-level teachers, portfolio assessment, executive functioning, mastery, and so forth
- Works with students to provide student feedback to teachers that informs instruction and promotes growth in pedagogy, assessment, and curriculum
- Gathers student feedback to assess how well the Upper School is serving the student body.
- Ensures that standards, rubrics, narratives, and assessments empower students to drive their own improvement in learning; focusing on process and progress
Parents
- Educates parents about the roles of students, parents, and teachers in the teaching and learning process within the framework of New Roads' educational vision
- Gathers feedback from parents on the academic experience of their children
- Guides teachers in using the resources of parents to enhance the educational experience of students
- Educates parents about new educational initiatives
- Meets with families frequently regarding students academic progress and meets with new families to schedule students into their classes for the academic year.
Administration
- Maintains congruence between the schools Mission Statement, Statement of Philosophy, Commitments, and all academic activities to ensure the implementation of the schools educational values and policies
- Works with the US Director to ensure that the schedule reflects the educational priorities of the Mission, Commitments, and Statement of Philosophy
- Builds the schedule for the academic year and enrolls all students in 9th-12th grade, working alongside other administrators to place students in the appropriate courses
- Collaborates with strategic partners to coordinate and implement new educational initiatives
- Leads the Department Chair Meetings bi-weekly
- Leads meetings with families, faculty, or staff in the absence of the US Director
- Serves as a spokesperson, in all relevant venues, for the US academic program
