Director of ELA

Reporting to the Managing Director of Teaching and Learning (MDTL) and working closely with School Leaders and Assistant Principals at our nine schools, the Director of ELA is responsible for ensuring that our growing network maintains vertical and horizontal curricular alignment for rigorous, college-ready ELA and knowledge of the science of reading.

Key Responsibilities

• Works with school leaders and the regional academic team to set and drive a vision for the ELA academic program, including the curricula, assessment, instructional approach essential to a high quality, rigorous, joyful, affirming K-2 experience for children

• Regularly reviews ELA academic data, identifying trends, bright spots, and areas of concern in order to set priorities and develop key, responsive school and region-wide initiatives

• Regularly observes instruction alongside Assistant Principals, norming on the academic bar, critical next steps for instructional practice, and serving as a thought partner to troubleshoot school-specific challenges

• Regularly meets with and train Assistant Principals, Instructional Coaches and school-based content leads to run effective curricula/content internalization professional development sessions that build teachers’ conceptual and tactical understanding of upcoming lessons and content

• Designs and leads high quality professional development for teachers, Assistant Principals, Instructional Coaches and Principals on a set of proactive and responsive topics that build essential knowledge and skills, infuse practice and feedback, and impact daily practice

• Ensures all core information, resources, and approaches (including curricula, assessment, course sequence and aims, etc.) are clearly and simply codified and communicated

• Works closely with academic team counterparts, including the Director of Literacy, Director of Math, Director of Student Supports, and Director of Student Culture to ensure horizontal and vertical program alignment and clarity on shared and individual priorities

• Collaborates, works closely, and creates partnerships with local and national experts and colleagues in the field through research, observation and formal collaboration to ensure that our ELA program is operating with research-based best practices• Supports new teacher and new leader onboarding and training through PD design and execution

• Other duties as assigned by the Managing Director of Teaching and Learning

Who You Are:

• You love and see the high potential of all children

• You have experience driving student growth and achievement and to create a warm, inclusive, rigorous learning environment.

• You have passion for facilitating professional learning, including a desire to continuously grow and learn as a leader.

• You operate with cultural competence and a commitment to inclusion, anti-racism, and the eradication of anti-Blackness.

• You believe that teachers are the primary drivers of student growth, learning and achievement.

• You have high expectations for students and teachers; and the ability to motivate, inspire and hold others accountable.

• You are solutions-orientated and have an eagerness to adapt in order to solve problems.

• You are solutions-oriented; ability and eagerness to adapt to and manage change and solve problems.

• You are flexible and able to multi-task within a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment, while also driving towards clarity, simplicity and solutions.

• You have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• You have a deep knowledge of learning theory and math curriculum development, including current educational trends, methods, research, and technology.