Director of Instruction - Humanities I

United Charter High Schools (UCHS) provide all students, regardless of their previous academic history, the highest quality education in an atmosphere of respect, responsibility and rigor. We ensure that our students have the skills and knowledge to graduate ready for college, pursue a career, and engage with the 21st century economy. We develop learning experiences that allow risk-taking, cultivate students' imaginative and creative abilities, and celebrate achievement.

The Director of Instruction shall serve as the instructional leader and resource person for assigned content areas, promoting rigorous curriculum alignment, inquiry, and coaching and evaluation support to assigned teachers. The DOI provides leadership in the school staff development activities, common assessments, and use of highly effective instructional strategies that most appropriately meets the needs of all students. The DOI supports the Assistant Principal and Principal in ensuring the school provides students with the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to succeed academically and socially.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates expert knowledge of content area and approved curriculum
• Observes teachers in the assigned departments around classroom management, development of lessons, pacing, and other areas related to instructional practice
• Conferences with teachers to provide constructive feedback and developmental goals
• Serves as the formal supervisor of teachers in the assigned departments, responsible for performing informal and formal observations and conducting performance evaluations in accordance with the teacher rubric
• Responsible for testing, assessment design, Mock Regents and Regents administrations, grading and data review for the department and utilizes New Visions data tools, including the Data Portal, to monitor student progress
• Development and implementation of common assessments and challenge-based and project-based learning for the assigned content areas
• Manages the department in a manner that promotes positive and productive relationships between colleagues, students, parents and community
• Demonstrates a willingness to examine and implement change necessary to produce efficient and effective systems and increase student achievement
• Follows and facilitates compliance with New Visions, federal and state policies and administrative rules and regulations
• Teaches one to two classes and with an open classroom to serve as a model for other teachers
• Prepares and manages the departmental development plans in alignment with the School Plan
• Selects, uses, and interprets evaluation data, through inquiry to drive decisions and actions in support of student needs and school goals
• Cultivates and forges strong relations with students, families and key constituents
• Communicates with families regarding student progress and performance
• Is available to parents, students, administration, and colleagues outside the school day as needed
• Develops and utilizes community and professional resources to perform on-going Professional Development for team members including attending New Visions Professional Development with teachers and stays up to date on NV instructional supports for teachers
• Provides leadership to department committees for new text adoptions, and recommends supplementary materials for content tean
• Recommends outside training programs as appropriate for content team
• Serves as a coach and mentor to assigned teachers
• Monitors the curriculum-unit plans that is being taught in the classroom by the department members and utilizes New Visions core curriculum
• Creates a safe and inclusive learning environment
• Ensure a safe, supportive and productive environment for students, staff and families.
• Model effective instructional practices in staff meetings, professional development sessions and team meetings.

Secondary Job Functions:

• Stays knowledgeable and up to date on latest trends and developments within departmental content area, and recommends pilot or experimental programs for consideration
• Assists new teachers in methodology, techniques, materials, or any other function needed to enhance the new teacher's ability to be successful
• Selects team members for any advisory committees necessary for department; makes sure that the advisory committees meet when necessary, if applicable
• Completes or assists with all surveys, forms, and state reports that are required of department by administrators or New Visions
• Makes recommendations for master schedule

Required Education and Experience:

• Master's degree
• NY State or equivalent teacher certification in one of content areas being supervised
• At least 5 years as a teacher of at least one of the content areas being supervised, preferably at an urban high school, with a history of improving student achievement
• School leadership training, certification, and/or experience that is consistent with the core concepts of the New Visions Charter School Model
• Have served as a Lead Teacher or held equivalent responsibilities in coaching or mentoring teachers and in facilitating PD for teachers
• Prior supervisory experience required
• School Building Leader (SBL) certification, preferred

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience teaching using alternative pedagogy and implementing pedagogical strategies and relevant to NV model including challenge based curriculum and evidence based decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and use diagnostic and formative assessments
• Able to engage in and support classroom and organizational level inquiry to inform decision making
• Experience supporting a strong and positive school culture and climate
• Highly skilled in supporting teacher learning and professional development across all areas of the teacher rubric and in knowledge and skills listed herein
• Approach learning via growth mindset
• Be reflective, seek feedback, learn from those around them, and effectively apply feedback
• Demonstrate strong content knowledge
• Have a proven track record for planning lessons with clear learning objectives and a means for assessing whether those objectives have been met
• Have a proven track record for engaging students in their own learning
• Have strong organizational and communication skills
• Have demonstrated success in tailoring instruction to the needs of diverse learners
• Be committed to serving all students and respect children from all backgrounds
• Demonstrate ability to work collaboratively with others to achieve common goals
• Make informed decisions, based on evidence and data, about their lesson planning
• Passion for creating a school community that supports the development and achievement of all students, particularly those underserved and at risk in other school settings.

Disclaimer

This description is intended to describe the type of work being performed by a person assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required by the employee.

Salary Information
While the majority of new hires' starting salaries shall be expected to be placed in the first half of the range(s) to allow space to grow in the job, for those who already have significant relevant experience at that level of the job, placement at the higher end of the range(s) is possible.

Pay Range

$108,000-$155,000 USD

Who We Are

United Charter High Schools (UCHS) is the largest and most successful public charter high school network in NYC. Originally founded as New Visions Charter High Schools by the non-profit New Visions for Public Schools, it was established to provide quality educational opportunities for students in underserved communities. Renamed UCHS as of July, 2024, the network consists of 7 charter high schools that held a collective graduation rate of 96% in each 2022 and 2023 while serving more than 3,000 students across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. They are some of New York State's highest performing charter high schools, consistently meeting, and in many cases exceeding, NYSED's Performance Benchmarks for Student Performance - outperforming NYS on the 4-year Cohort Regents' exams and the 4-year graduation rate for all students and special populations. They also include the only NYC High School to receive the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award in 2022.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy that all employees and applicants for employment will be treated in all respects on the basis of their merit and qualifications and without regards to their race, color, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, gender, military status, marital status, ancestry, or any other reason prohibited by law.

We believe that our teams should reflect the diverse communities we serve and that our culture and internal structures should be inclusive and equitable for all employees. We also recognize that perspectives from communities that have been historically marginalized are critical to the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from individuals living in the communities that we serve or who are members of historically marginalized communities.

We provide a comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits package in addition to the opportunity to make a significant impact on education reform and in the lives of urban youth.