Director of Teaching, Learning, and Professional Growth

Woodland School•Portola Valley, CA

2d•$150,000 - $170,000

About The Position

Located just west of Stanford University, Woodland School is an independent day school that offers a joyful approach to learning in a diverse, respectful, and inclusive environment for approximately 300 students in early childhood through eighth grade. Woodland is a small school with a big heart. Woodland School specializes in education that inspires students by nurturing each individual’s voice, intellect, and character. With an emphasis on inquiry-based and student-centered learning, children are empowered and encouraged to be active and engaged learners. Our students’ innate sense of wonder is the foundation of learning at Woodland School. Woodland’s faculty create a school environment that is as supportive and nurturing as it is challenging, and they embody the core values of the school—integrity, curiosity, resilience, equity, respect, and stewardship. The teachers are themselves learners, constantly searching for ways to improve their practice. A robust professional development program supports the faculty by connecting them to the best practices in pedagogy, curriculum development, educational technology, and student assessment. Woodland School is seeking a highly motivated Director of Teaching, Learning, and Professional Growth. The Director will join the school as Woodland recently completed a successful accreditation and will have an opportunity to implement various initiatives for the school as outlined in the fourth year of the strategic plan. The Director of Teaching, Learning, and Professional Growth participates actively in the life of the school to forward best practices and innovations to enhance student learning. As a member of the Academic Administration and Leadership Teams, the Director partners to develop a curricular program in support of the school’s mission and teaching philosophy. The Director will be responsible for both horizontal coordination and vertical scope and sequence and continuous research and data collection to ensure the school remains on track with its academic goals. The Director is also responsible for ensuring curricular implementation remains at its highest quality and will partner with Division Directors to support faculty on their informal and formal evaluation processes in support of achieving professional growth goals.

Requirements

The successful candidate must be an experienced leader with strong classroom experience and a clear understanding of teacher training and curriculum development.
Inspirational, pragmatic, diplomatic, and patient leadership that honors the core values of Woodland, but also encourages risk-taking.
Authentic empathy, warmth, and collegiality, and an ability to spread these qualities across an entire staff.
A passion for inspiring programmatic change, but an understanding that to do so requires establishing lasting peer-to-peer relationships.
An ability to create organizational systems and apply project management skills in support of gradual institutional-wide change within an academic program rooted in interpersonal connections and a familial culture.
Savvy communication and dynamic presentation skills — both written and oral.
A collaborative, cooperative, and growth-oriented mindset.
Enthusiasm for students and teachers to pursue their passions, talents, and interests, both in and out of the traditional classroom.
A vision that is aligned with the needs of a dynamic and diverse staff.
A love of learning and love of school, and a willingness to support unique and unpredictable learning journeys of both young students and staff.
We seek a dynamic individual who inspires students and faculty and who works collaboratively and creatively with colleagues in various curricular areas and divisions.
Candidates should be passionate about teaching and learning, have a love for children and a deep understanding of the developmental ages and stages of elementary students.
Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, which is a minimum requirement, though preferably possession of a graduate degree.
Teaching certificate or credential, and a minimum of five years professional experience as a lead classroom teacher or other equivalent experience.
Experience leading training and major initiatives related to curriculum, pedagogy, and student experience — preferably at a school offering an Early Childhood - Grade 8 program.
Immersion in diversity work — both in training and in implementation—and a commitment to fostering culturally competent and inclusive classrooms.
Experience guiding parents and guardians on sensitive student-related matters.
Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills with the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with all constituents.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
Collaborates well with colleagues of diverse backgrounds on pedagogical approaches, curricular alignment, and instructional strategies.
Encourages collaborative teamwork in and out of the classroom, models effective communication skills for students and teachers, including justifying reasoning and considering multiple perspectives when solving problems.
Leads by example and invests time in the life of the school by participating in all aspects that support the student and faculty experience.
Demonstrates exemplary professional behavior, including discretion, good judgment, and integrity.
Effectively interacts with a diverse population of students and faculty.
All prospective employees must be able to clear a background check, LiveScan fingerprinting and TB screening.

Responsibilities

Work with the Head of School and the faculty to articulate, implement, evaluate, and continually improve the instructional and curricular program at Woodland.
Facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration among teaching teams in a way that values individual talents and clarifies school-wide approaches to curriculum planning, documentation, assessment and technology integration.
Communicate and support across constituencies an educational vision for the school that emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, integrity, compassion, and creativity.
Foster a culture of faculty growth and oversee the annual process of teacher goal setting and evaluation.
Stay on top of current trends, research, and emerging ideas in the education landscape in order to support academic invention and transformative change.
Guide and lead the faculty in its exploration, implementation, and assessment of modern learning approaches that improve learning outcomes.
Facilitate a professional development program that aligns with the pedagogical goals of the school and is customized to the differentiated needs of teachers.
Lead the implementation of a new Learning Management System (LMS) in partnership with a team of teachers and administrators, supporting training for teachers, students, and families.
Promote a learning culture, incorporating professional development and reflective practices.
Partner to oversee the integration of technology to enhance student learning.
Provide the advice and professional development to help faculty members meet individual and school-wide goals and expectations.
Lead the hiring process for faculty and ensure a high-quality induction program for new faculty.
Assess, document, and develop curricular alignment.
Collect, review and analyze student data to inform curricular decisions (short term and long term).
Conduct in-house professional development workshops to sustain a professional learning culture.
Collaborate with the Academic Administration and Learning Specialists (1) to ensure cohesion and alignment of support for teachers and students (2) to further develop cultural competencies and character within students and faculty (3) for special programming and leadership opportunities within the school community.
Serve as an active, engaged, and collaborative member of the administrative team.
Provide guidance to families on matters of curriculum and pedagogy, and develop productive partnerships with and educational opportunities for families.
Establish and maintain external curricular and programmatic partnerships.
Maintain a visible presence throughout the school and at events.
Perform other duties as assigned.