Academic Director

VOICE Charter School•Long Island, NY

20h•$175,000 - $195,000

About The Position

The Academic Director is tasked with raising student achievement and leads VOICE Charter School’s K–8 academic vision, strategy, and instructional innovation in math and ELA, with a focus on strong K–8 alignment and improved state test performance in grades 3–8. Using data to identify trends and root causes, this role sets a clear academic direction and builds staff alignment and commitment. The Academic Director oversees curriculum, instruction, and data systems while driving continuous improvement and ensuring an engaging academic experience for all students.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in school and system leadership/management with deep expertise in curriculum and assessment development, program design, and/or pedagogy at the network or district level in a multi-site context
Demonstrated success improving math and ELA outcomes and state test performance in grades 3–8, including for historically marginalized student groups
VOICE’s mission, vision, values, and culture
Tact and sensitivity, including but not limited to adhering to confidentiality obligations such as mandated reporting as part of child protection
Effective skills in self-management including but not limited to meeting deadlines, effective prioritization of tasks, self-organization, managing up, and efficient time and task management
Ability to gather and analyze data using defined and differentiated processes
Ability to build strong and effective collegial relationships as part of an interdisciplinary team of educators and administrators
Ability to build warm individual relationships with students.
Ability to communicate and build relationships effectively and appropriately with a diverse range of individuals, including but not limited to current and prospective students and families, colleagues, and external partners.
Effective Self-Management, including but not limited to: Prioritizes time and tasks effectively; Builds relationships with others; Practices continual self- development; Demonstrates effective problem solving; Exercises complete ownership over tasks; Takes initiative; Navigates ambiguity with ease
Effective Project Management, including but not limited to: Manages up; Proactively engages clients and consultants; Reflects on and incorporates feedback; Engages in thoughtful, strategic, and creative envisioning; Exercises complete ownership over projects; Delegates and holds project helpers accountable for results; Focuses on product and process
Strong attention to detail and ability to work well in complex systems
Wonder, care, and efficacy
Commitment, authenticity, and passion
Critical thinking, including communication, analytical and strategic strengths.
Constant learning, including resilience and perseverance.
Strong sense of personal responsibility, including discipline, self-accountability, self-initiative
Sensitivity to the environment, including humility, empathy, and kindness

Nice To Haves

5+ years experience and results as a trusted member of an organization's senior leadership team
5+ years of people management experience including experience managing through managers
Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in content area
Experience working within a nonprofit organization or school preferred

Responsibilities

Deliver Exceptional Academic Results
Drive the school’s K–8 vision for effective teaching and learning in math and ELA, including instructional systems, routines, and intellectual preparation that develop teachers and yield sustainable student achievement in grades K–8.
Employ a research-based, data-driven approach to decision-making and academic goalsetting, with clear yearly and interim targets for state test performance in grades 3–8 in math and ELA
Architect, maintain, and continuously refine a coherent K–8 instructional cycle (assessment, analysis, planning, execution, and reflection) that drives instruction, intervention, and enrichment in math and ELA.
Keep up to speed with education, brain science, and pedagogical best practices—especially in math and literacy instruction—to ensure continuous improvement in VOICE’s educational approach and to eliminate racial disparities and racist outcomes in academic performance and data.
Research, select, and implement standards-aligned, high-quality math and ELA curricula that deliver strong outcomes across all grade levels K–8, with a particular eye toward student performance across demographic subgroups and state test expectations in grades 3–8.
Design and monitor a K–8 scope and sequence in math and ELA that ensures vertical alignment, minimizes gaps and redundancies, and builds conceptual understanding, fluency, and application across grade levels.
Support implementation of effective differentiation and intervention strategies (including Tier 1,Tier 2, and Tier 3 supports) so that rigorous grade-level math and ELA content is accessible to all students and leads to growth and proficiency on state assessments.
Develop and implement an academic vision that explicitly prioritizes equitable outcomes across race, language status, disability, socioeconomic background, and gender, with special attention to subgroup performance in math and ELAin grades 3–8.
Set measurable equity and achievement goals around closing achievement gaps in math and ELA, increasing proficiency and growth on state assessments in grades 3–8, and ensuring access to rigorous coursework and enrichment opportunities.
Align curriculum, assessment (including interim assessments and state test preparation), grading policies, and instructional frameworks to the school’s equity commitments and academic priorities in math and ELA.
Monitor schoolwide and subgroup academic performance in math and ELA through dashboards, progress monitoring cycles, and data meetings;drive timely instructional responses to ensure progress toward annual goals.
Collaborate and Co-Lead
Work closely with Academic Deans and school-based instructional leaders to collectively lead all aspects of day-to-day teaching and learning, with a particular focus on instructional systems, practices, and outcomes in K–8 math and ELA.
Identify annual curriculum and assessment needs in math and ELA, and partner with Academic Deans and the Operations Team to implement curriculum inventory and purchasing processes (including FAMIS funds) to fully support K–8 alignment and 3–8 testing priorities.
Work closely with other members of the senior leadership team to support academic data systems, compliance, financial stewardship, and teacher evaluation systems that reinforce strong math and ELA instruction.
Build trust-based relationships and navigate across organizational layers to achieve ambitious K–8 math and ELA goals with the support of school-based leaders and network-level team members.
Partner with school leaders to design schedules, intervention blocks, and structures (e.g., WIN, RTI, advisory) that maximize instructional time and targeted support in math and ELA, particularly in grades 3–8
During the spring and summer, partner with Academic Deans and School Directors to identify curriculum assessment needs in math and ELA for the upcoming school year
Review and recommend the academic achievement for each staff member each school year
Formally review performance of Academic Deans and academic performance of teaching staff
Develop Staff
Coach Academic Deans who directly support school leaders and teachers in implementing K– 8 instructional systems in math and ELA with fidelity and impact.
Design and deliver ongoing professional development for directors, deans, instructional coaches, and teachers that builds deep content and pedagogical content knowledge and skills in math and ELA and strengthens use of data that supports state test readiness in grades 3–8.
Lead weekly Academics Team meetings focused on maintaining and improving academic systems, data routines, professional development, and instructional practices, with recurring attention to math and ELA K–8 alignment and 3–8 results.
Conduct frequent academic walk throughs with school leaders focused on the quality of math and ELA instruction, student thinking and discourse, and the strength of coaching and feedback cycles.
Meet regularly with division directors and deans to review student achievement data in math and ELA, refine coaching plans, and identify needed supports; provide professional development on culturally responsive teaching, anti-bias education, inclusive classroom practices, and trauma-informed instruction as they relate to literacy and numeracy.
Develop and support systems for collaborative planning (e.g., PLCs, grade-level/content team meetings) that center unit internalization, lesson planning, and analysis of student work in math and ELA, ensuring coherence across K–8
Actively participate in the hiring process of academic leadership and teaching staff
Academic Systems and Procedures
Ensure academic and legal compliance, especially as it relates to supporting students with special needs, city, state, and federal requirements tied to Individualized Education Plans, and supports for English Language Learners in math and ELA.
Codify and document academic systems, tools, and expectations so that best practices in math and ELAinstruction, assessment, and intervention are implemented consistently across grades and classrooms.
Partner with the operations team to continuously improve student academic data systems, the use of technology to support and facilitate math and ELA instruction, and curriculum and assessment purchasing.
Establish and refine assessment calendars and data cycles (diagnostic, interim, benchmark, and state test preparation) that align to standards and support timely instructional decisionmaking in math and ELA.
Ensure that family communication structures (progress reports, family data meetings, workshops) clearly communicate student progress in math and ELAand equip families to support learning at home.
Staff-Wide Professional Expectations
Embrace and be an ambassador of VOICE’s mission, vision and values
Collaborate, communicate, and maintain effective and professional relationships as members of an interdisciplinary team of educators, support staff, and administrators
Participate in required meetings and events, which may include student events, school concerts, parent-teacher conferences, on- and off-site conferences and trainings, others
Meet expectations related to punctuality and professionalism including but not limited to reporting to work on time, following the appropriate call-out and lateness procedures, timely responding to emails, consistently meeting deadlines and communicating appropriately on progress on projects and goals
Proactively and appropriately seek assistance and/or guidance when faced with challenges appropriately provide and receive feedback to/from students, parents, faculty, classroom assistants, support staff, and administration
Reflect on professional practice through self-reflection and engagement in informal and formal feedback processes