Associate Director of Lower School Learning and Instruction - Starting June 1, 2026

Aspen Academy • Greenwood Village, CO

just now • $90,000 - $110,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Are you a strategic educational leader ready to champion a truly transformative academic program? Aspen Academy seeks an exceptional Associate Director of Lower School Learning and Instruction to drive instructional quality through coaching, support school-wide assessment strategies, and lead curriculum implementation in line with our mission and values. This position reports to the Director of Lower School and serves on the Academic Leadership Team. If you are a dedicated professional with a relentless hunger for research-based practices and a commitment to continuous growth, please apply today!

As a member of the Academic Leadership Team, you will work in close partnership with your Middle School counterpart to ensure excellence across the K–8 program.
You possess demonstrated experience in academic leadership, including curriculum design, instructional coaching, and assessment strategy, with a proven ability to roll out programs and secure faculty buy-in.
You design and lead professional learning systems grounded in adult learning and evidence-based practices.
You possess strong analytical skills, interpreting division-wide and school-wide assessment data to translate insights into targeted instructional action.
You provide strategic leadership by leading Domain Chairs and other teacher-leaders, leading accreditation processes, standards alignment, and compliance processes, and building academic coherence across grades and disciplines.
You are a self-driven professional who exhibits high levels of emotional intelligence, cultural competency, and relational leadership skills, with an exceptional ability to partner and collaborate. You are fueled by a voracious drive to learn and are highly capable of solving complex problems independently.
You possess exceptional systems-thinking and project management skills used to implement a long-term instructional vision and ensure division-wide and school-wide alignment.
You possess exceptional written and oral communication skills, with the ability to influence, align, and build shared understanding and buy-in.

Requirements

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Education.
• Minimum 5 years experience as a classroom teacher. Preferred: teaching certification or license. As an elementary school classroom teacher, preferably within independent schools.
• Experience as an Instructional Coach, including expert-level knowledge of differentiation, flexible groupings, and working with neurodivergent and high performing students.
• Experience with data collection and analysis in student growth and performance, and school-wide data.
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Proficiency with Google Suite and learning management systems, preferably Blackbaud.
• Grant permission for a criminal background check upon hire.
• Meet physical demands to perform essential functions of the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions: Ability to work full-time, including occasional evenings and weekends; work in person/in the school building; speak for long periods of time. Regularly required to stand; walk; use hands; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, or crouch. Frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds; occasionally life up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• I-Ready experience is a plus.
• Preferred: teaching certification or license. As an elementary school classroom teacher, preferably within independent schools.

Responsibilities

• Curriculum & Program Leadership: Partner with Academic Leadership to lead curriculum selection and adoption. Author and maintain academic portfolios ensuring coherence, and advance the integration of the LiFE Program and durable skills into core classes.
• Instructional Excellence: Drive improvement through learning walks and classroom observations. Provide ongoing, non-evaluative coaching, co-planning, and modeling aligned to school-wide priorities, translating insights into targeted coaching and professional learning.
• Lead Learner: Maintain a relentless hunger for research-based practices and leverage strategic consultation to drive instructional excellence.
• Professional Learning & Faculty Development: Collaborate with the Middle School counterpart to design and facilitate professional learning, including coaching structures , communities of practice, and leadership development pathways (including Aspen Academy’s EvolvED teacher-leader development program), to ensure professional development transfers to classroom practice.
• Assessment, Data & Learning Insights: With Academic Leadership, guide assessment strategy and analyze division-wide and school-wide learning data (e.g., i-Ready) to inform instructional decisions and continuous improvement. Partner with teachers to adjust instruction based on assessment data. Oversee the Data and Assessment Lead (teacher-leader) to inform instructional decisions.
• Standards & Accreditation: Collaborate with Academic Leadership to establish and revise school-wide academic standards and frameworks; lead accreditation and re-accreditation processes.
• Strategic Leadership: Lead Domain Chairs and other designated teacher-leaders to ensure school-wide alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Partner with these internal leaders to drive academic coherence and support grade-level teams through collaborative planning, reflection, and instructional problem-solving. Oversee the Lead Teacher Mentor (SEED) and develop future teacher-leaders.

Benefits

• Retirement: 403(b) plan with employer matching
• Healthcare: Medical, dental and vision plans with various options to support your unique needs. Free telehealth.
• Wellness: Holistic employee assistance program (EAP) including mental health support. Fitness challenges, gym & yoga discounts, health education, and fun team activities.
• Life Insurance & Voluntary Benefits: Group life insurance and option to enroll in additional voluntary life insurance and other supplemental coverages
• Time-off: Flexible PTO policy
• Career development: Professional development reimbursement program and monthly onsite professional development
• Family Care: Tuition assistance and potential financial aid
• Community: A sense of belonging

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director