Dean of Curriculum & Instruction

Uncommon Schools • Newark, NJ

2d • $73,000 - $103,000

About The Position

Uncommon Schools is seeking a Dean of Curriculum & Instruction (DCI), a school leader who supports teachers and instructional leaders in delivering rigorous, engaging instruction and strong academic outcomes. The DCI works closely with the Principal and other DCIs across the network to advance student achievement and teacher development.

The role leads data-driven instruction, including analyzing student work and assessment results, facilitating assessment cycles, monitoring progress, and developing systems and action plans in response to data. The DCI observes and coaches teachers, provides real-time and ongoing feedback, supports instructional leaders, informs teacher reviews, and plans and facilitates professional development and team meetings.

The DCI also supports school-wide academic culture and systems, contributes to regional and network curriculum and instructional initiatives, and participates in school walkthroughs and other collaborative work. The position requires a commitment to the Uncommon Schools mission and flexibility to support school or regional needs, which may include teaching, assisting with staff coverage planning, or providing support to another school.

Requirements

• Passionate commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools.
• Ability to plan and lead effective teacher professional development.
• Strong teaching skills.
• Proficiency in lesson plan development.
• Strong people management skills, including navigating difficult conversations and holding staff, scholars, and families accountable supportively.
• Systems-based thinking and experience creating academic and teacher-development systems.
• Ability to strategically manage and prioritize time and tasks to meet school needs, with a systems-thinking lens.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, work flexibly and autonomously, and take direction as needed.
• Familiarity with and success implementing Uncommon’s instructional leadership tenets, or commitment to doing so, including the See It-Name It-Do It framework and Leverage Leadership principles.
• At least 3 years of teaching experience with evidence of outstanding student growth and achievement.
• Demonstrated instructional coaching capabilities that contribute to teacher growth and development.
• Strong content knowledge across multiple grade spans or content areas.
• Bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

• Analyze student work and assessment data and lead effective data analysis meetings.
• Develop and implement action plans, materials, and systems in response to student performance data.
• Facilitate Interim Assessment scoring and norming, and develop pre- and post-assessment analysis for the school.
• Support instructional leaders with department-level data analysis and monitor grade-level or content-area progress against assessment benchmarks.
• Coordinate assessment cycles, including assessment-material quality assurance, teacher and student preparation, and scheduling with the Director of Operations.
• Support regional and network data analysis and response systems.
• Conduct daily observations, provide real-time instructional feedback, and support teachers and instructional leaders in implementing development action steps.
• Inform, write, or lead teachers’ mid-year reviews.
• Plan and deliver professional development on Uncommon’s curricular systems and key pedagogical issues.
• Plan and lead grade-level or content-area team meetings based on school-wide instructional trends.
• Collaborate with the Principal to coach instructional leaders, identify high-leverage goals, and lead instructional leader team meetings.
• Oversee school-specific data-response curriculum, such as reteach lessons and responses to Power Practice Quizzes.
• Partner with the Principal to develop staff-facing professional development using school-wide action steps or walkthrough data.
• Support mid-year teacher onboarding as needed.
• Support planning or leadership of whole-school moments and initiatives.
• Lead school-wide academic systems, such as office hours, grade books, and feedback on teachers’ lesson internalization.
• Model school culture and rigor techniques.
• Plan and facilitate network or regional professional development during the summer or school year.
• Support network or regional instructional initiatives related to student achievement, including data response or curriculum development.
• Support school or regional needs, which may include teaching a course, helping plan staff coverage, or supporting another school.
• Participate in inspections, school walkthroughs, working groups, and CAT quarterly walkthroughs.
• Collaborate with the Home Office, RSI, Principal, Director of Operations, Dean of Students, Special Education Coordinator, School Social Worker, and other staff to support students’ academic and socio-emotional development.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including sick time, paid holidays, and approximately 10 weeks of paid breaks in spring, winter, and summer.
• Extensive training and development.
• Health insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• Flexible spending account (FSA), dependent care FSA (DCFSA), and health savings account (HSA).
• New Jersey Pension program.
• Paid leave options, including parental, medical, and disability leave.
• Mental health and counseling support.
• Wellness benefits.

What This Job Offers

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