Dean of Curriculum & Instruction

Camden Prep • Camden, NJ

1d

About The Position

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

The role leads data-driven instruction and assessment cycles, provides observation-based and real-time feedback, and develops teachers and instructional leaders through coaching, professional development, and team meetings. The DCI also supports whole-school academic systems and culture, contributes to regional and network instructional initiatives, and collaborates with school and Home Office colleagues to advance students’ academic and socio-emotional development. The position requires a commitment to Uncommon Schools’ mission and flexibility to support school or regional needs, including teaching a course or assisting with school operations when needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 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.
• 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 in a supportive manner.
• Systems-based thinking and previous 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.
• Passionate commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity and success with, or commitment to implementing, Uncommon’s instructional leadership tenets, such as the See It-Name It-Do It framework and Leverage Leadership principles.

Responsibilities

• Analyze student work and assessment data and lead effective analysis meetings.
• Build and implement action plans, materials, and systems in response to data; facilitate interim assessment scoring and norming, develop whole-school pre- and post-assessment analysis, and support department-level analysis by instructional leaders.
• Monitor grade-level or content-area progress against assessment-cycle benchmarks.
• Facilitate assessment cycles, including quality assurance of assessment materials, teacher and student preparation, and scheduling in collaboration with the Director of Operations.
• Support regional and network data analysis and response systems.
• Conduct daily observations, incorporate feedback into planning and data meetings, and support implementation of teacher and instructional leader development action steps.
• Provide real-time feedback to teachers during instruction.
• Inform, write, and/or lead teachers’ mid-year reviews.
• Plan and deliver professional development within the school, region, or network on Uncommon’s curricular systems and key pedagogical issues.
• Plan and execute 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 curate staff-facing professional development using school-wide action steps or walkthrough data.
• Support mid-year teacher onboarding as needed.
• Support the planning or leadership of whole-school moments and initiatives.
• Lead and manage school-wide academic systems, such as office hours and grade books, and provide feedback on teachers’ lesson internalization.
• Model culture and rigor techniques at the school.
• 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 regional data analysis and response or curriculum development.
• Demonstrate commitment to improving students’ minds and lives in and out of school and to the Uncommon mission.
• Step up to support school or regional needs, which may include teaching a course, assisting with strategic staff coverage, or providing direct support to 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 Spring, Winter, and Summer breaks.
• Extensive training and development.
• Health insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• Pre-tax flexible spending accounts (FSA), dependent care flexible spending accounts (DCFSA), and health savings accounts (HSA).
• Retirement benefits based on role eligibility.
• Paid leave of absence options, including parental, medical, and disability leave.
• Mental health and counseling support.
• Wellness benefits.
• Competitive compensation.

What This Job Offers

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