Interim Assistant Director of Lower School

Cape Fear Academy • Wilmington, NC

21h • Onsite

About The Position

Cape Fear Academy is seeking a one-year Interim Assistant Director of the Lower School for the 2026-2027 School Year. This is a full-time, year-round, benefit-eligible position. Cape Fear Academy is a learning community dedicated to discovering and developing individual potential, preparing students for success in college and life. Located in Wilmington, NC, CFA is a PK3-12 independent school with 813 students and 156 faculty and staff. The school emphasizes academics, arts, and athletics, with state-of-the-art facilities on a 47-acre campus. CFA faculty deliver high-quality instruction focusing on critical thinking, communication, and collaboration in a technology-rich environment. The school fosters a collegial atmosphere with support for professional development and upholds core values of respect, integrity, resilience, and accountability.

Requirements

• Demonstrated passion for developing and implementation of Lower School curriculum and programming.
• Ability to actively inspire and lead teams through day-to-day work and longer term initiatives.
• Ability to maintain an environment of trust with the Lower School faculty.
• Excellent judgment and decision-making related to managing faculty discourse on academic and disciplinary issues.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to know how details fit within the larger community picture.
• Able to develop and maintain close relationships with students, parents, staff and community.
• Fosters an atmosphere of creativity, collaboration and innovation.
• Demonstrates leadership ability and superior interpersonal skills to motivate others.
• Understanding of the developmental underpinnings of the Lower School student.
• Strong achievement in academic, professional, and extracurricular settings.
• Perseverance in the face of challenges, ability to adapt to changing environments, and a strong desire to do whatever it takes to improve and develop and to help others do the same.
• Superior organizational skills and the ability to prioritize responsibilities and accomplish goals with limited supervision.
• Bachelor's Degree required.

Nice To Haves

• Masters preferred.
• Five or more years of Lower School teaching experience preferred.
• Directly related experience or a combination of directly related education and experience may be considered in place of the above requirements.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Director of the Lower School with the planning, implementation and assessment of the Division’s academic programs, events, and divisional communications, through administrative, faculty and student support.
• Collaborate with the Director of the Lower School and Lower School faculty to lead curriculum development and ensure its alignment with the Middle School program.
• Responsible for training/coaching/supporting all new teaching faculty.
• Serve as a consultant to faculty in matters of classroom management, teaching methods and general procedures.
• Conduct classroom walk-throughs and provide constructive feedback to faculty.
• Supervise Teacher’s Assistants (TAs) including performance, payroll, scheduling and substitutes and make recommendations for changes to structure of TA roles for grade levels.
• Lead recruitment and hiring efforts for TAs.
• Plan and Coordinate Lower School Community wide events, including weekly Town Hall gatherings and special events.
• Conceptualize, develop and deliver LS communications for both internal and external community members.
• Participate in the recruiting, hiring and retention of Lower School faculty.
• Serve on the Lower School Admissions Committee and attend relevant admissions events.
• Assist Director of the Lower School in resolving disciplinary issues and communicating outcomes with parents, students and teachers.
• Lead Lower School Master Schedule Committee.
• Manage, analyze, schedule and communicate results for all educational testing data (ERB, CARS, DIBELS, etc.).
• Act as the Director of the Lower School when the Director is unavailable.
• Perform other projects and duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Heavily subsidized Health Insurance for employees.
• Employer paid Life and Long-Term Disability insurance.
• A full complement of voluntary group insurance plans (Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts, Accident, Hospital, Critical Illness and Voluntary Life Insurance for employees and families.)
• Professional support for student loan forgiveness programs.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Financial literacy resources.
• 6% match on retirement contributions after one year of service.

What This Job Offers

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