Academic Director

Academic Director

VOICE Charter School () is an elementary and middle school located in Long Island City Queens that serves students in grades K-8. We are located just minutes from Manhattan (two stops from the last subway stop in Manhattan on the F train) and Long Island Citys growing waterfront district thriving arts community and rapid residential growth. We combine rigorous academics with daily instruction in choral singing thereby encouraging creative and critical thinking while improving academic performance. We are looking to identify extraordinary educators and administrators committed to urban education and high academic achievement who wish to join a dynamic learning community.

Our mission is to create a safe and healthy learning environment that will nurture motivate and challenge all of our children to achieve the highest level of academic excellence and to develop into mindful responsible contributing participants in their education their community and the diverse society in which we live.

What makes VOICE different

At VOICE its not just about the music. Its about the people.Its about what you can be. Its about using your passion. Its about relationships. Its about having the opportunity to choose. Its about caring for each individual child. Our teachers administrators students and parents come together to support our childrens education. We operate as part of a professional learning community that promotes collegiality shared work and unending reflection and growth. At VOICE you will be pushed to become more.

We believe in efficacy.At the core of our academic culture is the idea that all students are capable of doing well in any discipline. At VOICE all students will learn.

We support and develop the effectiveness of our teachers.We believe that teachers need time to collaborate to build their practice so we provide them with over two hours of planning time a day as well as additional days for curriculum development and training during the school year.

We promote participation in music and the arts.As music and art both help to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills and open childrens imaginations all VOICE students participate in daily activities in the arts including rigorous choral training. We design our arts-integrated curriculum to bring joy to the lives of our children in order to provide them with the skills necessary to forge their own path.

All Faculty and Staff at VOICE:

• Love and nurture all of our students as they become deeply caring and responsible individuals
• Take personal responsibility for the performance and growth of each individual student as we understand that the progress of all students is directly under our control
• Work collaboratively
• Hold themselves to the highest standards
• Push and support themselves their students and their colleagues
• Proactively seek and incorporate feedback
• Help each individual child gain the opportunity to choose what his or her future will be

Position Responsibilities:

Academic Director

The Academic Director is tasked with raising student achievement and leads VOICE Charter Schools K8 academic vision strategy and instructional innovation in math and ELA with a focus on strong K8 alignment and improved state test performance in grades 38. 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.

Deliver Exceptional Academic Results

1. Drive the schools K8 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 K8.
2. 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 38 in math and ELA
3. Architect maintain and continuously refine a coherent K8 instructional cycle (assessment analysis planning execution and reflection) that drives instruction intervention and enrichment in math and ELA.
4. Keep up to speed with education brain science and pedagogical best practicesespecially in math and literacy instructionto ensure continuous improvement in VOICEs educational approach and to eliminate racial disparities and racist outcomes in academic performance and data.
5. Research select and implement standards-aligned high-quality math and ELA curricula that deliver strong outcomes across all grade levels K8 with a particular eye toward student performance across demographic subgroups and state test expectations in grades 38.
6. Design and monitor a K8 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.
7. Support implementation of effective differentiation and intervention strategies (including Tier 1Tier 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.
8. 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 38.
9. Set measurable equity and achievement goals around closing achievement gaps in math and ELA increasing proficiency and growth on state assessments in grades 38 and ensuring access to rigorous coursework and enrichment opportunities.
10. Align curriculum assessment (including interim assessments and state test preparation) grading policies and instructional frameworks to the schools equity commitments and academic priorities in math and ELA.
11. 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

1. 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 K8 math and ELA.
2. 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 K8 alignment and 38 testing priorities.
3. 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.
4. Build trust-based relationships and navigate across organizational layers to achieve ambitious K8 math and ELA goals with the support of school-based leaders and network-level team members.
5. 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 38
6. 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
7. Review and recommend the academic achievement for each staff member each school year
8. Formally review performance of Academic Deans and academic performance of teaching staff

Develop Staff

1. Coach Academic Deans who directly support school leaders and teachers in implementing K 8 instructional systems in math and ELA with fidelity and impact.
2. 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 38.
3. 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 K8 alignment and 38 results.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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 K8
7. Actively participate in the hiring process of academic leadership and teaching staff

Academic Systems and Procedures

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

1. Embrace and be an ambassador of VOICEs mission vision and values
2. Collaborate communicate and maintain effective and professional relationships as members of an interdisciplinary team of educators support staff and administrators
3. Participate in required meetings and events which may include student events school concerts parent-teacher conferences on- and off-site conferences and trainings others
4. 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
5. 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
6. Reflect on professional practice through self-reflection and engagement in informal and formal feedback processes

Position Qualifications:

Educational Background and Work Experience

• Bachelors 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
  
  
• Experience and proven success working with MLL students

• Demonstrated success improving math and ELA outcomes and state test performance in grades 38 including for historically marginalized student groups

• Preferred: 5 years experience and results as a trusted member of an organizations senior leadership team

• Preferred: 5 years of people management experience including experience managing through managers

• Preferred: Masters degree from an accredited college or university in content area

• Preferred: Experience working within a nonprofit organization or school preferred

Knowledge

• VOICEs 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

Skills and Abilities

• 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.
• Staff-Wide Competencies for Specialists:
• 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

Behavioral Characteristics

• 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

Compensation and Benefits: The salary range is $175000-$195000 per year. Compensation is competitive and based on experience and education. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including partial reimbursement for monthly commuting expenses gym reimbursement participation in our retirement program cultural enrichment reimbursements and many opportunities to get to know your VOICE colleagues!

Required Experience:

Director