Dean of ELA Curriculum and Instruction

Empowerment Academy Charter School is hiring a Dean of Curriculum and Instruction to work at the District Level supervising the ELA Departments of the Middle School and High School (grades 5-10.)

Base Salary: $110,000-$135,000

Position Type: Salaried/ 12 month employee

Hours: 7:15am-3:45pm

OUR SCHOOL

Empowerment Academy is a dynamic and successful charter school that truly supports its teachers and staff. Empowerment has 3 of its own campuses, and BelovED is our “sister school.” We serve a mix of students that are among the most diverse in America while enjoying the cultural vibrance of Jersey City, Hoboken and New York City. The school served grade levels K-1 when founded in 2015, but has added one grade level of 120 students each year since then.  In SY24-25, we will be a K-10 school.  The growth plan is to add one high school grade level a year until it offers all grade levels, K-12, by SY 26-27.  Our staff is a dedicated group of individuals passionate about closing the achievement gap and providing a quality educational program. 

ABOUT THE POSITION

The school is broken down into academies -- Primary, Upper Elementary/Middle School and High School -- each led by a Principal, Academic Dean, and Dean of Students.  In the 2024/2025 School Year we are adding a Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at the District Level for each of the main content areas. 

If you have the demonstrated effectiveness we are looking for and want to help lead a cutting-edge education program serving a student body that is among the most economically and ethnically diverse in America, then apply at www.empacad.org/careers today.

The Dean of ELA Curriculum & Instruction is responsible for overseeing the school’s ELA curriculum and instructional program in grade levels 5-10. 

Expectations, Authority and Responsibilities

Empowerment Academy is committed to a data-driven approach to instruction and expects the Dean to be experienced and expert in the same.

Working directly under and accountable to the school’s Director of Education, the Dean’s oversight responsibilities in the aforementioned subject area(s) include the following:

• Curriculum Scope and Sequence – Selecting or developing, and refining, curriculum scope & sequences for learners in the relevant grade levels.
• Identification of Priority Learning Objectives – Identifying for subject matter teachers those priority curriculum standards that must be mastered for scholars to be able to make continuing learning progress.
• Curricular Materials – Selecting or developing, and refining, curricular materials for the support of instruction.
• Instructional Pacing – Providing teachers with instructional pacing guidelines for learners at different levels.
• Scholar Assessment – Selecting or developing, and refining, the assessments to be used to identify scholar masteries and weaknesses, guide instruction, and benchmark scholar learning progress.
• ELA Department Chair Professional Development in Lesson Planning – Professional Development of relevant grade level Department Chairs in effective, data-driven ELA lesson planning and plan modification.  Department Chair lesson plan reviews and feedback.  
• ELA Teacher Professional Development in Lesson Plan Internalization and Effective Delivery – Professional Development of relevant grade level ELA Teachers in lesson plan internalization and engaging and effective delivery of ELA instruction.  Provision of observation and feedback, real-time coaching and instructional modeling for some ELA Teachers, as coordinated with relevant Academic Deans.
• Classroom Observation – Classroom observation with an eye towards the improvement of our ELA curriculum, lesson plans and delivery of instruction.
• Assessment Data Analysis – In coordination with relevant grade level Department Chairs, conducting “test-in-hand” data analysis meetings with teachers that move beyond what scholars got wrong and facilitate teachers taking ownership of why scholars got it wrong.
• Use of Learning Programs – Integrating the use of technology-based learning programs into the delivery of instruction and practice.
• Continual Program Improvement – Facilitating continual program improvement (curriculum, assessment and instruction).

The Dean of ELA Curriculum and Instruction will be expected to attend professional development workshops and training if so directed by the Director of Education.

As a regular part of the Dean’s responsibilities, the Dean should expect often needing to stay after school during the school year to provide teacher professional development (technique modeling, coaching, mentoring) or to meet with school leaders and/or teachers for planning purposes.

In addition, the Board requires that the Dean read and master:

• Driven by Data by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo; and

• Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov.

Requirements

REQUIRED CERTIFICATION

A Standard English teaching license from the NJ Department of Education  is the minimum certificate required. A Principal/Supervisor Certification is a bonus, but not mandatory.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum seven years of teaching experience
• Experience as a leader in a high-performing charter public school (e.g., UnCommon Schools, KIPP, Success Academy), traditional public school, or privately managed school
• Experience working with a diverse student population
• Proven strengths in the area of teacher professional development and coaching
• Expertise in the analysis of assessment data, in how to use data to drive instruction, and in training teachers in how to conduct effective, data-focused Professional Learning Community meetings
• Commitment to the mission and goals of the school

Benefits

Charter schools ARE public schools.  Our teachers are part of the New Jersey Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF), same as teachers at traditional public schools, and can transfer their pension credits from a traditional public school to our school and vice versa.  Additional benefits include:

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development

As an equal opportunity employer, Empowerment Academy hires without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability.

INDINSTRUCTION