Director Of Teaching And Learning

General Summary

The Director of Teaching & Learning is responsible for overseeing school-wide curriculum and instructional practices for grades 5-12. The Director of Teaching & Learning ensures that the academic program is reflective of Overlake’s mission, values, and strategic plan. This position is a member of the administrative team and reports to the Head of School.

The Director of Teaching and Learning serves as the visionary of Overlake’s academic program, coordinating departments and divisions to ensure that the program has a consistent, well-articulated, and lived scope and sequence. These efforts take place through close collaboration with the division heads, department chairs, instructional coaches, faculty, and students. This position also supervises the work of the school’s instructional coaches and library team.

Overlake is currently prioritizing adapting and delivering high-quality academic experiences amidst the challenges of COVID-19. Additional ongoing initiatives within the school include integrating instructional coaching and research-based professional learning opportunities, developing structures for the assessment, imagination, and publishing of school-wide curricula, designing schedules that are consistent with the school’s culture and values, and reviewing and revising policies around assessment, homework, and grading in partnership with the division heads.

This position also serves as both the chief visionary of the program and the driver of professional learning, which all takes place at a faculty-wide level, within departments, and with teachers. The visionary component of this role enables this leader to establish short- and long-term goals for the academic program’s ongoing evolution. In particular, such efforts include partnering on the thoughtful integration of technology, the growth and development of cultural competency practices for faculty, staff, and students, and an ongoing commitment to experiential education.

Core Responsibilities

Lead and Support Department Chairs and Faculty

• Supervise and articulate the 5-12 curriculum to enhance and improve:

• Curricular alignment, both horizontally and vertically
• Alignment of learning objectives with assessments
• Opportunities in the academic program to further Overlake’s commitment to diversity, technology, and experiential education
• Ongoing work on social and emotional learning

• Serve as a visible, engaged presence in the daily life of the school, including visiting classrooms and potentially teaching a class in an area of expertise
• Support faculty in developing meaningful, mission-appropriate curricular content through collaborative and well-structured processes
• Promote a culture of ongoing learning by leading an intentional professional development program, including establishing school-wide, division-specific, departmental, and individual learning and instructional goals

Be the Visionary

• In collaboration with various administrators, faculty, instructional coaches, and students begin to access all aspects of the academic program that may result in significant changes to our curricular offerings, graduation requirements, daily schedule, and annual calendar to best support engaged learning. The Director of Teaching and Learning will be a primary driver of this work and will help steer and coordinate the planning, implementation, and iterating of these changes
• Partner with various school constituencies to establish a shared vision of the content and skills required for a portrait of an Overlake graduate
• Lead curricular design to support our recently launched Strategic Plan, with particular focus on reviewing, evaluating, and designing curricula and instruction with an intentional focus on equity, inclusion, and cultural competency, with cultural competency skill development as a core academic expectation

Lead Professional Learning

• Support instructional coaches, library staff, faculty, and department chairs in identifying professional development opportunities in support of the academic program
• Stay abreast of educational trends and research in best practices in curriculum and pedagogy
• Manage the school’s professional development budget and coordinate the approval process and disbursements

Model Collaboration

• With a talented group of devoted faculty, department chairs and instructional coaches who have a deep passion for Overlake’s mission and program
• Work in close partnership with the Head of School, Upper School Head, Middle School Head, and other administrators to run a cohesive 5-12 program and curriculum
• Act as a key spokesperson for Overlake’s academic program
• Partner with other members of the administrative team to implement Overlake’s strategic plan

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree in an education, curriculum development and pedagogy, leadership, or related field
• 5+ years experience managing academic professionals required
• Demonstrated cultural competency
• Minimum of 5-10 years of classroom experience
• Experience using varied pedagogical approaches
• Strong technology, administrative, management, and leadership skills
• Strong organizational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Success with inspiring educators, building collaborative relationships, and leading new initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Instructional design experience at the middle and upper school levels
• Good understanding of the complexity of pursuing change within a school setting
• An educational philosophy that aligns with Overlake’s mission