Please visit our application URL to apply. Thank you!

Overview of Woodland School

Located just west of Stanford University, Woodland School is an independent day school that offers a joyful approach to learning in a diverse, respectful, and inclusive environment for approximately 300 students in early childhood through eighth grade. Woodland is a small school with a big heart.

Woodland School specializes in education that inspires students by nurturing each individual’s voice, intellect, and character. With an emphasis on inquiry-based and student-centered learning, children are empowered and encouraged to be active and engaged learners. Our students’ innate sense of wonder is the foundation of learning at Woodland School. 

Woodland’s faculty create a school environment that is as supportive and nurturing as it is challenging, and they embody the core values of the school—integrity, curiosity, resilience, equity, respect, and stewardship. The teachers are themselves learners, constantly searching for ways to improve their practice. A robust professional development program supports the faculty by connecting them to the best practices in pedagogy, curriculum development, educational technology, and student assessment.

Woodland School is seeking a highly motivated Interim Director of Teaching and Learning.  The Director will join the school as Woodland just completed a successful accreditation and will have an opportunity to implement various initiatives for the school as outlined in the third year of the strategic plan.

Position Overview 

The Interim Director of Teaching and Learning participates actively in the life of the school to forward best practices and innovations to enhance student learning. As a member of the Academic Administration and Leadership Team, the Director partners to develop a curricular program in support of the school’s mission and teaching philosophy. The Director will be responsible for both horizontal coordination and vertical scope and sequence and continuous research and data collection to ensure the school remains on track with its academic goals. The Director is also responsible for ensuring curricular implementation remains at its highest quality and will partner with Division Directors to support faculty on their informal and formal evaluation processes in support of achieving professional growth goals.

Position Specifics

• Work with the head of school and the faculty to articulate, implement, evaluate, and continually improve the instructional and curricular program at Woodland. 
• Facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration among teaching teams in a way that values individual talents and clarifies school-wide approaches to curriculum planning,  documentation, assessment and technology integration. 
• Communicate and support across constituencies an educational vision for the school that emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, integrity, compassion, and creativity.
• Lead the implementation of a new Learning Management System (LMS) in partnership with a team of teachers and administrators, supporting training through summer inservice and back to school sessions for students and families.
• Promote a learning culture, incorporating professional development and reflective practices.
• Partner to oversee the integration of technology to enhance student learning.
• Provide the advice and professional development to help faculty members meet individual and school-wide goals and expectations.
• Lead the hiring process for faculty and ensure a high-quality induction program for new faculty. Inspire and support teachers to explore, implement, and assess innovative approaches to teaching and learning. 
• Assess, document, and develop curricular alignment.
• Collect, review and analyze student data to inform curricular decisions (short term and long term).
• Conduct in-house professional development workshops to sustain a professional learning culture.
• Collaborate with the Academic Administration and Learning Specialists (1) to ensure cohesion and alignment of support for teachers and students (2) to further develop cultural competencies and character within students and faculty (3) for special programming and leadership opportunities within the school community.
• Current programs include: Bridges and CPM Math, Orton Gillinham, Workshop, social emotional learning (through RULER), project-based learning and integrated learning, scientific inquiry, arts, music, design thinking.
• The successful candidate must be an experienced leader with strong classroom experience and a clear understanding of teacher training and curriculum development.

Leadership and Personal Qualities:

• Inspirational, pragmatic, diplomatic, and patient leadership that honors the core values of Woodland, but also encourages risk-taking. 
• Authentic empathy, warmth, and collegiality, and an ability to spread these qualities across an entire staff. 
• A passion for inspiring programmatic change, but an understanding that to do so requires establishing lasting peer-to-peer relationships. 
• An ability to create organizational systems and apply project management skills in support of gradual institutional-wide change within an academic program rooted in interpersonal connections and a familial culture. 
• Savvy communication and dynamic presentation skills — both written and oral.
• A collaborative, cooperative, and growth-oriented mindset. 
• Enthusiasm for students and teachers to pursue their passions, talents, and interests, both in and out of the traditional classroom. 
• A vision that is aligned with the needs of a dynamic and diverse staff. 
• A love of learning and love of school, and a willingness to support unique and unpredictable learning journeys of both young students and staff.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

We seek a dynamic individual who inspires students and faculty and who works collaboratively and creatively with colleagues in various curricular areas and divisions. Candidates should be passionate about teaching and learning, have a love for children and a deep understanding of the developmental ages and stages of elementary students.

• Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, which is a minimum requirement, though preferably possession of a graduate degree. 
• Teaching certificate or credential, and a minimum of five years professional experience as a lead classroom teacher or other equivalent experience. 
• Experience leading training and major initiatives related to curriculum, pedagogy,  and student experience — preferably at a school offering an Early Childhood - Grade 8 program. 
• Immersion in diversity work — both in training and in implementation—and a commitment to fostering culturally competent and inclusive classrooms. 
• Experience guiding parents and guardians on sensitive student-related matters.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills with the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with all constituents. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
• Collaborates well with colleagues of diverse backgrounds on pedagogical approaches, curricular alignment, and instructional strategies.
• Encourages collaborative teamwork in and out of the classroom, models effective communication skills for students and teachers, including justifying reasoning and considering multiple perspectives when solving problems.
• Leads by example and invests time in the life of the school by participating in all aspects that support the student and faculty experience.
• Demonstrates exemplary professional behavior, including discretion, good judgment, and integrity.
• Effectively interacts with a diverse population of students and faculty.
• All prospective employees must be able to clear a background check, LiveScan fingerprinting and TB screening.

Physical Demands and Work Environment 

The position can be physically demanding. Reasonable accommodations may be made if requested in advance. 

How to Apply

Candidates for this position must submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for a minimum of three references. Please combine all documents into a single PDF. 

Salary

The salary range for this position is $135,000-$155,000, depending on qualifications and experience.

Note

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

Woodland School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin in the administration of its educational or admission policies, financial aid distribution, or other school programs. Woodland School is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from candidates who reflect such diversity.

Please visit our application URL to apply. Thank you!