Academic Dean

Academic Deans coach and develop our teachers who close gaps in student achievement. Academic Deans are model teachers who drove results for students in their own classrooms, are pedagogical experts who can teach the art and science of teaching to others, and have experience leading, managing, and coaching adults. 

The Academic Dean’s primary responsibility is to drive and own instructional outcomes for students by spending the majority of their time (approximately 70%) on instructional leadership and teacher development. They set and execute the vision for lower and upper school and STEM and Humanities on their campuses in alignment with the network’s instructional visions and are the key drivers for student achievement for a subset of the student population. Academic Deans drives results by coaching a caseload of teachers including high performers, new to career, and underperforming. In the remaining 30% of their time, Academic Deans will support student and staff culture collaborating with Deans of Students, Deans of Fellows, Grade Level Chairs, and Department Chairs. 

Specifically, academic Deans at GOLCS are responsible for driving:

• Staff culture across K-2, 3-4, STEM, Humanities, or Electives & Intervention
• Teacher development 
• Growth and achievement on iReady and NJSLA

Instructional Leadership

• Knows essential content, rigor of standards, and highly effective teaching strategies well enough to establish and maintain a standard and coach it; is able to readily adapt to leverage resources across subject areas
• Develops the capacity of teachers in achieving results through observations, walkthroughs, real time coaching, and data analysis through weekly 1:1 coaching meetings focused on student data and coaching towards goals
• Collaborates with Achievement Directors and other Network Academic team members to monitor achievement data and unit level/lesson level intellectual prep and inform the development of teachers
• Manages the effective implementation of HQIM on their campuses, including providing feedback to teachers on their lesson plans or internalization. 
• Supports partnership with teachers and Associate Director of Special Services to ensure that all students, including those with exceptionalities, have the access and support needed to achieve
• Audits, analyzes, and progress monitors data weekly to inform strategic decisions and priorities
• Designs and leads high quality professional development such that it results in improved teacher effectiveness
• Ensures there’s an effective testing environment, investment, and procedures for testing in collaboration with the Network Operations and Academic teams.

Student Culture

• Consistently reinforces high expectations for all students all the time
• Actively develops school culture where students find joy in learning and where students are joyful and engaged
• Creates a culture in which teachers build strong and lasting relationships with students, especially the most challenging students
• Builds an inclusive student environment, ensuring that all student voices are heard and incorporated
• Speaks to violations of culture and holds staff accountable to values / professional infractions with interactions with kids

Staff Culture

• Celebrates and shows appreciation regularly for teammates
• Actively develops school culture where teachers find joy in teaching and student learning
• Consistently models and reinforces high expectations for all staff all the time
• Develops clearly articulated systems through coaching, department meetings, and/or grade level meetings for how the staff culture will function 

Community Engagement

• Engages families and community stakeholders proactively and productively as partners in school goals. Works with families who have concerns and helps address them.
• Creates a culture and expectation that teachers reach out to parents and enlist their proactive support in their child’s long-term success

Talent Management

• Ensures each direct report has a high quality performance management process including regular observations, assignment of action steps, and thoughtful, written weekly feedback and evaluations
• Identifies top performing teachers at regular points throughout the school year and works strategically to retain them
• Manages struggling performers through goal setting and increased support. Manages out low performers when necessary

Qualifications

Must-Haves:

• College degree: has a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Teaching Experience: has taught for a minimum of four years and has student achievement scores to speak to their effectiveness. As a leader for teachers in our organization, the person in this role needs to have walked the walk. 
• Deep content expert: stays afloat of current research in school culture and instruction via reading and professional development. 
• Strong data analysis skills: can look at a multiple departments’ data set, diagnose challenges, and immediately recommend clear next steps for their teams of teachers
• Visionary and dreamer: can develop and drive an inspirational and audacious vision for their team that will yield results for students.
• Detail-oriented and logistical: prioritizes the micro details as much as the vision and can take an idea from theory to practice. 
• Excellent communication skills: can speak and write clearly, specifically, and cohesively about the discipline and all the nitty gritty details stakeholders will need to know in order to achieve results for students. 
• Just do it: does not always need to be told what to do; has insight to determine what needs to be done based on assessing gaps and asking the appropriate questions; can manage multiple projects at once

Nice-to-Haves:

• An advanced degree (Masters or Doctorate) in Curriculum and Instruction or Educational leadership  
• A state issued license as a teacher, supervisor, or principal

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Great Oaks Legacy Charter School offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans w/ comprehensive network coverage.
• Tax exempt student loan and tuition reimbursement per year.*
• Reimbursement for external professional development aligned to your role.
• Wellness reimbursement benefit including gym memberships, spa services, and more.*
• Online counseling services - for staff and their dependents - via top-rated therapy app.*
• Pre-tax state pension plan benefit w/ addl. options available via voluntary retirement plans.
• Pre-tax dependent care, health, and transit flexible spending plans available.
• Convenient health screening and telemedicine support via VitalCheck Wellness platform.

ABOUT GREAT OAKS LEGACY CHARTER SCHOOL

Great Oaks Legacy Charter School (GOLCS) is a free, open-enrollment public charter school system in Newark, New Jersey, educating students from Pre-K to 12th grade.  Our mission is to prepare every student for college success.  GOLCS currently educates more than 2,100 students across seven campuses in the greater Newark area.

We provide all children with the support they need - inclusive of resources that acknowledge and address systemic inequities - to be empowered to thrive.  We bridge the educational opportunity gap by supporting rigorous academics with daily individualized tutoring within a community committed to supporting equity and diversity.

These three principles guide our work, every day, in support of our students and mission:

1. Creating a community that is built upon genuine and meaningful relationships;
2. Being surgical in our approach to differentiation of instruction and support of all students and team members;

Setting and exceeding high expectations for academic growth and character development for all students, in preparation for success in college and beyond.         

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & ACCESSIBILITY

GOLCS is committed to building a talented team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. Furthermore, we believe that racial justice and equity is critical to our mission of preparing students for success in college and beyond. We strive to be an organization that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and elevates our student voices in preparing them for life and college.

GREAT OAKS LEGACY CHARTER SCHOOL VACCINATION POLICY

Great Oaks Legacy Charter School is committed to ensuring healthy and safe working and learning environments, and maintaining our educational commitment to GOLCS students and families - with minimal disruption to instruction. With this in mind, as of October 2021, Great Oaks Legacy requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Candidates who would like to apply for a reasonable accommodation from this policy based on a qualifying disability or sincerely held religious belief should reach out to HR@greatoakslegacy.org for more information.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT

Great Oaks Legacy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.