Senior Director of Academics

Envision Education seeks a Senior Director of Academics & ELA. This network-level instructional leader who sets a vision of excellence for our academic program, can drive achievement of that vision through systems-level planning and collaboration, provides top-notch professional development for our leaders and teachers, stewards the development of our students’ literacy skills, and ensures that all students are receiving high-quality instruction in alignment with the Envision model.

Who We Are

Our mission is to transform the lives of students - especially those who will be the first in their family to attend college - by preparing them for success in college, career, and life. Envision Education currently operates four small schools in San Francisco, Oakland, and Hayward, as well as a national educational consulting firm called Envision Learning Partners. Envision Education has made an explicit commitment to becoming an exemplar network of schools with an instructional and cultural vision rooted in an anti-racist and pro-Black framework. The following represents Envision Schools’ vision for 21st-century skills, character traits, and cognitive and social-emotional skills that learners need for success in college, career, and life.

• Knowledge and Love of Self and Land
• Collectivism
• Critical Thinking
• Self Determination
• Criticality
• Leadership

Who You Are

• You are equity-focused. You are unapologetic about your deeply held belief that all children can achieve. You believe that anti-racist and pro-Black practices and frameworks are essential to change the status quo for all students.
• You are collaborative. You make decisions in partnership with others, focused on what is best for the students.
• You are invested in our core values. You hold high expectations for the entire school community. You examine your own biases in your pursuit of equity for all.

Studies have shown that women and people of the global majority are less likely to apply if they do not meet every one of the qualifications. We are interested in finding values-aligned educators and leaders from a variety of backgrounds. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet every one of our qualifications listed. If you are unsure whether you meet the qualifications of this position, we encourage you to apply and share your experience and questions as part of your cover letter.

THE POSITION

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, the Senior Director of Academics and ELA is responsible for orchestrating the overall academic program for Envision’s four Bay Area schools. In addition, the leader manages the details of the English Language Arts program. This leader collaborates closely with the Director of STEM, the Superintendent of Schools, and the Associate Director of Special Education. This position requires weekly travel around the Bay Area to our network office and various school sites, working in classrooms with school leaders and teacher coaches.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leading and Codifying Envision’s Academic Program

• Communicate a vision for excellent teaching and learning across Envision Schools.
• Ensure that all Envision students have access to high-quality, grade-level curricula in every subject, aligned to state standards and the Envision model. 
• With fellow leaders, develop functional objectives as well as mid-term and long-term plans to achieve vision for curriculum and instruction. 
• Lead continuous improvement of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, informed by student performance data across the network. 
• Collaborate with school site leaders to maintain a course catalog and master schedule that prepares students for success in college (including A-G access, Advanced Placement, etc.)
• Document the what and the how of Envision’s academic program so that schools understand it and can implement it with fidelity.
• Ensure that instruction at Envision exemplifies rigor and inquiry and provides students with opportunities for project-based learning and high-quality performance assessment.

Engaging and Challenging Our Students as Readers and Writers (ELA focus)

• Provide focused leadership of our English Language Arts program.
• Ensure that schools are implementing an ELA curriculum that meets our students' needs, culturally and pedagogically.
• Design a robust system of diagnostics and interventions for students’ literacy skills. Organize and maintain ELA instructional programs and services in a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).
• Through professional development, develop the skills of site-based ELA teacher coaches, in partnership with school leaders.

Assessing Our Learners 

• Design and lead a coherent assessment system that is holistic, compliant with state standards, and exemplifies the Envision commitment to high-quality performance assessment. 
• Manage and continuously improve Envision's diagnostic and interim assessments to gather meaningful formative data.
• Develop and implement systems for teachers to use data in their planning and instruction and for that data to be shared with students.
• In collaboration with other Instructional Leaders and the Data & Assessment team, analyze performance data and drive network-wide and classroom-level action as a result.

Designing and Implementing High-Quality Professional Development

• Develop and implement professional development arcs for teachers, coaches, and site leaders that are aligned to our vision.
• Lead—and support others to lead—professional development for school leaders, coaches, teachers, and learning specialists.
• Steward the quality of Envision’s coaching model, which includes practices in observation-feedback, intellectual preparation, and student work analysis.
• Assess the impact of PD and continuously improve based on performance data and promising practices.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 7-8 years of relevant experience in education.
• At least 5-8 years of experience in academic programming or coaching.
• A Bachelor of Arts or Science Degree, Preferred: Related MA Degree or M.Ed.
• Demonstrated success working with parents and families, especially Black, African American, Latino/a/x, and immigrant families.
• Previous experience developing and facilitating adult learning/training.
• Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment.
• Detail oriented with exceptionally strong follow-up and follow-through skills.
• Superb communication skills, both written and verbal. Can distill complexity into clarity.
• Training in or familiarity with the Relay coaching model (preferred).
• Training or experience in project-based or inquiry-based learning (preferred).
• Naturally and readily assumes responsibility to fix problems and create improvements.
• Ability to quickly and effectively build relationships with, motivate, and engage a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Skilled at analyzing, interpreting, and using data to collaborate, identify best practices and areas for improvement, and drive results.
• Commitment to the mission of Envision Education.
• Commitment to anti-racist and pro-Black leadership and practices in the workplace.
• Once hired, continuous current California residency.

LOCATION
This position is home-based in our Oakland office, and requires weekly visits to our three campuses in Oakland, San Francisco, and Hayward.
 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Commensurate with experience and credentials. The starting range for this role is between $130,000 and $150,000.
• Paid sick leave.
• Paid vacation time.
• Excellent health benefits package with employer contribution to benefits.
• Optional Flexible Benefits Plan, including dependent care, medical care, parking, and commuter benefits.
• Retirement system from CalSTRS
• 403b Plan.
• Life Insurance at no cost to employee.

As an equal opportunity employer, we believe deeply in diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all people. Envision Education recruits, employs, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, and the many other characteristics that make us diverse.

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