SUMMARY

Woodland School, an independent day school situated on 10.5 acres in the beautiful and serene community of Portola Valley, is to many people a “hidden gem.” One of the few independent schools on the San Francisco Peninsula to serve early childhood through grade eight, Woodland School benefits from an open and wooded campus that provides children room to breathe, space to play, and freedom to explore the environment around them — all beneficial to their social, emotional, and cognitive growth.

With its 40th anniversary this year, Woodland is arguably no longer hidden, though it remains unequivocally a gem of a school. Last year, Woodland welcomed a new head of school, who brings passion for, and extensive experience with, elementary academics — from teaching and learning to curriculum and design. Now, Woodland seeks a thoughtful educator to step into the role of director of teaching, learning, and professional growth for kindergarten through grade eight. At a small school administrators wear many hats, and Woodland is no exception. However, first and foremost Woodland will want its director to put on the hat of teacher support, mentorship, and development. To that end, Woodland sees academic innovation aligned as much with supporting the growth of the adults on campus as it does with managing content and curriculum. The director of teaching, learning, and professional growth begins July 1, 2021 and reports to the head of school.

For more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.

                  http://www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/Woodland

IMPORTANT DATES

Applications Accepted Starting: March 4, 2021

Application Deadline: March 25, 2021 at 5:00pm PDT

Semifinal Round: April 1, 2021

Final Round: April 12 – 16, 2021

Decision Announced: April 30, 2021

Start Date: July 1, 2021

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Teaching and Learning

• Work with the head of school and the faculty to articulate, implement, evaluate, and continually improve the K-8 instructional and curricular program at Woodland.
• 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.
• 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.

Professional Growth

• Foster a culture of faculty growth and oversee the annual process of teacher goal setting and evaluation.
• Stay on top of current trends, research, and emerging ideas in the education landscape in order to support academic invention and transformative change.
• Guide and lead the faculty in its exploration, implementation, and assessment of modern learning approaches that improve learning outcomes.
• Facilitate a professional development program that aligns with the pedagogical goals of the school and is customized to the differentiated needs of teachers.

Leadership and Administration

• Serve as an active and engaged member of the senior administrative team.
• Provide guidance to families on matters of curriculum and pedagogy, and develop productive partnerships with and educational opportunities for families.
• Establish and maintain external curricular and programmatic partnerships.
• Be present in classrooms, during special events, and at admission functions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

WOODLAND IS LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO CAN DEMONSTRATE

Professional Qualifications and Experience:

• Experience leading trainings and major initiatives related to curriculum, pedagogy, and student experience — preferably at an early childhood to grade eight school
• 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
• Multiple years of experience as an elementary or middle school teacher
• Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, which is a minimum requirement, though preferably possession of a graduate degree

Leadership and Personal Qualities:

• Inspirational, pragmatic, diplomatic, and patient leadership that honors the core values of Woodland, while also encouraging risk-taking
• Authentic empathy, warmth, and collegiality, and an ability to spread these qualities across an entire staff
• A passion for inspiring programmatic change, with 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 institution-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 faculty
• A love of learning and love of school, and a willingness to support unique and unpredictable learning journeys of both students and staff

TO APPLY

For more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.

                  http://www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/Woodland

Woodland School is committed to developing diversity within our community and complies with all federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, or handicapped status in the selection of the Board, in the employment of personnel, in the admission of students, or in the administration of the school’s programming.