Position Title: Director of Instruction/Academic Lead
Reports To: Executive Director
Supervises: Coaches and Instructional staff (Lead Teachers, Assistant Teachers, Coordinators/Level Leads)
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Purpose:The Director of Instruction is responsible for the quality, coherence, and continuous improvement of teaching and learning across the school. The Director leads the school's instructional leadership team (in coordination with the Executive Director), ensuring authentic Montessori implementation, rigorous standards-aligned instruction, effective teacher development, and strong academic outcomes for all students. Working through the Lower School and Middle School Instructional Coaches, the Director establishes instructional systems, builds leadership capacity, and ensures consistent expectations for teaching and learning across grade levels.
Core Responsibilities:
Instructional Vision and Coherence: The Director of Instruction will:
- Collaboratively with the Executive Director, define and communicate a clear vision of excellent instruction aligned to both Montessori principles and grade-level standards
- Ensure consistency in instructional expectations across classrooms and grade levels
- Align curriculum, materials, and instructional practices across the school
- Ensure that Montessori structures (e.g., work cycle, materials, individualized instruction) are implemented with fidelity
Teacher Coaching and Evaluation: The Director of Instruction will:
- Collaboratively with the Executive Director, design and continuously improve the school's teacher coaching and evaluation system.
- Develop, supervise, and coach the Lower School and Middle School Instructional Coaches.
- Ensure high-quality classroom observations, coaching, and evaluations are conducted consistently across the school.
- Personally coach and evaluate assigned instructional staff and school leaders.
- Calibrate observation and evaluation practices to ensure consistency across evaluators.
- Support personnel decisions through evaluation, coaching, and performance management.
Student Outcomes and Academic Rigor: The Director of Instruction will:
- Ensure that all students make measurable progress toward grade-level standards over time
- Oversee systems for tracking student progress and academic data
- Analyze student performance data and identify trends and areas for improvement
- Ensure instruction reflects appropriate rigor (conceptual understanding, procedural skill, and application)
- Support teachers in aligning Montessori instruction to standards
Professional Development: The Director of Instruction will:
- Design and oversee a comprehensive professional learning program aligned to school priorities
- Delegate and facilitate professional learning through instructional coaches and teacher leaders
- Build teacher capacity in:
- Montessori instructional practices
- standards-aligned instruction
- designing high-quality formative assessments
- analyzing student work and assessment data
- using evidence to plan instruction and intervention
- Ensure PD translates into improved classroom practice
Instructional Leadership and Team Management: The Director of Instruction will:
- Supervise, coach, and develop the Lower School and Middle School Instructional Coaches.
- Build leadership capacity within the instructional leadership team.
- Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability across instructional leaders.
- Ensure consistency in instructional expectations, teacher development, and student experience across grade levels.
- Facilitate regular instructional leadership team meetings focused on instructional improvement and school priorities.
- Collaborate with the student services department to ensure instructional alignment and supports for all students.
- Partner with the Executive Director to develop instructional leaders and succession capacity.
Data-Driven Instructional Leadership: The Director of Instruction will:
- Design and implement a coherent schoolwide assessment and data cycle that provides timely, actionable information about student learning.
- Establish systems and routines for teachers and instructional leaders to regularly analyze student work, assessment results, and progress toward standards.
- Build teachers' and instructional leaders' capacity to interpret data and use it to make instructional decisions, plan interventions, and differentiate instruction.
- Facilitate regular data meetings that move beyond reviewing results to identifying root causes, instructional adjustments, and measurable next steps.
- Ensure formative, benchmark, and classroom assessment practices are aligned and produce reliable information to guide instruction.
- Develop a culture in which data is viewed as a tool for continuous improvement rather than compliance.
- Partner with instructional coaches to monitor the impact of instructional changes and adjust supports based on evidence of student learning.
- Use schoolwide achievement trends to identify priorities for coaching, professional learning, curriculum refinement, and resource allocation.
Systems and Accountability: The Director of Instruction will:
- Establish clear systems for:
- lesson planning and instructional alignment
- student assessment and progress monitoring
- teacher evaluation and feedback
- Ensure accountability for instructional quality across the school
- Develop and maintain annual assessment calendars, data protocols, and instructional response cycles.
- Ensure every assessment administered leads to meaningful instructional action at the classroom, team, and school levels.
- Support academic hiring
- Identify and address inconsistencies in implementation
Essential Functions:The essential functions of the Director of Instruction position include, but are not limited to:
- Leading and overseeing the implementation of high-quality instructional practices aligned to Montessori philosophy, academic standards, and school priorities
- Supervising, developing, and evaluating instructional leaders while ensuring high-quality coaching, evaluation, and professional growth for instructional staff across the school
- Conducting regular classroom observations and providing actionable feedback to improve teacher practice and student outcomes
- Designing and implementing instructional systems related to curriculum, assessment, progress monitoring, and teacher development
- Analyzing student performance data and using findings to guide instructional improvement efforts
- Planning and facilitating professional development aligned to instructional priorities and organizational goals
- Collaborating effectively with school leaders, teachers, student support staff, and families to ensure consistent instructional expectations and student support
- Managing multiple instructional priorities, timelines, initiatives, and personnel responsibilities simultaneously
- Communicating clearly and professionally in written and verbal formats, including presentations, coaching conversations, evaluations, and instructional documentation
- Participating in meetings, professional development, school events, and other leadership responsibilities as assigned
- Performing duties that require frequent movement throughout the school building and active engagement with staff and students across instructional settings
- Regular and reliable attendance
Performance Expectations:Performance will be evaluated based on:
Instructional Quality and Consistency
- Evidence of strong Montessori practice across classrooms
- Clear, consistent instructional expectations
Data-Driven Instruction and Student Outcomes
- Teachers consistently use student assessment data to adjust instruction.
- Regular data cycles and instructional planning meetings occur across all grade levels.
- Evidence that instructional decisions and interventions are informed by student performance data.
- Schoolwide assessment systems provide timely, reliable information to improve teaching and learning.
Teacher Effectiveness
- Growth in teacher practice
- Quality and consistency of coaching and feedback
Systems Implementation
- Clear, functional instructional systems
- Consistency in execution across classrooms
Leadership Capacity
- Instructional coaches demonstrate strong instructional leadership.
- Teacher coaching and evaluation are consistent across grade levels.
- Leadership responsibilities are effectively delegated while maintaining coherence across the school.
Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or Curriculum and Instruction required
- Valid Massachusetts educator licensure required; Massachusetts Administrator license (or eligibility to obtain) preferred.
- Montessori certification (AMI, AMS, or equivalent) preferred; candidates without Montessori credentials must demonstrate a commitment to obtaining certification.
- Massachusetts Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Administrator Endorsement or eligibility to obtain as required by DESE.
- Minimum of seven years of successful teaching experience, including elementary and/or Montessori settings preferred.
- Minimum of three years of experience as an assistant principal, curriculum lead, or comparable role
- Demonstrated success improving instructional quality through coaching, evaluation, and professional learning.
- Demonstrated experience leading schoolwide instructional improvement initiatives and using student achievement data to drive decision-making.
- Experience supervising, evaluating, and developing educators required.
Key Competencies:
- Expertise in instructional leadership and adult learning
- Deep understanding of Montessori philosophy and instructional practice
- Strong knowledge of curriculum design, standards-based instruction, and assessment
- Ability to develop instructional leaders and build leadership capacity
- Data-driven decision making and continuous improvement
- Systems thinking and organizational leadership
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills
- Strategic planning and execution
- Sense of humor and willingness to bring joy to the work
Salary Range: $90,000 - $110,000 per year
Additional Employment Information:
Equal Employment Opportunity: RVCS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth, and related medical conditions), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military service or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer and compensationRVCS prohibits unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind.
At-Will Employment: Employment with RVCS is at-will. This means that either the employee or RVCS may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice, to the extent permitted by applicable law. Nothing in this job description or any other document shall be construed to create a contract of employment or alter the at-will nature of employment.
ADA Accommodation Statement: RVCS is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state and local laws. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the positionRVCS will engage in an interactive process to determine appropriate accommodations. Applicants or employees who require an accommodation should notify Human Resources.
Job Duties Disclaimer: This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications required for the position. RVCS reserves the right to modify, assign, or remove duties and responsibilities at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with business needs.
Pay: $90,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
