Title: Director of Academics and Special Projects
Division: School Support Office (SSO)
Location: School Support Office (SSO)
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Status: Full-time, Exempt
Salary Scale: $110,000-$139,000 (based on experience and expertise)
- Scales are competitive with other charter school organizations and local districts.
Caliber’s Mission is to achieve educational equity by shifting the experiences, expectations and outcomes for students in historically underserved communities. Our strengths-based educational program validates, affirms, respects and supports students, families and staff members to reach their full potential. Caliber graduates will be academically college ready; have emotional intelligence or ‘EQ’; be critical thinkers, and have the skills and desire to be changemakers in their communities and the world.
Caliber’s four graduate pillars-Heart, Smart, Think, Act-guide our work. We are a community-based organization and celebrate the diversity of the communities we serve. Our parents are active partners; frequently engaging through school events, restorative practices, and academic support.
We are looking for educators and leaders who want the opportunity to use their voice, their skills and their passion to work in partnership with our students and their families on their goals. Our first school, Beta Academy in Richmond, CA, opened in 2014 and ChangeMakers Academy in Vallejo, CA opened in fall 2016. Both Beta and ChangeMakers are currently TK-8 campuses serving almost 2,000 students.
Position Summary
Director of Academics and Special Projects is a key member of the instructional leadership team at Caliber Public Schools, playing a crucial role in shaping and executing the network's vision and strategic plan to meet its annual goals. In collaboration with the other members of the Education Team, the Director of Academics and Special Projects ensures Caliber Public Schools accomplishes its annual academic goals along with other special projects.
Essential Job Functions Director of Academics and Special Projects:
Special Projects: Teacher Effectiveness Rubric Implementation: Lead the multi-phase rollout of Hendy Avenue Instructional Excellence Rubric across our network.
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Leadership Calibration & Alignment:
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Facilitate, monitor, and lead calibration sessions for the instructional leadership team to ensure of leaders achieve inter-rater calibration on all priority indicators of the Hendy Avenue Rubric
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Ensure that Instructional Phases (based on Hendy Indicators) are implemented with fidelity across our network
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Provide consultation to school based instructional leaders on fidelity of implementation on priority indicators
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Inspect fidelity of implementation on priority indicators across our network
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Performance Management & Goal Setting:
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Oversee the Beginning-of-Year (BOY) Goal Setting process, ensuring 100% of instructional staff successfully establish 3 annual professional goals during their Beginning-of-Year One-on-Ones (O3s).
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Manage the ongoing coaching and development process to ensure at least 50% of instructional staff progress by at least one full level toward or past "Proficient - Level 3" on the Hendy Avenue Rubric by the end of the academic year.
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Evaluation Compliance: Direct and audit the End-of-Year (EOY) evaluation cycle, ensuring all instructional staff receive a fully calibrated, complete EOY rating across all indicators of the Hendy Avenue Rubric by end of year
Special Projects: Student Achievement, Data Cycles, and Corrective Instruction: Oversee and coach the instructional team to maintain fidelity across all subjects on our Phases Tracker while driving targeted interventions that yield student growth within Math and ELA units.
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Accountability & Compliance Management: Implement and oversee the weekly coaching tracker to ensure team-wide compliance, holding staff accountable to a 90% fidelity rate according to the priority Exit Ticket schedule:
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Grades K–1: Math (1 per week)
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Grades 2–8: Math (1) and ELA (1) per week
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Grades 5–8: Science (1) and Social Studies (1) per week
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Instructional Leadership & Performance Tracking: Lead and coach instructional leaders to ensure their staff analyze weekly data trends, ensuring their teaching interventions yield an increase from priority exit tickets in Math and ELA (Grades 3–8).
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Strategic Growth & Evaluation: Monitor, evaluate, and support the instructional team's execution of remediation strategies, ensuring they successfully drive student growth from the beginning to the end of each unit in Math and ELA (Grades 3–8).
Additional Special Projects: Lead or support other time-bound projects aligned to strategic priorities, as assigned by the Senior Leaders of the School Support Team.
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Conduct research, draft communications, or build tools and trackers to support decision-making and organizational effectiveness
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Collaborate with cross-functional teams to pilot or implement new initiatives
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Provide project management support including timelines, work plans, and progress monitoring
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Assist in the preparation of materials and presentations for internal and external stakeholders
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Jump in to support other high-priority operational or programmatic needs as they arise
Working Conditions:
Environment:
This job operates in a school/classroom environment. This role routinely uses standard classroom equipment such as laptop computers, photocopiers, whiteboards, fitness equipment, and Chromebooks, etc. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of this position.
Physical Abilities:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position classification involves sitting with some walking and standing for extended periods of time. Staff may be required to lift, pull or push objects approximately 50 pounds or less. The employee will encounter exposure to ill students. The position requires mobility to climb, kneel, stoop, crawl, reach and bend, and accurate perceiving of sound; near and far vision with the ability to read small print; depth dexterity; and the providing of oral information and direction. The position is primarily located at a school site with outside supervision and some district office visits. The employee will frequently work independently with high work volume and tight deadlines.
Qualifications
Required:
Education/Experience
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Bachelor’s Degree
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Prior experience leading professional development
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Prior school-based leadership experience
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3-5 years experience teaching in an underserved community, preferably across a range of grades
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A proven track record of improving student achievement, with data documenting improved student outcomes
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Record of success in managing people and teams, coaching teachers to improve and excel, and building a positive and collaborative adult culture
Other:
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Legal authorization to work in the U.S.
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Within 60 days of hire, provision of Tuberculosis (TB) clearance, as mandated by the California Education Code
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CA DOJ and FBI fingerprint (Livescan) clearance prior to the first day of school
Preferred:
Education/Experience:
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Master’s degree or other Advanced Degree
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Teaching credential
Values:
Caliber staff…
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are committed to a culture of feedback, development and continuous improvement.
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validate and affirm the identities, strengths and passions of each person.
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know that It is everyone’s collective responsibility to work in service of and alongside our school communities.
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approach situations and people with empathy and kindness.
Caliber Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Questions? Email [email protected]
If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected]
