DESCRIPTION

The English Department Chair engages members of the department in substantive conversation about teaching and learning and serves as its instructional and managerial leader for the English department. The Department chair will partner with the Academic Dean, High School Principal, and Middle School Principal in supporting the professional growth and development of department members, including teacher evaluation, and will play a key role in articulating the department's learning expectations to parents as well as new teachers and students. The English Department Chair will be required to teach English classes in 9^th-12^th grade.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Teaching

• Teaches English classes (Grade 9-12).
• Collaborates with other members of the department in preparing lessons for teaching and learning, in alignment with Oakwood’s mission and philosophy.
• Works closely with students to help them develop critical thinking and research skills.
• Evaluates student progress through a variety of assessment modes.
• Maintains student records, including online grades.
• Implements a wide array of classroom activities to address multiple learning styles.
• Communicates regularly with student-support team members: parents, teachers, student services, deans, and other administrators.
• Provides ongoing student feedback, both informal and formal, including written narrative evaluations.
• Meets with students and families, as needed.

Curriculum

• Guides the growth and development of a relevant, coherent and innovative curriculum, including specific attention to the areas of diversity, service learning and technology.

• Facilitates efforts to improve curricular coordination within the department
• Ensures articulation between the elementary, middle and high school programs
• Assesses the developmental appropriateness of the curriculum
• Stimulates interdisciplinary collaboration across departments
• Reviews annual course offerings and facilitates the development of new courses
• Ensures that curricular review is embedded within the regular work of the department
• Networks with others, both inside and outside of the independent school world, to remain aware of the trends in the field and to stimulate growth and innovation in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment

Faculty

• Works with the Academic Dean and Principals to determine appropriate professional development activities for the department and its individual members, including attention to middle school professional development opportunities
• Serves as an advisor to teachers in all matters pertaining to curriculum development, effective pedagogy, and classroom management
• Works with the Principals and Academic Dean in the recruitment and orientation of new faculty.
• Evaluates all members of the department according to the school's evaluation program
• Conveys, as appropriate, to the department members the substance of Department Chair meetings
• Periodically facilitates a process for evaluation of the Department Chair by the entire department
• Helps teachers develop ways to assess the effectiveness of their pedagogy and curriculum
• Monitors the professional conduct of department members and formally documents any disciplinary incidents involving teachers
• Assures that all department members are participating in the life of the school (e.g. advising, leading clubs, chaperoning events, attending sporting and performing arts events, supervising during lunch).
• Actively works with other administrators to support the well-being of faculty

Students

• Seeks to understand, and to foster conversation about, the quality of students' experiences with the curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment of the department
• Guides the department in using student feedback to inform instructional and curricular development, and to identify areas of professional growth

Administration

• Reports to the Principals
• Maintains congruence between the school's philosophy statement and the department's educational program
• Ensures that department members consistently implement the school's educational values, policies, and decisions
• Serves as a spokesperson for the department's program
• Meets regularly with Principals, Academic Dean, and other Department Heads on school policies and issues
• Determines, in consultation with the Principals and Academic Dean the short- and long-term staffing needs of the department
• Communicates with parents, as necessary, regarding student and teacher issues
• Actively supports the work of the Development, Marketing, and Admissions offices by attending public relations functions, actively marketing the department's program, and other relevant initiatives

Annual Tasks

• Develops an annual department budget
• Assumes responsibility for absent teachers-coverage of classes, homework assignments, proctoring assignments, and attendance obligations. As early as possible, reports a teacher's absence to the Registrar and the appropriate Division Head
• Oversees the ordering, receiving and distribution of textbooks.
• Represents the department at all admissions events
• Attends all Open Houses
• Reviews all written evaluations before passing them on to the High School Dean and/or Middle School Director
• Holds weekly scheduled department meetings and maintains records of such meetings
• Annually updates the Secondary Curriculum Guide as a process of curricular review and renewal
• Observes classes and provides faculty with constructive feedback
• Formally documents any disciplinary incidents involving teachers
• Proctors AP and ERB exams
• Works with the Academic Dean to ensure that relevant courses are UC-approved
• Attend weekly Department Chair meetings
• Reviews and maintains records relating to standardized test scores and course grades in department courses.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent must be able to do the following:

• Stand for extended periods
• Sit for extended periods
• Bend and reach for filing and other job-related functions
• Climb up and down stairs
• Bend, stoop, and lift to move and retrieve materials
• Pull, push, and lift
• Reach both above and below shoulder height.  

Specific visual abilities include the following:

• Close vision
• Color vision
• Depth perception, and
• The ability to adjust focus.
• Must be able to visually inspect work.
• Manual dexterity to operate computer and other office equipment required.

The physical demands described above 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.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 3+ years of English teaching experience required
• Masters in a Education or a related is preferred but not required
• 3+ years of Educational leadership is preferred
• Knowledge and experience with backwards design process for planning
• Maintains high quality standards and pays rigorous attention to details
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, possess curiosity and has an enthusiasm for learning
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and social justice both in and out of the classroom
• Positive attitude, flexible approach, and ability to develop close working relationships with students and colleagues

• Proficient computer skills with Google Drive and Microsoft Windows Office products

About Oakwood School

Oakwood School is a K-12 coeducational day school in North Hollywood, California that opened its doors in 1951. The school has remained faithful to its original mission ever since: to create a diverse educational environment where young people are partners with the adults who teach them and learn from them; where the best means of preparing students for the future is to immerse them in the present; where a healthy learning environment requires joy and humor as well as rigorous intensity; and where students’ intellectual and aesthetic depth – along with their capacity for empathy and moral courage – emerge out of authentic engagement with their teachers, one another, and the world around them.

Connections working at Oakwood School