Posted: 17-Jun-26
Location: Pasadena, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: $80,000 to $110,000
Categories:
Poly is seeking a K–2 Academic Dean to support the strength, consistency, and growth of the early elementary academic program. This role partners closely with the Lower School Director and the 3–5 Academic Dean, and collaborates with the Lower School leadership team, including the Dean of Teaching and Learning and the Dean of Student Life, to support high-quality instruction, curriculum alignment, student intervention, parent education, and schoolwide initiatives.
The K–2 Academic Dean serves as both an academic leader and instructional coach, working alongside teachers to strengthen instructional practice, support lesson design, use assessment data meaningfully, and implement developmentally appropriate strategies for differentiation and student support. This individual also works directly with students, inside or outside of the classroom, when targeted academic intervention, observation, modeling, or short-term skill support is needed. The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of early childhood development, foundational literacy and numeracy, play-based learning, developmentally appropriate practice, and early intervention, along with a commitment to culturally responsive teaching, inclusive instructional practices, and learning environments where all students feel seen, supported, and challenged.
Reporting to the Director of the Lower School, the successful candidate will take a student-centered approach to all school work and will use the school’s mission to design and support the academic, extracurricular, social, and emotional success of students.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Specific duties include, but are not limited to the following:
Instructional Coaching and Faculty Support
- Partner with K–2 teachers to strengthen instructional practice through observation, reflection, feedback, and coaching.
- Support teachers with lesson design, differentiation, classroom instruction, assessment practices, and student support.
- Serve as a thought partner as teachers respond to a range of student learning needs.
- Help teachers use student work, classroom observations, and assessment data to inform instruction and determine next steps.
- Support professional growth through modeling, co-planning, resource sharing, and reflective conversations. Build trusting relationships with faculty through a coaching stance grounded in collaboration and respect.
- Support teachers in implementing culturally responsive, inclusive, and student-centered instructional practices.
Curriculum Alignment and Program Development
- Support curriculum review, development, and alignment across Kindergarten through Grade 2.
- Ensure that early elementary instruction reflects developmentally appropriate practice, play-based learning, and strong foundational skill development.
- Partner with grade-level teams to ensure that curriculum is coherent, appropriately paced, developmentally appropriate, and aligned with Lower School priorities.
- Review curriculum and instructional materials with attention to representation, accessibility, developmental appropriateness, and alignment with the school’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
- Help identify curriculum needs, gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for stronger alignment across grade levels.
- Work with the 3–5 Academic Dean to support vertical alignment across Kindergarten through Grade 5.
- Support the implementation of schoolwide academic priorities and instructional initiatives.
- Order major curriculum materials and instructional resources for K–2 teams in collaboration with the Lower School Director.
Student Support and Academic Intervention
- Collaborate with the Dean of Teaching and Learning, who leads the student support process, to identify students who may need additional academic intervention, extension, or enrichment.
- Provide direct academic support to students, inside or outside of the classroom, through targeted intervention, observation, modeling, or short-term skill support.
- Partner with teachers, Dean of Teaching and Learning, and families to develop appropriate academic supports.
- Monitor student progress and help determine next steps for intervention, extension, or additional support.
- Participate in student support meetings and assist with documentation, follow-up, and communication.
- Help ensure that academic support is coordinated, responsive, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and aligned with classroom instruction.
- Collaborate with the Dean of Student Life when academic concerns intersect with behavior, discipline, peer dynamics, classroom engagement, or social-emotional needs.
Team Meetings and Instructional Leadership
- Attend K–2 grade-level team meetings regularly to provide instructional guidance, support curriculum planning, and help address student learning needs.
- At times, lead horizontal team meetings focused on grade-level curriculum, instruction, assessment, and student progress.
- At times, lead vertical team meetings to strengthen alignment across grade levels and ensure continuity of skills, expectations, and instructional practices.
- Serve as a thought partner for teachers as they plan units, review student work, analyze assessment data, and determine next steps for instruction.
- Partner closely with the Lower School Director to ensure that team meeting work is aligned with broader Lower School goals and priorities.
Parent Education and Family Partnership
- Partner with the Lower School Director and Lower School leadership team to support parent education connected to curriculum, instruction, child development, assessment, and student support.
- Help plan and facilitate parent workshops, grade-level parent sessions, and other family-facing learning opportunities as needed.
- Support clear and thoughtful communication with families around academic programming, curriculum priorities, and student learning.
- Collaborate with teachers and school leaders to ensure that family communication is aligned, developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and supportive of the school’s mission.
Lower School Leadership and Schoolwide Initiatives
- Partner closely with the Lower School Director to support teaching, learning, faculty growth, and student progress.
- Collaborate with the Lower School leadership team to support schoolwide initiatives and ensure alignment across academic, student support, and community priorities.
- Help implement and sustain Lower School initiatives related to curriculum, instruction, assessment, student support, professional growth, and belonging.
- Collaborate with the Dean of Teaching and Learning, Dean of Student Life, and other members of the leadership team to ensure that academic, social-emotional, and behavioral supports are aligned.
- Serve as a visible and collaborative member of the Lower School leadership team, supporting faculty, students, and families in ways that strengthen the overall program.
Professional and Community Responsibilities
- Regularly participate in professional development opportunities to maintain and grow expertise in early childhood development, foundational literacy and numeracy, structured literacy, academic intervention, instructional coaching, assessment practices, and developmentally appropriate teaching.
- Attend Lower School meetings, workshops, and in-service programs;
- Serve as a “Panther Pod” advisory leader;
- Enthusiastically participate in the greater life of the school;
- Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in education or a related field required; master’s degree preferred.
- Significant experience teaching elementary-aged students, preferably in Kindergarten through Grade 2.
Literacy, Numeracy, and Intervention
- Certification or training in Orton-Gillingham, or a comparable structured literacy program, required.
- Strong understanding of early childhood development, foundational literacy, phonological awareness, decoding, encoding, and early writing development.
- Strong understanding of number sense, foundational numeracy, and early math development.
- Experience supporting student intervention, including identifying academic needs, providing targeted support, monitoring progress, and partnering with teachers and Dean of Teaching and Learning to determine next steps.
Instructional Coaching and Curriculum
- Experience with instructional coaching, including observing teachers, providing feedback, modeling lessons, and supporting instructional growth.
- Familiarity with developmentally appropriate practice, play-based learning, differentiated instruction, assessment, and early academic intervention.
- Ability to build trust with teachers and provide clear, supportive, actionable feedback.
Collaboration and Professional Practice
- Strong communication, collaboration, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Commitment to inclusive, student-centered, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate teaching practices.
- Educational and leadership philosophy aligned with the mission of Polytechnic School.
