Overview

Overview

We seek a high school science department chair who is passionate about curriculum, coaching, and culture. The science department chair will inspire teachers to excel in their craft, lead and champion our high school science vision, and ensure every student is provided rich, joyful learning experiences that unlocks lives of boundless choice. As members of the leadership team, they provide instructional and administrative leadership to the teaching staff, ensure our curriculum and instruction is driving results for all students, and help shape and drive the school’s distinctive culture. In short, they help bring the Ascend mission to life.

Why extraordinary leaders lead at Ascend

Ascend is a network of K-12 public charter schools serving 5,700 students in 15 schools across Brooklyn—New York’s most populous borough. Our undertaking is to lead our students on a great intellectual adventure, provide them with an exceptional college preparatory education, and place them firmly on the path to success in college and beyond.

We guide our students to think critically and independently and to enjoy education as an end in itself. We teach a rich and rigorous liberal arts curriculum that nurtures students’ natural curiosity about the world. We foster a positive, non-punitive school culture where students feel connected, empowered, and safe to take academic risks. Even our school buildings are designed to reflect our high aspirations for teaching and learning and the notable accomplishments that occur within our walls.

To create this kind of vibrant learning community, we invest heavily in our faculty by providing ongoing professional training and support, and encourage our educators to collaborate closely and push each other to achieve great outcomes. Leading at Ascend means growing deeply in your career, expressing your voice, and playing a defining role in the future of your students, your school, and the Ascend network.

Ascend is committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

Learn more about the Ascend approach by visiting our website.

Responsibilities

The department chair is responsible for and takes ownership of all aspects of the assigned subject in every grade. Additionally, the department chair will:

  • Build a collaborative team of adults who feel jointly responsible for the attainment of school goals
  • Manage the effective implementation curriculum and instruction, including supporting lesson planning processes and providing feedback to other content creators on their lessons
  • Plan and execute content team professional development sessions
  • Observe, coach, and mentor instructional staff to ensure that teaching is at all times intentional, engaging, and rigorous, and that teachers are creating a warm, structured, and responsive classroom culture
  • Monitor and assess teacher performance
  • Manage academic operations for their content team, including:support management of schedules, including coverage assignments, oversee assessment administration and execution of assessment and data systems, including teacher training on Illuminate, and compile and utilize data reports to achieve culture and academic vision and goals
  • Use data to drive instruction and school-wide decisions related to content
  • Build smooth and efficient working relations that positively impact academics; work closely and efficiently with the principal and Ascend Learning staff to ensure student success
  • Reinforce and maintain the school’s culture of high academic and behavioral achievement by utilizing the Ascend philosophy that discipline is an opportunity for learning, growth, and community-building
  • Drive partnership with the student services coordinator and students services team to ensure that all students, including those with exceptionalities, have the access and support needed to achieve
  • Work with parents, families, and caregivers to build and maintain strong relationships throughout the course of the school year
  • Create lesson plans, video content, and other associated lesson materials for one course
  • Hold office hours for any courses taught
  • Grade student work, provide student facing feedback on student work and communicate individual academic progress
  • Reinforce positive student behavior and establish rapport with students
  • Model exemplary teaching whenever necessary
  • Take on additional responsibilities that drive the achievement of targeted academic and cultural results

Staff and reporting relationships

The department chair reports directly to the principal. Additional collaboration occurs with other leadership team members and the Ascend network.

Qualifications

  • Expertise in teaching and working with scholars at high school level
  • At least three years of teaching with a proven track record of elevating student achievement, preferably in urban schools
  • At least one year of experience coaching and supervising teachers, with a proven track record of elevating student achievement preferred
  • At least one year of experience leading and managing a team of adults with a proven track record of improved effectiveness preferred
  • Bachelor’s degree, with advanced degree preferred
  • Strong collaboration and teamwork skills
  • Superb organizational, self-management, and problem-solving skills
  • Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
  • Demonstrated success using data to drive instruction, with a strong understanding of pedagogy that drives results
  • Insistence on academic excellence and rigor at all times
  • A hunger for feedback and an openness to engage in a process of self-improvement
  • Relentless drive to set and achieve ambitious achievement goals
  • A high level of ownership over the success or failure of the scholars they lead, defining success in terms of academic results
  • Alignment with the educational philosophy and core beliefs of Ascend Learning
  • Skilled at communicating and working effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives

Diversity at Ascend

Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

Compensation

Ascend Public Charter Schools offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. Please visit www.ascendcharterschools.org/careers to learn more about the benefits of working at Ascend.

Ascend’s Vaccination Policy Statement

To prevent the infection and spread of COVID-19, and protect the health and safety of staff, students, family members, interns, volunteers, and visitors to Ascend’s premises from COVID-19 infection, Ascend requires all staff to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated for the coronavirus. This policy is mandatory except for staff with a documented medical or religious reason for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

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