EdPost

The Blake School seeks to hire a PK-12 science department chair to lead the department starting in the 2025-26 school year. For this role, we seek&#8230; An Innovator A strong candidate will&#8230; &#8230;use creative solution-based thinking and seek new opportunities for student engagement. They will actively seek professional development opportunities and will be reflective, open to feedback and eager for professional collaboration. &#8230;have deep emotional intelligence, extensive teaching experience in a PK-12 environment and a passion for sharing best practice pedagogy in the field&#8212;especially modeling and inquiry-based curricula. &#8230;identify opportunities to expand or enhance the science curriculum within and across divisions. &#8230;design PK-12 and divisional department meetings and professional learning experiences. A Collaborator A strong candidate will&#8230; &#8230;partner with other department chairs and with division directors to design, coordinate and integrate course content and offerings. &#8230;work closely with department faculty to oversee the evolution and alignment of the science curriculum, consistent with Blake&#8217;s mission. &#8230;be a strong team member and contributor in administrative teams that convene to support institutional vision and mission. &#8230;collaborate closely with divisional administrators on hiring, retaining, coaching and evaluating department faculty. &#8230;collaborate with Admissions and Communications Offices to share with constituents and prospective families the department&#8217;s philosophy, vision and offerings. An Expert A strong candidate will&#8230; &#8230;see the opportunities and challenges inherent in working with adolescents and will eagerly embrace both. &#8230;have familiarity with adolescents' developmental growth for both vertical and horizontal alignment in the PK-12 science curriculum. &#8230; demonstrate familiarity with research about student learning, science curriculum design and constructivist teaching. &#8230;envision and support professional development for science faculty so that each teacher can effectively implement a wide range of best-practice instructional and assessment strategies. A Culture-Builder A strong candidate will&#8230; &#8230;be fully committed to meeting both the academic and social-emotional needs of students. &#8230;build community and collegiality by being a reliable and accessible presence across campuses and divisions. &#8230;possess an understanding of and commitment to modeling and teaching intercultural competence. &#8230;demonstrate the ability to understand and bridge diverse perspectives, identities, and lived experiences, and empower students to engage across differences. &#8230;be committed to equitable practices. &#8230;develop and maintain connections with relevant programs, institutions and thought leaders in the Twin Cities and beyond. A Professional A strong candidate will&#8230; &#8230;possess curiosity and continue to develop knowledge of content, curriculum and best practices in teaching and learning &#8230;possess strong communication skills and the ability to deftly navigate between communication appropriate to students, families and colleagues. The search committee will begin reviewing resumes on Jan. 15, 2025; we warmly welcome applications after that date as well. Blake will cover travel and lodging costs for finalist visits to campus. Experience and Skills: Curricular and Programmatic Leadership * Develop a thorough understanding of the curriculum through one-on-one conversations, classroom observations, department meetings and a careful review of current courses * Teach up to two class sections, modeling best practices in science instruction and inspiring a love of science in students * Represent the department&#8217;s program on school committees * Oversee and communicate about department budget Faculty Support and Evaluation * Work with division and assistant division directors to support faculty members within your department through their Effective Teaching Initiative (ETI) review process Qualifications: * Undergraduate degree in science with a strong preference for an advanced degree or work toward an advanced degree in a relevant field * Substantial professional experience in science education with a preference for experience teaching in multiple divisions PK-12 * Superb interpersonal and communication skills * Logistical and organizational acumen, reflecting the needs of a multi-campus, three-division school * Knowledge of and commitment to learning about best practices in science pedagogy * Demonstrated ability to coach and evaluate faculty * Demonstrated ability to manage budgets Department chairs work closely with division directors and report directly to the Associate Head of School. For a full job description and to apply online, visit www.blakeschool.org<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blakeschool.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cscsu-edpost%40stcloudstate.edu%7C46a6a6ab1fda46144e5808dd2686afd5%7C5011c7c60ab446ab9ef4fae74a921a7f%7C0%7C0%7C638709082105768471%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=UG7fgplnZKzCea2gAuf6uasHnrnAWke28uM%2BmEWVRVE%3D&reserved=0>.