Adolescent Instructional Program Director

Job Description

Title: Adolescent Instructional Program Director
Classification: 1.0 full-time, exempt, Management/Administration
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Compensation: Commensurate with experience, compensation is comparable to leadership roles within regional charter schools.
Report to: Executive Director
School Year: 2025-2026, starting July 2025

General description:
The Instructional Program Director serves as an administrative school manager and leader of the Adolescent program. The Director will provide oversight, management, and leadership of the Adolescent program (grades 7-12), specifically focusing curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and coaching guides. The Instructional Program Director works in close collaboration with the Adolescent Operations Program Director, who supervises and manages all logistical and operations components of the Adolescent Program, including Key Experiences, Wednesday Montessori programming, scheduling and other logistics. The Instructional Program Director position is accountable for aligning practices and systems at the Adolescent to meet the mission and vision of the school. This role is responsible for addressing all instructional aspects of the program, collaborating with colleagues where appropriate, and carrying accountability for making the program work well for students and employees.

Main duties include:
Monitor and guide implementation of Montessori and IB pedagogy at the level;
Prepare and plan strategy to best support the needs of the school and level;
Align the communication and practices of the level to support the mission and strategic vision of the school
Manage responses and solutions as challenges arise;
Observes, supervises, provides feedback and instructional coaching for general education guides at the level

The Instructional Program Director monitors and manages the Adolescent program, while supporting direct reports by providing a clear set of expectations for program execution. The Instructional Program Director has a primary duty of providing the clear expectations and boundaries which define the duties of general education faculty to deliver an excellent program. The Program Director works directly with the Director of Student Services and the district Special Education Program to design supports for students working at the level.
The organizational structure for managing the Adolescent Level is an acknowledgment of the challenges of operating a medium size charter school that centers Montessori and IB philosophies and balances weeks and months of Key Experience curriculum with “IB for All” in the upper grades. It is for this reason the Instructional Program Director position is designed to work cohesively with the Operations Program Director role. Between these two Adolescent leaders, they will collaborate to:

Plan and support staff Professional Development
Facilitate new staff training and mentorship
Plan and facilitate weekly meeting structures, including level, department, student support and otherwise
Maintain a program for peer observation
Develop, review and update program materials, protocols, curriculum and other documentation.
Supervision and planning for all mission central components of our IB and Montessori school. Instructional Director is responsible for philosophy, approach and best practices, while Operations Director is responsible for coordination:
Components include Advisory, CAS, Independent Work, Community Meeting, Student Leadership, Key Experiences, and Spring Intensives.

The Instructional Program Director will be solely responsible for the following program components:
All teaching staff observations, evaluations and oversight
Pedagogical and instructional coaching for all adolescent guides
Including best practices for Montessori and IB pedagogy and curriculum
Student program data collection and analysis
Supervising the development of curriculum and records for maintaining curriculum, such as course outlines, unit plans, and key assessment/project course resources
Directing level-wide norms of the educational and grading components of the Learning Platform Developing frameworks for conferences, Back to School Nights and other events (while the Operations Directions facilitates their implementation)
Maintaining a mission driven, IB, Montessori and state standards driven strategic approach to course offerings
Supervising our IB program, including supervising the IB Program Manager, IB Action Plan implementation, and 5 year self-study
Coordinating with the Operations Program Director on testing.
Centering equity practices for guides in pedagogy, planning & classroom facilitation
Lead in the establishment of community norms, community agreements

The Instructional Program Director collaborates with other Leadership team members to address the following:
Student interventions: collaboration with the Director of Student Services and Special Education Coordinator is so that the Director’s work with guides is aligned with support and interventions for students.

Student discipline: the Program Director works directly with the Director of Student Services to make sure that general education guides have the tools and practices to implement effective classroom behavior management and school culture guidance.
Student records: The Instructional Program Director works with the Operations Program Director and the Director of Administration to ensure enrollment records, student information, schedules and stored grades support the healthy functioning of the program.

Mission Alignment: The Instructional Program Director works with the Elementary Program Director and Executive Director to support pedagogical and programmatic alignment as students and families transition between elementary and adolescent programs.
Maintain effective communication with colleagues, parents & families, and school administration
All Leadership Level roles are accountable to follow school policy, and report to the Executive Director.
As the leader of the Adolescent team, the Program Director demonstrates civility, trust, independence, responsibility and accountability to their team and colleagues.

Summer work:
The Instructional Program Director is expected to work the teacher days of the calendar, as well as take responsibility to make sure the plans for the level are accomplished and communicated throughout the year, including summer months. Planning and coordination is required for two weeks before and after teacher in-services in the fall and spring, respectively. The Director is responsible for planning their working hours and location for these weeks before and after in-services to make sure that details and necessary duties are accomplished in support of their program and school needs. Program Director also is available to meet as school leadership for a maximum total of 15 working days over the summer months. These are “as needed” days, determined by the Executive Director. These working days are objective-based, and outcome-focused. The goal is to facilitate a program that requires less planning over the summer and allows the Program Director to make autonomous choices about work/life balance and program planning over the summer months.

Training & Development:
Leadership orientation is provided for the Program Director via the supervision of the Executive Director. The Instructional Program Director is responsible for seeking training opportunities as appropriate for both personal and professional development and to be best prepared for approaches to manage and lead at Great River School. Expected training and workshops that align with school practices are facilitated by the Center for Courage and Renewal, the Appreciative Inquiry method, Science House of MN, Art of Convening, and IB. Other individual interests that overlap with school mission as well as individual interest are welcome as proposals. A professional development plan is created by the Program Director to engage in leadership skill development, and submitted to the annual report of the school board each fall.

Qualifications

Qualifications:
Have experience as a licensed classroom teacher
Have practical experience implementing, coaching and/or training in constructivist, Montessori, IB (or comparable) adolescent approach to pedagogy
Have experience in management and supervision of employees and teams

Preferred qualifications:
Three (3) or more years of experience working within a Montessori Adolescent environment (or comparable)
Three (3) or more years of experience working within an International Baccalaureate environment (or comparable)
Montessori Adolescent Orientation/Training
Experience in leadership and building cohesive communication and vision of educators
Experience in management and creating clear systems for program fidelity - demonstrated ability in supervising teams and individuals, setting clear boundaries with accountability
Experience taking responsibility for holistic program goals and operation - being accountable to create an environment in which improvement is continuous and challenges are met with a growth mindset
Civility, Kindness, and Integrity; as reflected in daily interaction with faculty, students, and parents Serve the community; as reflected in student/parent community relationships
Judgment: as reflected in decision-making and problem-solving skills
Depth: ability to draw from a broad base of knowledge or experiences
Relationships: ability to develop appropriate relationships in support of teaching and learning
Excellent written and verbal skills.
Excellent organizational skills.
Possess positive and high expectations for themselves, colleagues, and for students
Ability to manage competing tasks with competing deadlines
Ability to remain on task and follow through projects to their completion
Excellent word processing skills and good computer knowledge (or ability to learn computer skills to function effectively in the GRS setting).

Preferred candidates hold:
Three or more years of experience implementing Montessori programming in grades 7-12
Have Montessori training or credential (appropriate to level)
IB training
Experience managing programming, and building consensus among colleagues.
Have leadership and team building experiences in an educational settings
Have current MN State teaching license
Have current MN State administrative license

Institution Description

Great River School (GRS) is a public Montessori school serving students grades 1st through 12th with the International Baccalaureate program in 11th & 12th grades. Our community is committed to an engaging environment which prepares students for their unique roles as responsible and engaged citizens of the world. Our vision is world peace through education. We specifically seek to deconstruct systems of bias and oppression that interrupt relationships and access to education. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, racial justice, gender inclusion, and accessibility of education is central to our core values as a school community.

Application Instructions/Comments

Great River School provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and or expression, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

In addition, Great River School will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis until successful candidate(s) are hired.

Please send a letter of interest, resume and three professional letters of reference (email of application materials is preferred) to:

Email: jobs@greatriverschool.org
David Núñez
Head of School
Great River School 1326 Energy Park Drive
St. Paul, MN 55108