Middle School Division Director at University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Job Description:

Falk Laboratory School, a coeducational K-8 school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, seeks a full-time Middle School Division Director. The Division Director is the academic and administrative leader of the Middle School division and is responsible for working with students, parents, faculty, staff, curriculum, and program. This is a 12-month position with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2025.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Instructional Management

• Monitor curricular content, classroom practices, and pedagogical approaches to ensure that program activities are commensurate with Falk’s mission, vision, and values as an inquiry-based, constructivist, progressive laboratory school for children in middle school grades (6-8).
• Provide instructional resources, materials, and formative and summative professional feedback to support faculty in delivering instruction that aligns with Falk’s mission, vision, and values as an inquiry-based, constructivist, progressive school for children in middle school grades.

Team Supervision and Leadership

• Foster collegiality and team building between and amongst faculty and staff. Encourage their active involvement in decision-making in their respective areas of concern.
• Serve as a primary liaison between the middle school division and the Director, faculty, staff, students, parents, and larger communities (Falk, SOE, University of Pittsburgh).
• Communicate and promote expectations for high-level performance to faculty and students. Recognize excellence and achievement.
• Ensure the effective and quick resolution of conflicts.

School Strategy

• With the Director and other members of the administrative leadership team, build a shared vision for school improvement with faculty and staff. Overseeing the planning of activities and putting programs in place to ensure the attainment of the School’s progressive educational mission and philosophy.
• Identify, analyze, and apply research findings (e.g., practical school correlates) to promote school improvement.

Faculty Recruitment, Retention & Growth

• Chair search committees to fill teaching vacancies within the middle school division and work with the leadership team to orient new faculty to the School and its culture/systems.
• Establish annual goals with faculty concerning professional development and growth, instructional strategies, classroom management.
• Communicate with the various constituencies that make up the School community.
• Observe teachers in their practice, record observations, and conduct pre- and post-observation debrief conferences with individual teachers.
• Make recommendations to the Director on retention, promotion, termination, suspension, or non-renewal of faculty.
• In collaboration with the Director and administrative leadership team, work to establish goals for and plan professional development activities and weekly faculty meetings.
• Stay up-to-date on the University of Pittsburgh faculty collective bargaining agreement concerning current and future personnel matters.

Student and Family Concerns

• Work with faculty and students to develop student discipline management systems that result in positive student behavior, enhance the school climate, and remain firmly within Falk’s progressive educational mission and ethos as a school.
• Ensure student discipline is appropriate, equitable, and just, and follow the Student/Family Handbook and Code of Conduct, as well as within Falk’s progressive educational mission and ethos.
• Conduct conferences about student and school issues with parents, students, and teachers.

School and Community Relations

• Confidently articulate and share the school’s progressive mission, vision, and values with and to the community.
• Demonstrate awareness of school and community needs and initiate activities to meet those needs.
• Use appropriate and practical techniques to encourage community and family involvement, including composing semi-regular middle school newsletters and other communications.
• Assist with prospective family school tours during the admissions season. Attend admissions and/or advancement-related outreach events and activities, such as the welcome back family picnic, parent night, prospective parent information events (daytime and/or evening, where applicable), family nights, reunions, and so on.
• Participate in other community events related to Middle School, such as high school fairs, graduation, etc.

Professional/Personal Demeanor, Comportment, and Growth

• Continue developing and attaining the necessary professional skills appropriate to the senior leader position in a school setting.
• Demonstrate professional, ethical, and responsible behavior at all times. Serve as a role model/exemplar for all faculty and staff.
• Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills and have the ability to lead meetings with a variety of stakeholders.

Additional

• Other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Maintain emotional control under stress; frequent prolonged and irregular hours, with the ability to be on call in high-intensity/crises after-hours. This role requires the individual to move around the school to various rooms frequently.

Salary range is competitive and commensurate with experience. Falk Laboratory School, a department in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh, offers excellent benefits. Please direct questions to the search committee chair, Dr. Jill Sarada, at jill.sarada@pitt.edu. The review of applications will begin in the Summer of 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

Minimum requirements

• Master’s degree in education.
• Minimum 9 years of classroom experience; administrative leadership experience preferred.
• Experience working with middle school preferred.

Materials can be uploaded to join.pitt.edu. For full consideration, please submit:

1. Letter of application
2. Resume
3. An educational philosophy
4. Three recent letters of recommendation (not older than two years)
5. Unofficial transcripts (candidates may be requested to provide official transcripts at the time of hire)
6. Copy of PA instructional certificate or equivalent

Offer of employment is contingent on the candidate satisfactorily obtaining and passing the following before commencement of appointment: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance, Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check, and FBI Criminal Record Check. If hired, candidates must also submit proof of a negative TB test before their first work day. Also, as Act 168 of 2014 requires, the candidate must satisfy the requirements on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education Sexual Misconduct/Abuse Disclosure Release Form.

The University of Pittsburgh is committed to championing all aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within our community. This commitment is a fundamental value of the University and is crucial in helping us advance our mission, which includes attracting and retaining diverse workforces. We will continue to create and maintain an environment that allows individuals to discover, belong, contribute, and grow, while honoring the experiences, perspectives, and unique identities of all.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EOE, including disability/vets.

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