Dean of Curriculum & Instruction

Organization Overview

Excel Academy is a network of 5 schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that prepares students in grades 5-12 to succeed in high school and college and engage productively in their communities. The majority of our 1,700 students identify as Latinx or Hispanic and will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Families choose Excel because our students consistently outperform their peers in growth and achievement and are 5x more likely to graduate from college.

Everyday, our team members choose to be positive, drive their own growth, uplift one another, and hold the highest possible beliefs for what students can achieve.

The Dean of Curriculum and Instruction (DCI) will drive the curricular and instructional efficacy of the school. The DCI will be responsible for the management of instructional staff by providing regular feedback to teachers on their effectiveness in meeting the needs of Excel’s instructional program and supporting them to meet their and our goals. They will support the management of Excel’s instructional program by designing and delivering professional development to push the strength and impact of the instructional program.

Starting Salary: $74 - $120k, commensurate with experience.

• Drive excellent teaching for all learners in Excel classrooms;
• Observe classes regularly and give written and verbal feedback to teachers. Provide feedback on teachers’ classroom procedures, instruction, and curriculum;
• Ensure frequent points of contact with all direct reports. Develop structures to ensure presence in all classrooms weekly at a minimum. Meet with all direct reports bi-weekly at a minimum, sending agendas in advance and supporting teachers to develop agendas to maximize the utility of meetings;
• Target support toward individual teacher needs;
• Ensure that Excel classes are engaging, challenging, and accessible to all learners. Ensure that students master basic skills and higher-level abstract material and are continually cognitively engaged. Ensure that teachers provide meaningful accommodations to students with individual needs;
• Drive excellent curriculum development;
• Ensure that Excel Academy curriculum is aligned with RI Curriculum Frameworks and is rigorous enough to ensure fulfillment of school mission;
• Work with the Network Department heads and Head of School to ensure that the school’s mission and philosophy are reflected in instructional approach and curriculum;
• Drive purposeful use of assessment data and feedback;
• Help teachers develop and implement high quality, class and school-wide assessments and monitor and guide the type, variety and quality of student assessments;
• Collect, analyze, share and interpret internal and external school assessments and coach teachers so that data is used strategically to improve student academic performance; and
• Manage student standardized testing.

• In collaboration with the Head of School and Dean of Student Supports, support the planning, execution and analysis of intervention programs targeted at needs of diverse academic subgroups, whether remedial or enrichment; and
• Support the Dean of Student Supports and Head of School in monitoring the special education and ELL inclusion program, working with the Learning Specialist, ELL Specialist and core academic teachers to design inclusion, monitor the effectiveness of inclusion, and provide feedback and support to create a high quality inclusion program.

• Coach teachers to create a classroom that reflects Excel’s Student Culture Vision where our community values are embedded into the curriculum in instructional classes;
• Provide feedback to teachers on their execution of Excel’s Student Culture Vision and behavior management systems in the classroom;
• Guide teachers in creating opportunities for students to reflect on and demonstrate our community values within academic classes;
• Work with the Dean of Students to enforce the code of conduct by having a strong, public presence throughout the school day; and
• Collaborate with…