Director of Education

Don Watson Academy, Lancaster, MA

Salary Range: $90,000 - $94,000

We seek an experienced education administrator and proven instructional leader to serve as the Director of Education for Don Watson Academy (DWA). This role is the primary driver of instructional excellence and curricular fidelity. You will lead the design of rigorous and responsive educational programming that is deeply rooted in instructional best practices and a therapeutic framework.

DWA is a year‑round, state‑approved special education day and residential school program that proudly serves students with significant social, emotional, and behavioral disabilities using a trauma‑responsive approach. Our team focuses on developing student attitudes and actions that promote problem‑solving, independence, and academic achievement. We are committed to a learning environment that has an academically challenging curriculum, a philosophy of teaching that focuses on individual student strengths, and an emphasis on seeing students succeed.

• Serve as a deeply empathetic and collaborative leader who actively seeks out and incorporates input from staff, students, and caregivers to drive a shared, inclusive vision for DWA.
• Cultivate instructional excellence by coaching, mentoring, and guiding all education staff to refine their practice and achieve mastery as professionals.
• Champion and model research‑based best practices in the classroom, providing demonstration lessons and facilitating job‑embedded professional learning focused on instructional effectiveness and collaborative planning.
• Conduct regular observations and implement targeted supervision and coaching to provide staff with timely, reflective feedback and individualized support.
• Design and deliver comprehensive professional learning, ensuring all staff are trained in a trauma‑informed approach to education and effective instructional strategies that integrate clinical and social emotional supports throughout the milieu.
• Supervise, support, and formally evaluate teachers in accordance with RFK Community Alliance standards.

• Serve as a curriculum specialist, strategically overseeing the selection, design, implementation, and evaluation of a high‑quality, research‑based curriculum and associated instructional materials aligned with student needs and state standards.
• Lead the instructional design process, including comprehensive curriculum mapping and the alignment of all learning objectives, materials, and formative/summative assessments to ensure curricular fidelity.
• Drive data‑informed instruction by leading teachers in the analysis of student data to identify instructional needs, adjust curricular approaches, and measure program effectiveness.
• Ensure instructional programs are highly differentiated to support the development and implementation of robust, goal‑driven Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).

• Serve as a vital member of the DWA and RFKCA leadership team, contributing to high‑level operational and instructional decisions, the integration of the Lower School’s goals with the organization’s strategic plan, and the articulation of a cohesive therapeutic and academic vision across the entire campus and K‑12 continuum.
• Act as a critical liaison and colleague between the other RFK Community Alliance 766 schools, fostering interdepartmental collaboration and resource alignment to advance the holistic, therapeutic mission of the agency.

• Master’s Degree
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience working in a 5-12 school, with a proven track record of positively impacting instructional outcomes
• DESE Educator Licensure
• DESE School Administrator Licensure for Principal or Special Education Administrator (or eligibility for initial licensure)
• Valid Massachusetts driver’s license is required

• Advanced degree in Educational Leadership, Teaching and Learning, or Curriculum and Instructional Design
• Extensive experience in leading curriculum development, instructional coaching, and assessment design
• Special education classroom teaching experience
• Experience providing trauma‑informed care and working with students with disabilities

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Generous paid time off
• Holiday Pay
• Educational Assistance
• Employer paid life insurance
• Employer paid Short‑ & Long‑Term Disability
• Retirement Plan with generous employer match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Comprehensive Employee Assistance Program

We do not discriminate based on race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability. EOE/AA.