Middle School Humanities Academic Director

Middle School Humanities Academic Director

Join to apply for the Middle School Humanities Academic Director role at Explore Schools
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Location:

Brooklyn, New York.

In-Person work required. This position is exempt and not eligible for overtime.

Explore Schools is a network of public charter schools providing 1,700 students in Brooklyn with the outstanding education they deserve. Our goal is to provide students with curriculum and instruction that is both standards‑aligned and culturally responsive. Our approach is designed to nurture students as critical thinkers and natural problem‑solvers. We are committed to disrupting and dismantling systems that perpetuate white supremacy.

We intentionally seek to build a diverse and talented team that reflects students’ backgrounds and creates an inclusive environment for all employees.

We believe all children can learn in a rich environment full of high expectations, rigorous academics, and caring adults. Equity and excellence are not mutually exclusive; we meet the needs of all students while actively engaging parents and striving for excellent outcomes. We see it as our privilege and responsibility to close the opportunity gap in Brooklyn.

Explore Schools seeks an experienced educational leader who demonstrates a drive toward excellence and is passionate about serving all students. The ideal candidate is an outstanding leader and manager of adults, who believes in and invests in developing talent, and possesses a strong understanding of academic rigor and effective instruction. Successful Academic Directors creatively implement solutions to ensure all students have the tools needed for college‑preparatory high schools and beyond.

Additionally, you possess the following qualities:

• Dedicated to working in communities that have historically been underserved and under‑resourced.
• Committed to thoughtfully engaging in identity work to culturally respond in pedagogy and relationships with students and colleagues.
• Exceptional strategic planning, prioritization, and execution skills.
• Strong communicator, culture and relationship builder who actively engages and partners with families, staff, and students.
• Outstanding content knowledge across grades 6‑8.
• Demonstrated experience using data to set goals, measure success, and achieve exceptional student results.
• 4+ years of teaching experience, with experience coaching and/or managing adults required.
• A master’s degree and administrative certification preferred.

The Middle School Academic Director is directly responsible for coaching, developing, and evaluating the teachers they supervise. Working closely with the school Principal, you will manage the following areas:

• Manage and supervise approximately 12 teachers across content areas, including regular coaching cycles, setting termly development goals, evaluating performance, and initiating performance improvement processes as needed.
• Coach teachers through observation, feedback, co‑teaching, real‑time coaching, and lesson‑planning review.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to identify academic priorities, set measurable goals, and monitor progress toward goals.
• Plan and lead PLCs, grade‑level, and content teams focused on intellectual preparation of standards‑aligned content, reviewing student work and data to inform teaching, and identifying instructional, cultural, and operational needs.
• Collaborate with ESI and cross‑network colleagues to lead programmatic and curricular implementation at your school and support network‑wide professional development days.
• Participate in recruitment, selection, and retention of staff.
• Consistently model Explore's operating values in written and verbal interactions with all members of our community.
• Actively engage in identity work and conversations necessary to dismantle white‑supremacy culture.

• Lead instructional initiatives as designated by the Principal by providing academic support to students and small groups, including direct instruction as needed.
• Collaborate with the culture team to provide teacher support around…