K-2 Academic Dean

Job Title:

K-2 Academic Dean

Location:

Polytechnic School, Pasadena, CA 91106

Employment Type:

Exempt, full‑time school year
Division:
Lower School (K-2)
Salary: $80,000 to $110,000 per year (competitive and commensurate with experience)
Reporting to:
Director of the Lower School

• Partner with K-2 teachers to strengthen instructional practice through observation, reflection, feedback, and coaching.
• Support teachers with lesson design, differentiation, classroom instruction, assessment practices, and student support.
• Serve as a thought partner as teachers respond to a range of student learning needs.
• Help teachers use student work, classroom observations, and assessment data to inform instruction and determine next steps.
• Support professional growth through modeling, co-planning, resource sharing, and reflective conversations.
• Build trusting relationships with faculty through a coaching stance grounded in collaboration and respect.
• Support teachers in implementing culturally responsive, inclusive, and student-centered instructional practices.

• Support curriculum review, development, and alignment across Kindergarten through Grade 2.
• Ensure that early elementary instruction reflects developmentally appropriate practice, play-based learning, and strong foundational skill development.
• Partner with grade-level teams to ensure that curriculum is coherent, appropriately paced, developmentally appropriate, and aligned with Lower School priorities.
• Review curriculum and instructional materials with attention to representation, accessibility, developmental appropriateness, and alignment with the school's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Help identify curriculum needs, gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for stronger alignment across grade levels.
• Work with the 3-5 Academic Dean to support vertical alignment across Kindergarten through Grade 5.
• Support the implementation of school-wide academic priorities and instructional initiatives.
• Order major curriculum materials and instructional resources for K-2 teams in collaboration with the Lower School Director.

• Collaborate with the Dean of Teaching and Learning to identify students who may need additional academic intervention, extension, or enrichment.
• Provide direct academic support to students, inside or outside of the classroom, through targeted intervention, observation, modeling, or short-term skill support.
• Partner with teachers, the Dean of Teaching and Learning, and families to develop appropriate academic supports.
• Monitor student progress and help determine next steps for intervention, extension, or additional support.
• Participate in student support meetings and assist with documentation, follow-up, and communication.
• Help ensure that academic support is coordinated, responsive, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and aligned with classroom instruction.
• Collaborate with the Dean of Student Life when academic concerns intersect with behavior, discipline, peer dynamics, classroom engagement, or social-emotional needs.

• Attend K-2 grade-level team meetings regularly to provide instructional guidance, support curriculum planning, and help address student learning needs.
• Lead horizontal team meetings focused on grade-level curriculum, instruction, assessment, and student progress.
• Lead vertical team meetings to strengthen alignment across grade levels and ensure continuity of skills, expectations, and instructional practices.
• Serve as a thought partner for teachers as they plan units, review student work, analyze assessment data, and determine next steps for instruction.
• Partner closely with the Lower School Director to ensure that team meeting work is aligned with broader Lower School goals and priorities.

• Partner with the Lower School Director and Lower School leadership team to support parent education connected to curriculum, instruction, child development, assessment, and student support.
• Help plan and facilitate parent workshops, grade-level parent sessions, and other family-facing learning opportunities as needed.
• Support clear and thoughtful communication with families around academic programming, curriculum priorities, and student learning.
• Collaborate with teachers and school leaders to ensure that family communication is aligned, developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and supportive of the school’s mission.

• Partner closely with the Lower School Director to support teaching, learning, faculty growth, and student progress.
• Collaborate with the Lower School leadership team to support school wide initiatives and ensure alignment across academic, student support, and community priorities.
• Help implement and sustain Lower School initiatives related to curriculum, instruction, assessment, student…