Department Chairperson, Pupil Services

Job Description

Applications will be accepted Wednesday, July 1, 2026 12:00 AM - Friday, July 10, 2026 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time).

School: Marple Newtown High School

Term:  School Year

Units: 4

Classification: Annual Supplemental

Reports to: High School Principal, Assistant Principal, Teaching & Learning Supervisors, and Special Education Supervisor

Primary Function: Department Chairs are teacher leaders who serve as instructional models, professional learning facilitators, curriculum and assessment stewards, and communication liaisons between their departments and the administration. They champion a culture of instructional excellence by modeling best practices, supporting professional growth, promoting high‑quality curriculum implementation, facilitating two‑way communication, and maintaining alignment between department, school, and district goals.

Instructional Leadership

• Model best practices in instruction, assessment, and classroom environment, serving as an example for colleagues.
• Support professional growth by helping plan and potentially lead/facilitate department‑level professional development and collaborative planning sessions.
• Mentor new and early‑career teachers in the department, offering informal coaching and support.
• Promote and model data‑driven instruction by supporting administrators in leading department efforts to analyze data, reflect on results, and identify instructional adjustments.

Curriculum and Assessment Stewardship

• Assists in reinforcing consistent implementation of district curriculum standards across all courses.
• Assists in reinforcing consistent implementation of district common assessments across all courses.
• Collaborate with administration and curriculum teams to revise curriculum documents, unit plans, and pacing guides as needed to maintain relevance, rigor, and vertical alignment.
• Recommend pilot programs, innovative practices, professional development, and curricular improvements based on research and department needs.

Professional Collaboration

• Facilitate regular department meetings focused on the goals for the department for the year, including data analysis, collaborative problem solving, co‑planning lessons, professional learning, etc.
• Create and share agendas in advance of department meetings and maintain meeting minutes that document key decisions, instructional discussions, and follow‑up actions.
• Communicate effectively between administration and department faculty, representing department perspectives and supporting the flow of information both ways.
• Foster a positive and collaborative culture within the department that encourages innovation, reflection, and mutual support.
• Establish instructional priorities, department goals, and improvement plans based on data.
• Lead department analysis of state, local, and formative assessment data.
• Use item‑level and standard‑level data to identify trends, strengths, and priority areas for improvement.
• Monitor student progress toward proficiency and support Tier 1 adjustments and Tier 2 interventions.
• Ensure alignment between classroom assessments, common assessments, and state assessment rigor.

Operational Support

• Assist with budgeting and resource requests for the department, maintaining accurate inventories of instructional materials, textbooks, and technology.
• Support administration with coverage schedules, substitute lesson plans, and other operational logistics as needed.

Leadership Evaluation and Goal Setting

• Department Chairs will participate in an annual evaluation process specific to their supplemental leadership role, including setting leadership goals aligned with the expectations outlined in this job description.
• Reflect on and document progress toward those goals throughout the year.
• Participate in a year‑end review with the supervising administrator to assess effectiveness in key areas such as instructional leadership, collaboration, communication, and contribution to department improvement.
• Evidence of leadership effectiveness may include artifacts such as agendas and notes from department meetings, facilitation of professional learning, contributions to curriculum work,…