Senior Director, STEM

District of Columbia Public Schools; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

District of Columbia Public Schools is seeking a Senior Director, STEM, to lead OTL’s work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. You will align curriculum resources, professional development, and district priorities to accelerate equity and student outcomes across DCPS.

You will manage a team of directors, drive data-informed initiatives, and partner with external organizations to strengthen STEM across schools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and six to eight years of related work experience.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience teaching or administrative work in education.

Responsibilities

• Defines connections between OTL priorities and STEM workstreams.
• Leads content directors within STEM to ensure coordination with other DCPS offices.
• Oversees professional development opportunities and school-based supports.
• Monitors progress with timelines and data-driven metrics.
• Manages a team of directors implementing curriculum and interventions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Project management

Data-driven decision making

Equity and inclusion

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree, related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

The mission of theOfficeofTeaching and Learning (OTL) is to provide educators with curricular resources, academic programs, and aligned professional development to ensure rigorous and joyful learning experiences foreverystudent. OTL team members support school-based staff in implementing DCPS's existing academic programs while simultaneously working to rethink and redesign school programming, academic and curricular resources, and educator professional development.

Divisions/Teams

TheContent and Curriculumdivision sets the vision for equity and excellence for each content area in DCPS schools by researching, creating, and curating curricular materials and providing aligned professional development experiences to ensure that all students have access to rigorous and joyful learning experiences every day in every content area. The division also supportsschools and develops curriculum and programming in arts, health, physical education, library programs, STEM, global programs, advanced andenriched instruction, and curriculum andassessmentinnovation.

TheEarly Childhood Educationdivision supports schools andfamilies in providingPreKstudents withcomprehensivelearningexperiencesthat foster confidenceand independence.Approximately 6,000 childrenagesthree to five attend early childhood classrooms in 78 elementary schools across the district, including several schools thatoffer Head Start programming.Thedivisionalso manages Early Stagesprogramming whichworks exclusively with children ages 2 years 8 months through 5 years 10 months and is responsible for meeting the District’s obligation under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (619) to develop a comprehensive child findsystemto identify and locate all preschool-age children in the District who have a disability.Thedivision alsomanages theimplementation ofDCPS' Head Startgrant.

TheLanguage Acquisitiondivisionwelcomes families of linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds to DCPS, leads the process ofidentifyingMultilingual Learner students, and supports schools in developing programs that supports English language acquisition and academic growth.This includes support during the academic day and as part of ELSAP, which is a targeted summer program for ML students. The LAD also manages DCPS compliance with the DC Language Access Act, providing translation and interpretation resources to school and central teams.

TheProfessional Learning and Educational Technologydivision sets a vision for professional development for DCPS as well as createssystems, tools, and structures to increase the efficacy of professional learning initiatives. This work includes LEAP, cluster-based PD, districtPDand other learning opportunities. The team works across all DCPSoffices to increase the cohesion of professional development and broad sharing of knowledge, while exploring new avenues and opportunities for meaningful development and learning for our educators. The team also leads efforts to enhance alignment and cohesion of professional learning initiatives and the integration of educational technology.

The Specialized Instructiondivision works to reduce the opportunity gap between students with IEPs and their non-disabled peers; and increases equity and excellence in schools through specific academic programming, related services, professional learning, school leadership development, family engagement, dispute resolution, and community partnerships.

STEM is responsible for leading OTL's work in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The team supports the integration of STEM initiatives within the overall DCPS Academic Plan. Additionally, the team oversees the development of mathematics and science curriculum and professional development for teachers. Finally, the team builds and maintains relationships with external organizations, such as industry partners, institutions of higher education, non-profit groups, governmental agencies, and professional societies to further STEM integration.

The Senior Director, STEM, performs a critical role supporting the Deputy Chief of Content and Curriculum in leading the work of the C&C division related to OTL and district priorities. The Senior Director collaborates closely with the C&C leadership team and other division leaders across OTL and DCPS to ensure the guidance, professional development plans, schools support plans, curricular resources, and other work of the division are aligned to each other and to other Offices, directly promote district priorities, and lead to accelerated student outcomes and increased equity. The Senior Director will assist with the management of key initiatives and oversee the implementation of multiple models of school support that ensure responsiveness of schools’ needs, including maximizing effectiveness of supports provided via the Cluster Support Model, and the ongoing development and implementation of LEAP (LEarning together to Advance our Practice), DCPS’ school-based model of professional development.

This position has been designated as Protection Sensitive. Pursuant to section 410 of Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations; in addition to the general suitability screening, individuals applying for or occupying protection sensitive positions are subject to the following checks and tests: Criminal background check; Sex Offender Registry check; Traffic record check (as applicable).

Position Overview

The mission of theOfficeofTeaching and Learning (OTL) is to provide educators with curricular resources, academic programs, and aligned professional development to ensure rigorous and joyful learning experiences foreverystudent. OTL team members support school-based staff in implementing DCPS's existing academic programs while simultaneously working to rethink and redesign school programming, academic and curricular resources, and educator professional development.

TheContent and Curriculumdivision sets the vision for equity and excellence for each content area in DCPS schools by researching, creating, and curating curricular materials and providing aligned professional development experiences to ensure that all students have access to rigorous and joyful learning experiences every day in every content area. The division also supportsschools and develops curriculum and programming in arts, health, physical education, library programs, STEM, global programs, advanced andenriched instruction, and curriculum andassessmentinnovation.

TheEarly Childhood Educationdivision supports schools andfamilies in providingPreKstudents withcomprehensivelearningexperiencesthat foster confidenceand independence.Approximately 6,000 childrenagesthree to five attend early childhood classrooms in 78 elementary schools across the district, including several schools thatoffer Head Start programming.Thedivisionalso manages Early Stagesprogramming whichworks exclusively with children ages 2 years 8 months through 5 years 10 months and is responsible for meeting the District’s obligation under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (619) to develop a comprehensive child findsystemto identify and locate all preschool-age children in the District who have a disability.Thedivision alsomanages theimplementation ofDCPS' Head Startgrant.

TheLanguage Acquisitiondivisionwelcomes families of linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds to DCPS, leads the process ofidentifyingMultilingual Learner students, and supports schools in developing programs that supports English language acquisition and academic growth.This includes support during the academic day and as part of ELSAP, which is a targeted summer program for ML students. The LAD also manages DCPS compliance with the DC Language Access Act, providing translation and interpretation resources to school and central teams.

TheProfessional Learning and Educational Technologydivision sets a vision for professional development for DCPS as well as createssystems, tools, and structures to increase the efficacy of professional learning initiatives. This work includes LEAP, cluster-based PD, districtPDand other learning opportunities. The team works across all DCPSoffices to increase the cohesion of professional development and broad sharing of knowledge, while exploring new avenues and opportunities for meaningful development and learning for our educators. The team also leads efforts to enhance alignment and cohesion of professional learning initiatives and the integration of educational technology.

The Specialized Instructiondivision works to reduce the opportunity gap between students with IEPs and their non-disabled peers; and increases equity and excellence in schools through specific academic programming, related services, professional learning, school leadership development, family engagement, dispute resolution, and community partnerships.

STEM is responsible for leading OTL's work in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The team supports the integration of STEM initiatives within the overall DCPS Academic Plan. Additionally, the team oversees the development of mathematics and science curriculum and professional development for teachers. Finally, the team builds and maintains relationships with external organizations, such as industry partners, institutions of higher education, non-profit groups, governmental agencies, and professional societies to further STEM integration.

The Senior Director, STEM, performs a critical role supporting the Deputy Chief of Content and Curriculum in leading the work of the C&C division related to OTL and district priorities. The Senior Director collaborates closely with the C&C leadership team and other division leaders across OTL and DCPS to ensure the guidance, professional development plans, schools support plans, curricular resources, and other work of the division are aligned to each other and to other Offices, directly promote district priorities, and lead to accelerated student outcomes and increased equity. The Senior Director will assist with the management of key initiatives and oversee the implementation of multiple models of school support that ensure responsiveness of schools’ needs, including maximizing effectiveness of supports provided via the Cluster Support Model, and the ongoing development and implementation of LEAP (LEarning together to Advance our Practice), DCPS’ school-based model of professional development.

This position has been designated as Protection Sensitive. Pursuant to section 410 of Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations; in addition to the general suitability screening, individuals applying for or occupying protection sensitive positions are subject to the following checks and tests: Criminal background check; Sex Offender Registry check; Traffic record check (as applicable).

If you are hired into this position at an annual salary of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) or more, DC government regulations require that you must establish residency in the District of Columbia within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of the appointment and continue to maintain residency within the District of Columbia throughout the duration of the appointment.

The Senior Director, STEM will report to the Senior Deputy Chief, Content and Curriculum.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Defines the connection between key OTL priorities and Content & Curriculum division workstreams, as it relates to STEM.
• Supports the Deputy Chief in determining goals and benchmarks for success for key division workstreams; continually monitors progress and supports content directors in making adjustments and refinements and necessary.
• Leads Content Directors within STEM and collaborates with Content Directors across OTL and DCPS, to increase coordination and effectiveness of OTL cluster-based support roles: Mathematics, Science and Math Strategy content leads, ensuring integration/collaboration with Special Education, Language Acquisition, and Educational Technology.
• Works with instructional superintendents and school leaders to assess needs of core content area teachers and LEAP Leaders; and oversees the creation of professional development opportunities and school-based supports to address those needs and increase the quality of instruction.
• Leverages content expertise and management strategies to ensure guidance, professional development plans, school support plans, curricular resources, and other work of the division are aligned to each other and to other content teams and DCPS offices, directly promoting district priorities and leading to accelerated student outcomes and increased equity.
• Creates detailed timelines for each initiative; assesses and tracks progress regularly using various computer programs and tools; and drives project completion by holding others accountable for responsibilities and deadlines.
• Helps manage the analysis and presentation of data and progress of data-driven initiatives for senior leadership team and external audiences; communicates progress to key stakeholder groups; and incorporates their input.
• Manages a team of directors who lead the implementation of content-specific professional development, assessments, interventions, and curriculum design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and six to eight years of related work experience.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience teaching in the classroom or operating in an administrative position in the education industry.
• A primary field of study in one or more core content areas is highly preferred.
• A deep desire to excel, persevere, and proactively identify opportunities to innovate. Experience managing large scale projects.
• Experience using qualitative and quantitative data to design and evaluate programs.
• Extremely high expectations of oneself, colleagues, and clients; ability to communicate those expectations in a direct and motivating way; deep commitment to professional growth and learning; and thrives in a culture of continuous feedback.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work under tight deadlines; ability to multitask and self-manage the deadlines of competing projects.
• Experience creating and managing systems to collect and monitor programmatic data, meeting benchmark indicators, and innovating solutions when necessary.
• Ability to learn quickly, work in a fast-paced and evolving environment, and handle multiple priorities effectively.
• Outstanding interpersonal, teamwork, and management skills.
• Strong acumen engaging in conversations and producing work products that are centered in equity and inclusion best practices.

DCPS Values

• STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals with disabilities. Accommodation and/or application assistance is available upon request at all stages of the application and employment process. To request accommodation, please contact [e-mail].