Director of Dual Language Curriculum (K-5)

Director of Dual Language Curriculum (K-5)

The Director of Dual Language Curriculum (K-5) role is an exciting opportunity for an individual who has deep content knowledge of simultaneous biliteracy instruction, has a passion for curriculum, leverages content-based coaching strategies and techniques to build the capacity of instructional leaders, is committed to advancing social justice and culturally relevant pedagogy, and is eager to influence the future of bilingual program's curriculum and instruction across KIPP Texas and beyond.

The Director of Dual Language Curriculum (K-5) will play a critical role at the state-level in an effort to drive improved student results by ensuring that every student has access to rigorous, excellent, grade-level curriculum that will be implemented in KIPP schools in our Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio cities.

General Role Description

• Curriculum Design | Using High Quality Instructional Materials (Amplify, Bluebonnet, Savvas, etc.) as a base curriculum, designs strong instructional guidance for dual language teachers and instructional coaches to facilitate strong implementation and internalization of curriculum
• Curriculum Adoption & Selection | Executes a scientific method for selecting bilingual curriculum tools and resources necessary for teaching and learning experiences
• Curriculum Vetting | Executes a researched-based vetting process to ensure that curriculum is aligned to grade-level standards and expectations, error-free and publish ready
• Curriculum-Instruction Connection | Supports instructional teammates in designing and reviewing professional learning materials designed to equip leaders and teachers with the knowledge and skills to internalize and execute the curriculum
• Assessments | Creates high quality, aligned, standards based formative, end of cycle and interim assessments to support mastery of content objectives and seeks feedback from key stakeholders along the way.
• Data Analysis | Frequently and consistently progress monitors and analyzes a variety of qualitative and quantitative data at the school, region and state-levels to identify strengths and gaps in the curriculum itself while also strategically providing revisions and course corrections to the curriculum implementation pathway.
• Professional Development | Plan, review and/or facilitate virtual and in-person professional development on curriculum, instruction and assessment analysis to ensure all regions are on a path to implement the curriculum with fidelity and achieve academic goals.
• Instructional Coaching | You'll directly coach Assistant Principals of Student Support and School Leaders on effective strategies to support Dual Language KIPPsters. Through strong coaching and ongoing progress monitoring, you'll play a vital role in improving academic and linguistic outcomes across our campuses.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and adapt primary bilingual curriculum based on simultaneous biliteracy curriculum and instructional practices and 80/20 program model, including course overviews, pacing calendars, unit plans, lesson plans and assessments aligned to the KIPP Texas Dual Language Vision.
• Develop and adapt dual language curriculum based on feedback from the stakeholders
• Ensure all curriculum & assessments are top-quality and aligned to a college-ready bar and Texas state standards before students engage with them.
• Conduct ongoing progress monitoring and data analysis (state-wide and region-specific) to make necessary adjustments to curriculum materials.
• Review dual language professional development materials for regional academic teams, instructional coaches and teachers, including unit and lesson internalization, instructional best practices, and responding to data
• Build relationships with principals, assistant principals, teachers, and regional academics teams across the state to solicit feedback on the curriculum.
• Collaborate with other KIPP Texas academics teams (academic programs, assessment & achievement) to ensure curriculum and supporting materials are accessible for ALL students, including students with IEPs.
• Stay up-to-date on best practices in primary dual language and early literacy instruction and model best practices for instructional coaches as needed.
• Focus on Achievement: Demonstrate a deep desire and record of results to support schools with closing achievement gaps for all emergent bilingual learners. Understand the research and importance of comprehensible input strategies to engage all emergent bilingual learners. Hold high expectations for themselves as well as the leaders and teachers to remove barriers for multilingual learners from academic achievement. Use research and various levels of data analysis to focus on student outcomes and how they are achieved to support responsiveness to both strengths and areas of opportunities for emergent bilingual learners.
• Content Expert: Demonstrate expertise and understanding of multilingual frameworks, pedagogy, and instructional materials in an area of content expertise. You have experience effectively implementing KIPP Texas's chosen resources and frameworks such as Amplify, El Camino al exito, Summit K12, 7 Steps to a Language-Rich Interactive Classroom, Paired Literacy, and dual-language simultaneous biliteracy instruction instruction. Stay well-informed of current curricular and educational thoughts, trends, and practices, as well as legislation impacting multilingual programming.
• Effective Coach: Lead instructional improvement efforts on a portfolio of schools by planning and facilitating professional learning, modeling effective CBLI strategies, observing classroom instruction, and providing actionable feedback to classroom teachers, Assistant Principals of Student Support, and School Leaders.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor degree required
• Texas Bilingual Certification required
• Fluent in all Spanish language domains

COMPETENCY AND SKILLS:

Content and Pedagogical Expertise

• Strong understanding of the college-ready bar for students, exceptionally high standards for students' potential, and an unyielding belief that ALL students can achieve at high levels
• Deep knowledge of paired literacy, metalinguistic awareness, simultaneous literacy instruction, and bridging cross-linguistic connections.
• Deep knowledge of primary standards (including Pre-K Guidelines, TEKS, and ELPS), across Math, Science, and Social Studies
• Master dual language teacher, coach and instructional leader with proven results
• Strong understanding of and prior experience with curriculum development, including but not limited to: alignment between objectives, learning experiences and assessment; principles of backwards planning; essential questions to drive inquiry

Technical Skills

• Detail oriented and obsessed with accuracy, especially in the areas of curriculum and assessments
• Ability to create own work plan and can project plan around multiple needs of the organization
• Meets deadlines and timelines aligned to the academic calendar and can manage multiple priorities and fast-paced deadlines
• Able to succinctly present summaries and updates
• Can work across multiple modes of communication (virtual and in-person) to impact others and achieve goals
• Advanced understanding of Microsoft Office suite and (preferred) Adobe Reader and Google Drive
• Preferred: Prior experience with dual language paired literacy curriculum development
• (Preferred but not required) Able to fluently navigate Bluebonnet, and Saavas Curriculum, Illuminate and Tableau, or other similar assessment and data analytics platforms

Communication, Interpersonal and Team Skills

• Builds and maintains strong relationships across a variety of levels and stakeholders
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; tailors message for the audience, context, and mode of communication
• Builds consensus and resolves conflicts; exhibits willingness to have difficult conversations
• Skillfully navigates systems and structures at various levels in a large district
• Comfortable with ambiguity and can translate abstract ideas into concrete work plans and products

Problem Solving and Systems-Level Thinking

• Understands how various systems, departments, shareholders and stakeholders interact to achieve short and long term goals
• Makes decisions using data and takes initiative to solve problems and create stakeholder buy-in
• Exhibits flexibility and a solutions-oriented mindset when faced with shifting priorities, demands, and timelines
• Identifies and prioritizes mission-critical issues and offers innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems
• Exhibits consistent focus on goals and results and sets clear metrics for success

Leadership Skills

• Motivates, inspires, and moves other adults to action to achieve ambitious goals
• Builds coalitions and works collaboratively with diverse stakeholders at all levels, including but not limited to state leaders, regional leaders, school leaders, coaches, teachers and students
• Establishes clear expectations, deliverables and deadlines across organizational layers

Empathy and Commitment to Cause

• Deep belief in the mission and values of KIPP and commitments to improving student achievement
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