Lower School Technology and Innovation Specialist

The Pingry School, a prestigious K-12 coeducational, independent day school with a rich history dating back to its founding by Dr. John F. Pingry in 1861, stands at the forefront of academic excellence in the United States. With campuses located in Basking Ridge, Pottersville, and Short Hills, New Jersey, Pingry is celebrated for its academic programs, a student-written Honor Code that underpins our community values, and a comprehensive commitment to arts, athletics, community, and civic engagement. Our mission is to inspire in our students a lifelong passion for learning, personal development, and social responsibility, preparing them to be global citizens and luminaries of the 21st century. Rooted in relationships and guided by our foundational philosophy, Pingry is a vibrant community of more than 1,100 students hailing from over 90 towns across New Jersey and New York. At Pingry, we are united by a love of learning and a commitment to preparing students to navigate the complexities of the 21st century with confidence and integrity. Position Summary The Lower School Educational Technology and Innovation Specialist is a visionary leader and the driving force behind how technology is learned, taught, and experienced at Pingry's K-5 campus. This is a 12-month staff position based at the Short Hills Campus. The role reports directly to the Director of Research and Academic Innovation and collaborates closely with the Lower School Director and academic leadership. While embedded in the school's K-12 academics team, this individual operates with significant independence at the Lower School level, setting direction, building culture, and making consequential decisions about how technology shapes learning for young children. This is explicitly a leadership role rather than a support role. The Innovation Specialist serves as the resident expert, trusted partner, and creative engine behind the Lower School's approach to educational technology. The successful candidate will inspire teachers to see what is possible, guide students to become confident and responsible digital citizens, and ensure that Pingry remains at the forefront of thoughtful and purposeful technology integration in primary education. Candidate Profile The ideal candidate for this role is not just a technical expert, but a relational leader, a cultural catalyst, and an educator at heart. Pingry is looking for an individual who embodies the following traits: You possess the unique ability to make technology feel exciting rather than overwhelming. You meet educators where they are with a non-evaluative, supportive approach, earning their trust, sparking their curiosity, and empowering them to take creative risks in the classroom. You thrive in environments that offer significant independence. You possess a proactive, entrepreneurial mindset, someone who naturally sees an institutional or pedagogical need and confidently steps up to execute a solution. You are a forward-looking leader capable of running high-level task forces (like AI literacy working groups) and designing long-term scope and sequences. However, you are equally skilled at translating that grand vision into practical, day-to-day classroom realities and digestible resources for busy teachers. You are deeply passionate about elementary pedagogy and child development. You know how to balance rigorous computational thinking with joyful, age-appropriate play, always advocating fiercely for the distinct developmental needs of K-5 students within a larger K-12 framework. You understand that true innovation is a collaborative effort. You are skilled at building bridges across academic divisions, amplifying the excellent work of your peers, and weaving digital citizenship organically into the daily fabric of school culture. Responsibilities Technology Leadership at the Lower School Serve as the driving force behind activating the Lower School's educational technology vision, translating shared goals into day-to-day practice across classrooms and grade levels. Shape and advance the vision, taking accountability for the quality and coherence of educational technology programming across K-5. Develop and maintain an integrated technology scope and sequence across all K-5 grade levels, establishing clear goals for student learning at each stage. Lead working groups and task forces (including the Lower School AI Working Group) and serve on faculty hiring committees to ensure prospective hires align with the school's commitment to innovation. Collaborate with members of the K-12 academic team and other school leaders to connect Lower School programming to a coherent, school-wide approach while effectively advocating for the divisional needs of young learners. Attend conferences, workshops, and school visits to remain at the forefront of the field and bring current pedagogical thinking back to Pingry. Instructional Coaching & Teacher Inspiration Partner with classroom teachers and specialists as an instructional coach, helping them integrate technology in ways that are meaningful, purposeful, and true to their individual teaching styles. Co-plan and co-teach with faculty, modeling innovative approaches and making the work of integration visible and learnable. Inspire teachers to take creative risks by celebrating experimentation, normalizing iteration, and sharing examples of exceptional technology integration. Provide non-evaluative, personalized support that meets educators where they are, whether they are beginning to explore digital tools or looking to push their practice further. Observe and reflect alongside teachers, offering thoughtful feedback grounded in learning science. Professional Learning Design & Facilitation Design and facilitate professional development sessions grounded in adult learning principles, balancing structured programming with responsive, just-in-time support. Create accessible resources, including how-to guides, instructional videos, and curated tool libraries, that extend learning beyond formal PD and build lasting faculty independence. Model continuous learning by staying current with emerging technologies and pedagogical research, and sharing that knowledge with colleagues. Recognize and amplify excellent technology integration happening across the division, fostering a culture where innovation is visible and celebrated. Digital Citizenship Programming Lead and develop the Lower School Digital Citizenship Initiative, ensuring instruction is age-appropriate, cohesive, and embedded across the school year. Contribute to Pingry's K-12 Digital Agency Project, ensuring Lower School programming connects to a unified, school-wide framework for responsible technology use. Equip faculty to facilitate in-the-moment conversations about online safety, privacy, digital well‑being, and ethical use. Support students in developing healthy, intentional, and ethical relationships with technology from the earliest grades. AI Literacy (K-5) Chair the Lower School AI Working Group, providing vision and leadership for how AI literacy is developed and taught at the elementary level. Design and implement a K-5 AI Literacy scope and sequence that is developmentally appropriate, ethically grounded, and practically useful for both students and teachers. Collaborate with K-12 academic leadership to connect Lower School AI programming to a coherent, school-wide framework. Guide faculty in understanding how AI tools can support, rather than replace, student thinking, curiosity, and creative expression. Computer Science & Computational Thinking Design and teach age-appropriate lessons in computer science, algorithmic thinking, coding, and design, ensuring clear connections to broader curriculum goals. Collaborate with grade-level teams to embed computational thinking across subject areas so that problem-solving and logical reasoning become cross-curricular habits of mind. Design and facilitate school- and grade-wide events that celebrate student creativity and innovation in computer science and design. Student Enrichment & Media Lead and produce student-centered media experiences (such as the Lower School news program) that develop digital communication skills, editorial judgment, and student voice. Design and facilitate after-school enrichment programs in areas such as coding, graphic design, video game design, and digital media production. Mentor students in independent projects and innovation initiatives, fostering agency and creative confidence. Platform Oversight (In collaboration with the Systems Administrator) Serve as the pedagogical lead for key learning platforms (e.g., Google Classroom, Seesaw, Canva for Education, BrainPOP, Kodable, Padlet), ensuring effective use aligned with curriculum goals. Collaborate on vetting and approving new digital tools, ensuring strict compliance with student data privacy and safety policies. Provide curriculum-driven recommendations to inform hardware and software purchasing decisions. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Education, Educational Technology, or a related academic field is required; a Master's degree is preferred. Extensive experience in instructional coaching, curriculum design, or technology integration within an elementary school setting. Proven success in designing and delivering impactful professional development grounded in adult learning principles is required. Deep knowledge of primary school curriculum and the specific developmental and digital milestones of children in grades K-5. Must demonstrate a clear enjoyment of the unique energy of this age group while advocating for their divisional needs. Advanced proficiency in educational technology frameworks (e.g., Common Sense Media), K-5 computational thinking/coding tools (e.g., Scratch, Kodable), and core learning platforms (e.g., Google Workspace, Seesaw). Experience leading AI literacy initiatives or institutional committees is highly desirable. Exceptional written and oral communication skills for effective partnering with parents, faculty, and executive leadership. Must possess a proactive, entrepreneurial spirit and a proven commitment to creating an inclusive culture of access, equity, and intellectual engagement. Qualified candidates are invited to apply online at The salary range for this position is $70,000 to $90,000. Final compensation will be determined based on experience and education. Pingry offers a comprehensive benefits package to full‑time employees, including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision coverage; retirement plans with employer matching; life and disability insurance; tuition remission for employees' children; and access to wellness and professional development resources. A full list of benefits is available at The Pingry School aspires to be an anti‑racist community and is committed to the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Pingry is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Pingry School's employment policy is that individuals will receive equal opportunity in all matters pertaining to recruitment, employment, salary, promotion, and assignment, regardless of race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy status, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran, or other basis proscribed by federal, state, and local law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. #J-18808-Ljbffr The Pingry School