Founding Director Of Academics (New Haven)

Founding Director of Academics — Job Description

Taíno CoLAB Academy NH | Opening September 2027 

ABOUT TAÍNO CoLAB ACADEMY 

Taíno CoLAB Academy is a public charter high school opening in New Haven, CT in September 2027. Rooted in the Taíno community's history and New Haven's vibrant Latino heritage, Taíno CoLAB is designed as a Community School 2.0 — genuinely embedded in, accountable to, and in reciprocal relationship with its community. 

Academically, Taíno CoLAB operates through the 4D Quantum Learning Matrix — CoLAB Education's signature framework for future-ready, student-centered learning across four interconnected dimensions: Inquiry, Design, Creativity, and Service. Students don't just learn about the world — they investigate it, design within it, create across it, and serve through it.

We are not a traditional school with innovative add-ons. We are a fundamentally different kind of school. We are looking for a Director of Academics who is energized by that distinction. 

THE ROLE 

The Director of Academics of Taíno CoLAB Academy is the school's chief instructional and cultural leader — responsible for translating the CoLAB vision into a daily school experience that is rigorous, joyful, and genuinely transformative for students, teachers, families, and community partners. 

This is not a managerial role. The Director of Academics leads a learning community . They work in close partnership with the Founding Executive Director and CoLAB Education's leadership team. Reports to: Executive Director. 

SYSTEMS OWNERSHIP 

The Director of Academics owns the following systems — accountable for their design, implementation, and continuous improvement: 

1. Instructional System 

Design and maintain the school's instructional framework aligned to the 4DQLM. Set and hold clear standards for rigorous, student-centered instruction. Lead a regular cycle of classroom observation, feedback, and coaching for all instructional staff. Oversee curriculum development and ensure coherence across the 4D cycle (Inquiry → Design → Creativity → Service). 

2. Assessment and Student Progress System 

Lead the design of a competency-based assessment model aligned to CoLAB's Portrait of a Graduate. Maintain data systems tracking student growth — where students are going, not just where they are. Oversee portfolio-based and performance assessment structures (community exhibitions, capstone projects, digital portfolios).

3. Teacher Development System 

Build a strong adult culture and professional learning community where teachers are treated as adult learners with high standards and high support. Design and lead a school-year PD calendar grounded in CoLAB pedagogy. Implement an ongoing, non-evaluative instructional coaching model. Lead teacher hiring, onboarding, and retention with cultural fit and pedagogical alignment as primary criteria, while actively nurturing and sustaining high teacher morale. 

4. Student Experience and Culture System 

Own the school's social-emotional and culture systems — advisory, restorative practices, student leadership. Design and maintain the daily schedule and school structures (CoLAB Block, Design Sprints, Community Time, Advisory/Basecamp). Create conditions where students experience genuine agency, voice, and belonging every day. 

5. Community and Family Partnership System 

Manage and grow the school's network of Community Partner and Family Co-Educators. Oversee the externship and internship program — placements, learning agreements, and partner preparation. Facilitate community co-design processes. Ensure the school's physical space is a genuine community resource — open, welcoming, actively used. 

6. Operations Partnership 

Partner with the Operations Director on safety, facilities, scheduling, and compliance. Ensure instructional priorities drive operational decisions — not the reverse. Maintain budget awareness for instructional and PD spending. 

EXPECTED APPROACHES 

Lead as a Learner 

The Director of Academics is the school's chief learner — not its chief expert. They model intellectual curiosity, ask questions before giving answers, and credit the team's ideas. They are the first to try a new protocol and the first to reflect on what isn't working. 

Facilitate, Don't Dictate 

The Director of Academics leads through facilitation — using inquiry, protocols, and structured conversation. They are fluent in facilitation frameworks and use them consistently. They hold space for productive disagreement. 

Center Community Voice Structurally 

Community engagement is not a PR strategy — it is a design principle. The Director of Academics builds systems that give families and community members genuine influence. They go to the community; they don't just invite the community in. They know partner names and family stories. 

Hold Equity as the Core Standard 

The Director of Academics understands that equity means every student has what they need to thrive. They examine their own biases, name systemic barriers honestly, and build structures that actively disrupt inequity. They center the students most often failed by traditional schools. 

Think in 4D 

The framework is not a poster on the wall — it is the operating system for how the school thinks. Every decision is seen through the lens of Inquiry, Design, Creativity, and Service.

Model Adaptive Confidence 

Leading a founding school requires comfort in ambiguity and rapid iteration. The Director of Academics makes decisions with incomplete information, communicates transparently about uncertainty, and builds a culture where mistakes are learning opportunities. 

SAMPLE OUTCOMES (YEARS 1–3) 

Instruction: 80%+ of classrooms show 4D instructional practices by Year 2; all teachers receive coaching feedback weekly

Student Learning: Measurable growth in Omni Literacy and 4D competencies; 80%+ meet ELA/Math proficiency by Year 3

Community: 15+ active Community Partner Co-Educators by Year 1; 100% of students in a community learning placement by Year 2

Culture: 85%+ student and staff satisfaction; restorative practices school-wide; chronic absenteeism below 10%

Teacher Retention: 85%+ staff retention year-over-year through Year 3

Portfolios: 100% of students have active digital portfolio by end of Year 1; community exhibitions at least twice per year

QUALIFICATIONS 

Required 

• Master's degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or related field 
• Intermediate Administration and Supervision (092) Certificate
• 5+ years of K–12 instructional leadership experience
• Demonstrated experience with inquiry-based, project-based, community-embedded pedagogy, or emerging technology (such as AI)
• Experience coaching and developing teachers 
• Deep commitment to equity and culturally responsive education 
• Experience working in or with communities of color in urban contexts 
• Spanish fluency (preferred) or demonstrated commitment to bilingual community engagement 

Preferred 

• Experience in a founding or turnaround school 
• Familiarity with Big Picture Learning, EL Education, or similar models 
• Experience with competency-based or portfolio-based assessment 
• Experience facilitating community co-design 
• Knowledge of the New Haven community

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $120,000 – $150,000 , commensurate with experience and qualifications.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Taíno CoLAB Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status in our hiring practices or any other terms and conditions of employment.