Science Department Head

Founded in 1906, the Madeira School is an independent, college preparatory, boarding and day school for girls grades 9-12. Located in McLean, Virginia on a 376-acre wooded campus, Madeira is 12 miles from the center of Washington, DC.  Madeira’s ambitious academic curriculum emphasizes both content and skills in the context of a college-prep liberal arts education.

The Madeira School is seeking an innovative Department Head to lead the Science Department beginning with the 2021-2022 school year. The successful candidate will support and achieve the School’s mission and vision by effectively facilitating learning in student-centered college preparatory classrooms.

Responsibilities:

• Have the content knowledge and intellectual flexibility to teach all levels of Chemistry and Physics; manages a standard load of up to 21 of 28 blocks of a combination of: teaching, facilitating activities, on-campus campus professional development and collaboration
• Leads the department by providing a vision for the department that is aligned with the School’s larger mission, vision and values
• Supervises all teachers in the department, which includes formal and informal feedback given throughout the year, based on observation and information and a written evaluation at least annually
• Builds talent within the department through development of a culture of professional growth and life-long learning
• Participates in the recruitment of new teachers to the department and sees supervision and culture of professional growth as tools for retaining all department teachers
• Oversees all curricular work and development within the department as aligned with expectations and initiatives of the School
• Manages all functions of the department in a collaborative and collegial way; works collaboratively with a team of faculty, colleagues, administrators and parents
• Serves as a member of the Department Heads Committee, which meets weekly, both representing the department and working on behalf of the entire School as part of a team of academic leaders; serves as a member of the Academic Leadership Team
• Weekends and evening support for department, admission and School leadership events
• Plans and prepare innovative and rigorous instructional content
• Use and adapt to a wide array of technology to deliver instruction and as tools to support and deepen student learning
• Maintain accurate student records such as grades and comments and communicate such data in accordance with the Academic Calendar and School expectations
• Perform all duties associated with advising, which includes participating in advisor orientation program and serving as a student advisor
• Know how girls learn and use this knowledge to guide instructional and curricular decisions; apply principles of mind, brain and education science when teaching, developing curriculum, and assessing student learning
• Support and act in accordance with the school’s mission and values
• Manages all facilities and spaces connected with the department