MSHS English Language Arts Department Head

OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION

Heads of Department play a crucial role in leadership and responsibility within the school and should exhibit the following characteristics:

· Proven ability to lead with a student-centered approach.

· Strong verbal and written communication skills.

· Demonstrated success in navigating complex and evolving environments.

· Established capability to effectively collaborate and communicate with a diverse range of individuals, including administrators, teachers, staff, parents, guardians, and students.

Department Heads serve as the bridge between the teaching faculty of the department and the academic leadership team.

SCHEDULE

Department Heads have a teaching commitment of half-time per week (4 out of 8 classes).

EVALUATION

Supervision of Department Heads is conducted by the Division Vice Principals. Annual performance evaluations will be based on feedback from teachers and fellow Department Heads to assess the continuation in role and areas for growth.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates for Department Head positions must possess a valid teaching license and at least three years of teaching experience.

· Master’s degree in education

· Valid teaching license

· Minimum of three years of teaching experience in content-specific secondary education

· Preferred experience in secondary curriculum development and review/evaluation

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Department Head will support the Vice Principal in overseeing and evaluating faculty and managing the academic program of the department.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

· Collect and analyze data regarding the quality of the school program in relation to performance standards and the Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs).

· Guide the development, execution, and assessment of a comprehensive action plan for the department that includes curriculum assessment, program support, co-curricular and extracurricular activities, and staff development.

· Prepare an annual report detailing the status of the department's action plan.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

· Define, promote, and ensure adherence to the adopted curriculum and program support.

· Update and revise instructional materials in line with current research and the department/school philosophy, utilizing the web-based Atlas curriculum mapping tool.

· Contribute to the school’s Curriculum Review Cycle and course catalog as needed.

· Review Atlas Rubicon units designed by department teachers and provide constructive feedback.

· Investigate and assess the content curriculum needs of the department and conduct ongoing audits to ensure relevance and equity.

· Lead regular curriculum reviews within the department to ensure alignment of content, skills, and assessments with the school’s mission and vision.

FACULTY OVERSIGHT AND DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP

· Organize regular department meetings for planning, collaboration, assessment, standards-based practices, and instructional priorities.

· Attend meetings with teachers, specialists, and administrators as necessary to ensure program continuity and support the implementation of the schoolwide action plan.

· Oversee the supervision and evaluation of faculty within the department.

· Serve as the primary support for teachers who are new to the profession or facing challenges; collaborate with the academic leadership team when more significant intervention is required.

· Partner with department teachers to identify at-risk students or those requiring additional support; work collectively to create improvement plans for academic and behavioral needs.

· Provide class coverage within the department as needed; once the Department Head covers three blocks in a day for an absent teacher, they must coordinate coverage for any additional classes.

PROMOTING COLLEGIAL SHARING

Observe department teachers to:

· Gather effective strategies and techniques to share with colleagues.

· Give feedback to teachers on various effective learning approaches and instructional best practices.

· Organize peer observations within the department.

· Meet consistently with other Department Heads to assess, develop, monitor, and plan the implementation of the school-wide curriculum, fostering interdisciplinary connections in teaching and learning.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

· Request new materials and equipment to support teachers in achieving curricular goals.

· Evaluate the need for instructional resources based on teacher feedback.

· Facilitate knowledge of information resources and technology for instructional use.

COMMUNICATION

Collaborate closely with the School Principals to:

· Keep them updated on progress toward departmental goals or any challenges faced.

· Provide updates regarding the implementation of the curriculum and the department action plan.

· Follow up on curricular decisions.

· Deliver timely and constructive feedback.

· Collect periodic feedback from teachers to inform departmental changes.

· Share relevant information from administration with departmental teaching staff.

STAFF RECRUITMENT

· Work alongside the School Principals to attract, hire, and retain high-quality educators.