SAS is committed to providing each student with an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective. Central to this is our work to provide support, coaching and feedback to our teachers to help us reach our goals and aspirations for students as expressed in our school-wide strategic priorities.  We are seeking educators who share our passions and who wish to collaborate, innovate, and make a positive difference within the SAS community. We welcome your application if you would like to join us on this meaningful journey in cultivating exceptional thinkers prepared for the future.

The Director of World Languages works with the divisional administrators, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, and PLC coaches to provide oversight on P-12 alignment of all world language programming,  professional development to faculty, and supports world language PLC coaches in providing high-quality coaching to teachers.

This position will provide leadership to enable SAS to provide each student with an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective through engaging in a world class world class language program. This position will report directly to the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning and serve as a member of the Office of Learning team.

SAS is dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Therefore, we commit to a journey of community growth that is grounded in best and sustainable practices rooted in our mission and core values. We seek individuals who are ready to contribute to such an environment. If you have the right disposition for this role, meet many of the requirements, and feel you would be a good match for SAS in this position, please do not hesitate to apply.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Director of World Languages provides the following services: leadership in the implementation of the proficiency-based world language that meets the needs of all students; professional development for instructional improvement based on current research, trends in language teaching, and student needs; and leadership in developing and carrying out extracurricular language activities for students; stays abreast of trends and issues in language education and brings innovation and renewal to instruction; collaborates with teachers to promote instructional consistency and a shared direction and with colleagues in other content areas on interdisciplinary curriculum and staff development; stays actively involved in foreign/second language organizations and provides up-to-date knowledge to all divisions; serves as a source of specialized information for language teachers and the community

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

• Carry out, represent and promote SAS’s vision, mission and core values.
• Promote and prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in the world language programs across the school.
• Collaborate extensively with school leaders, including the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, divisional principals, and various PLC coaches to provide insightful leadership to the on-going development, implementation and evaluation of the world language instructional components of the SAS Strategic Plan.
• Articulate the vision for teaching and learning at SAS, support the vision with short and long-term plans for the world language and immersion programs, and sustain a culture conducive to continuous improvement across all school divisions. 
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships across divisional and program teams to ensure school wide priorities are captured in the world language yearly implementation plan and related budget.
• Support coherent and consistent learning experiences for students by ensuring commonalities in the areas of content, skills, dispositions and expectations throughout and across grade levels and divisions.
• Support coherent and consistent learning experiences for students by ensuring the use of authentic, meaningful assessment tools and that common assessments are utilized among PLC members and across vertical teams.
• Improve student learning by supporting the ongoing collection, analysis, and use of information about student learning (both qualitative and quantitative) to identify next steps in learning, intervention strategies, curriculum adaptations, etc.
• Lead learning-focused and collaborative world language and immersion teams aligned with the SAS strategic plan, using structures and resources provided. Build effective teams through recruitment, orientation, coaching, mentoring, and professional learning.
• Provide direction in and maintain up-to-date knowledge of educational reform and its application in the world language context, and participate in on-going training to enhance professional skills and improve the school’s work towards its vision. Serve as an instructional leader role model.

Administrative Leadership

• Provide leadership in the organization, delivery, and evaluation of PLCs across the world language department.  Oversee the continued development of professional learning communities to foster a common PLC culture across the system. Supervise goal-setting processes for world language PLCs to assist with establishing professional learning opportunities to support the work of faculty members and divisions. 
• Facilitate and develop positive and effective communication and relationships in a complex environment with the various constituents of the community including parents, students, faculty, division leadership, and central administration, as well as the international school network at large
• Lead meetings within the world language PLC teams/divisions/vertically in order to have the maximum impact on student learning
• Manage communications within the world language departments to have the maximum impact on student learning
• Lead curriculum review processes from research through implementation

Learning Leadership

Manage the time, energy and work of the world language department to have optimum impact on student learning.  This will include:

• Facilitate high quality curriculum development that is culturally responsive to our students and their needs.
• Support the development of PLC coaches to act in their capacity as instructional leaders;
• Support school leaders in their capacity as instructional leaders and deepen their ability  to lead PLC coaches;
• Demonstrate a depth of expertise in how to effectively incorporate culturally responsive practices in a world language classroom.
• Support PLCs to embed competencies and learning progressions within curriculum units;
• Meet with teacher leaders and/or PLCs to provide support as they plan units, examine assessments and student data, and provide feedback on instruction and curriculum design;
• Use assessment and feedback data to refine curriculum and inform instructional practices;
• Develop and lead instructional professional development sessions;
• Conduct classroom walkthroughs to provide observational data on implementation of curricular programs;
• Implement effective internal assessment and feedback systems to monitor implementation of curricular programs;
• Manage accurate and viable curricular information and its availability to have the optimum impact on student learning, in coordination with the Office of Learning
• Provide leadership and effective supervision for staff members assigned to the world language department in order to stimulate each individual’s growth and improve instructional effectiveness (inclusive of regular classroom visitations)
• Support the continuing development and implementation 6-12 future program offerings to support immersion students as the move beyond the ES (in conjunction with divisional leadership)
• Recognize and strengthen personal performance through self-analysis of actions, participating in professional development activities, exploring educational research, participating in professional organizations, and through formal renewal programs.
• Act as an active member of the P-12 Office of Learning, participating in meetings, presentations, and functions related to schoolwide priorities and support.
• Perform other related duties and assume other responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning.