Department Head, English (3136)

The Natick Public Schools Seek an

English Department Head at Natick High School

Start date: 8/24/2026

We invite you to explore a career with Natick Public Schools. 

The Natick Public Schools educate approximately 5,300 students from Pre-K through age 22. We are an innovative, supportive, and high-performing district whose outstanding staff provides high quality services for our diverse students and their families from Natick and Boston. Natick Public Schools is a community dedicated to all students achieving high standards in a safe, trusting, respectful environment where learning is exciting, dynamic, and engaging, and where connectedness and belonging are valued and actively cultivated. We are home to families that speak almost 60 different languages and our student population is approximately 29% Students of Color and 71% White students. With a graduation rate of 97% and 90% of our students attending post-secondary schools, we are proud of our commitment to excellence in educating students to be informed and successful citizens of a global world. 

We enthusiastically welcome educators to our district who seek and thrive in a diverse environment that focuses on the whole child using a strengths-based approach. Please partner with us in our mission to support the diversity of our school community, promote and deliver equitable practices for all of our staff, students, and families, and create meaningful connections that enable everyone to feel included and thrive.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least five years of successful English teaching experience at the high school level required
• Current Massachusetts licensure as English Teacher, 5-12 required
• SEI Endorsement required
• Massachusetts licensure as either Supervisor/Director - English or Vice-Principal/Principal, 9-12 preferred
• At least a Master's degree, preferably in English, English Education or Educational Leadership
• Prior leadership experience preferred
• Strong communication, team-building, and organizational skills

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Hiring, Retention, Coaching, Supervision and Evaluation of English Department Educators

• Provides coaching, feedback, and support to English teachers through classroom observations, coaching cycles, mentoring, collaborative planning and collaborative data analysis.
• Evaluates members of the English Department, using the district-driven evaluation model, and in adherence with the Education Association of Natick’s (EAN’s) contractual deadlines for supervision and evaluation.
• Supports new teachers and long-term substitutes in onboarding, planning, and classroom management.
• Collaborates with the Special Education Administrator, the Alternative Education Administrator, the reading teacher and English Language Learner Department Head to support high quality instruction in co-teaching and small group English classrooms.
• Leads the hiring and onboarding process for new English teachers.
• Coordinates and leads professional development aligned to departmental needs and school goals.
• Builds and maintains a positive departmental culture.

• Teaches Two English Classes

• Aligns instruction to departmental curriculum and rigorous objectives.
• Employs best practices in ELA pedagogy and models these strategies for other educators
• Uses differentiated instruction and sheltered English immersion to support each learner’s engagement and growth
• Maintains communication with students, parents and community, fostering a strong home-school connection.

• Curriculum Development and Alignment

• Leads the design, alignment, and evaluation of the ELA curriculum for grades 9–12.
• Guides the development and cohesive implementation of common assessments, rubrics, and grading practices.
• Provides curriculum materials and texts are on-grade level, rigorous, and represent diverse voices and perspectives.
• Collaborates with the Kennedy and Wilson Middle Schools’ English Department Heads to ensure vertical alignment and continuity for students.
• Maintains current standards-aligned curriculum documents that accurately represent the current teaching and learning taking place in English classrooms.

• Instructional Leadership

• Develops and articulates a clear departmental vision aligned with school goals and the district’s strategic plan.
• Leads the implementation of high-quality ELA instruction grounded in best practices, including differentiated instruction, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and culturally sustaining teaching practices.
• Uses data to guide instructional improvement and to inform decision-making.
• Facilitates regular English Department PLCs and department meetings rooted in collaboration, instructional planning, and professional learning.
• Designs professional development that supports educator growth and is in alignment with department, school and district goals.
• Applies knowledge of current research and theory in English pedagogy to leadership practices.
• Collaborates with intervention teams to ensure support for struggling readers and writers are effective and accessible.
• Collaborates with other instructional leaders to improve literacy instruction across the curriculum.
• Ensures equitable access to advanced coursework, including Honors and AP English classes.
• Oversees the English Workshop.

• General Leadership

• Serves as the primary point of contact for English Department communication with families, administrators, and community partners.
• Works with the NHS Leadership Team, principal and district administrators to implement district, state and federal initiatives, as needed.
• Fosters a positive school culture.
• Represents the English department at public forums (i.e. School Committee, PTSO, Parent Nights, etc.).
• Serves as a member of the school’s Leadership, Data and Department Head teams
• Contributes to broader school improvement efforts.
• Collaborates with special education, multilingual learner educators, and school counselors to ensure inclusive practices.
• Participates in hiring processes for building-wide roles.
• Supports and collaborates on the design of building-wide professional development

• Department Management

• Maintains the department’s budget with fiscal responsibility, including procurement of instructional materials, supplies and other resources.
• Maintains annual media and equipment inventory.
• Oversees the storage and maintenance of textbooks and English department supply areas.
• Ensures that English teachers adhere to school-based deadlines, including grade submissions and course recommendations.
• Coordinates course offerings, scheduling, and placement recommendations in partnership with school counseling staff and the administrative team.
• Creates the scheduling and staffing matrix annually for all English classes.
• Engages in student management in assigned areas and addresses students’ initial cut classes to English classes.
• Complies with school regulations and protocols, School Committee and District policies and applicable state and federal laws and regulations. 

• Other duties as assigned.
• May be required to attend select meetings or complete other tasks during the summer with compensation per the EAN contract. 

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE

Candidates must demonstrate:

• A passion for working with adolescents and their caregivers.
• An ability to multitask in a fast-paced, supportive environment that nurtures student growth
• A knowledge of adolescent development
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Flexibility and a strong desire to collaborate 
• Excellent organizational and data literacy skills
• An ability to meet ongoing, time-sensitive deadlines
• A deep knowledge of high school English content and pedagogy, including Universal Design for Learning (UDL), SEI strategies, and differentiated instruction.
• An ability to reach each learner using a variety of approaches.
• A strong belief that all students can grow and achieve.

Bilingual skills, especially in Spanish and Portuguese, are highly desirable

Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent may find appropriate and in conformity with state certification requirements.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the job satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: 

• Move about the classroom, school, school grounds, office, and/or off-site locations. On some occasions, it may be necessary to move quickly across even or uneven surfaces; 
• Use technology including but not limited to a phone, intercom, personal computer and software applications, projector, scanner, copy machine, calculator, camera, printer, fax machine;
• Remain in a stationary position for periods of time;
• Operate a computer and other school/office productivity machinery (i.e., iPad, copy machine, computer printer, assistive technology, etc.); 
• Read material from a computer monitor as well as handwritten or printed matter with or without visual aids; 
• Position oneself to maintain files and access school/classroom/office materials;
• Communicate with others so that information received and given is understood and accurately communicated;
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with students, parents, and other staff members in person, via video conference, on the telephone, and/or in writing;
• Observe details at close range;
• In the school setting, ensure the safety of students;
• Multitask and meet multiple demands from several people;
• May need to teach and support students with life skills development such as eating, cleaning, and toileting;
• Lifting up to and including 25 lbs;
• The noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

SELECTION GUIDELINES

• Formal application
• Assessment of qualifications, licensure, skills and experience
• Oral interviews
• Performance task
• Reference check
• Strong record of work performance in current and previous roles required
• Successful completion of Criminal Records Check (C.O.R.I.), Sexual Offender Record Check (S.O.R.I.), and fingerprints.

The Natick Public Schools do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, religion, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other class protected by law.