Summer Academy Dean of Instruction

Student U is a community organization that uses the power of education to build a just and equitable Durham.

We empower and equip first-generation college students in Durham Public Schools, their families, and educators to become the leaders that will transform our city. Together, we’re creating a Durham where all students succeed.

As a result of structural racism, poverty and other systemic injustices, we acknowledge that first generation college-bound students face significant personal and institutional obstacles to educational success. We want to change the odds for children in our community.

The Work:

Each summer, Student runs a full-day Summer Academy for our ~250 rising 6-10th grade students. During Summer Academy, students attend both academic and elective courses, engage in intentional community and culture building, and attend a weekly field trip and/or enrichment experience. At Summer Academy, we are committed to helping our students feel success and growth by providing thoughtful, intentional academic experiences, and sharing our own excitement around academic content.

At Student U, we believe our classrooms should reflect best practices in instruction, encourage academic rigor, develop critical thinking skills, and engage students in becoming change agents in their communities. Student U provides a base curriculum for all content classes taught at Summer Academy, and mentor teachers work to ensure our summer educators (a combination of experienced and novice educators) have the tools and support they need to implement these materials effectively with our students.

The Role:

The Dean of Instruction collaborates with Student U staff to plan, oversee, and evaluate academic instruction across Student U’s Summer Academy. This work includes:

• Instructional Planning: Assist in the creation of clear, measurable, motivating program-wide instructional goals and ensure Student U’s in-house curriculum materials are refined and ready for teacher use at Summer Academy
• Leading Mentor Teacher Team: Recruit, train, supervise, and coach a team of five Mentor Teachers to effectively support summer teachers to be reflective, innovative, and effective educators
• Staff Training: Collaborate with Student U staff to plan, oversee, and evaluate Student U’s two-week Orientation and ongoing professional development for summer teachers
• Program Leadership: Engage as a part of Student U’s Summer Academy Leadership Team

The Dean of Instruction position is designed for a high achieving and innovative educator with curriculum development and teacher coaching experience. Our ideal candidate is passionate, motivated, proactive, innovative and data driven.

Job Responsibilities:

The commitment for this role is January 2026-August 2026. The schedule, hours, and responsibilities for this position change over the course of these months, as Student U moves from programming planning and staff recruitment to program implementation with students:

• If you are concerned about your ability to fulfill the requirements due to scheduling conflicts but are still interested in the position, please contact Alex Lowe Turner at alex.lowe@studentudurham.org.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Belief in the Student U mission, educational philosophy, and core values
• Bachelor’s degree
• At least four years of middle or high school classroom teaching experience
• At least two years of formal experience coaching and/or supporting teacher professional development
• Understanding of and experience with proven best practices in teaching and/or coaching
• Culturally relevant pedagogical framework
• Understanding of the social and academic needs of middle and high school students
• Experience building open, supportive work environments and effective teams
• Excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to meet deadlines

Anti-Discrimination Policy & Commitment to Equity & Child Safeguarding Policy

• Student U is committed to fostering an inclusive culture within our organization where people from various backgrounds can participate fully and equitably, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to our mission.
• Student U has a commitment to ensuring the safety of our students. All staff will participate in a mental health training for young people, safety training, and Restorative Practices training during orientation.

Benefits

Compensation: $25/hour; ~310 hours total from January 2026-August 2026

Preferred Deadline: Rolling deadline with preference given to applications submitted by December 5, 2025

Apply Online!

A complete application incudes your resume, two professional references, and a cover letter that addresses the following questions:

• What role do you believe race and wealth play in the education of children? How do your beliefs influence your education and teaching philosophy?
• Describe your method of coaching other teachers. What processes, frameworks, or pedagogies drive your practice?
• What 2-3 skills do you think are most important for a novice teacher to master first in their practice?