6-8 Department Chair - Science (Internal Only)

Department Chairperson Middle School Reports to: Educational Services Salary: Stipend OVERALL OBJECTIVE AND SUMMARY The department chair provides instructional leadership and enhances articulation regarding curriculum alignment with standards. He or she facilitates the development and use of common assessments in order to determine instructional strategies that will most effectively meet the needs of students. The duties of the department chair are critical to the overall educational program and require effective and ongoing communication, collaboration and organization with staff and administration. EXPECTATIONS

1. Demonstrate satisfactory performance in the classroom.
2. Show a willingness and ability to facilitate open, candid, and effective lines of communication with teachers and Educational Services.
3. Demonstrate mutual respect and trust among colleagues. 
4. Promote positive and productive relationships between colleagues, students and Educational Services.
5. Demonstrate an ability to promote positive morale and a willingness to mediate misunderstandings.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of the content area and approved curriculum.
7. Demonstrate a willingness to examine student data and facilitate changes necessary to produce efficient and effective practices that will increase student achievement.
8. Demonstrate the willingness to promote continuous learning through understanding Professional Learning Communities, data analysis, and effective pedagogy.
9. Collaboratively develop Professional Learning Time agendas that support increasing student academic and social-emotional improvement.
10. Have a working knowledge of targeted instruction, English Language Learners and IEP modifications and accommodation.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Serves as a resource to the Educational Services Department and department members to assist in creating a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
2. Demonstrates support to District, school and department goals. The chair will demonstrate a willingness to examine student data and facilitate changes necessary to produce efficient and effective practices that will increase student achievement, by:

• Having an awareness of the standards-aligned curriculum that is being taught in the classroom by department members.
• Facilitating in the development of measureable and meaningful goals within the department that supports district and school site goals.
• Facilitating department discussions on student performance data for the purpose of curricular or instructional improvement.

1. Make recommendations for additional professional learning as a department.
2. Promote department efforts with implementation of common core and state standards, formative and summative assessments, common assessments for like courses, and effective instructional practices.
3. Collaboratively facilitate district level and site level (if requested) professional learning time, submit agendas, attendance and minutes as directed by Educational Services.
4. Attend scheduled department chair meetings to discuss successes, challenges, needs and goals.
5. Assist articulation efforts between middle school and high school and/or elementary school teachers to coordinate seamless academic transitions providing data and support.
6. Other tasks deemed necessary and in alignment with the overall objective of this position.