Director of Teaching and Learning

Job Title: Director of Teaching and Learning

Supervisor: Associate Head of School 

Hours: 8:15-3:30pm

Status: Exempt 

Term: 12-Month Agreement

Position Overview: 

The Director of Teaching and Learning ensures high-quality, consistent instruction across K-12. As the school’s lead instructional expert, this role integrates the school’s mission, instructional vision, professional learning, and student outcomes into a coherent, schoolwide approach to teaching and learning.

In close partnership with the Associate Head of School, the Director translates instructional vision into clear expectations, aligned systems, and daily practice, ensuring that professional learning results in measurable improvements in teaching and student learning.

This role will focus on:

• Consistent, high-quality instruction across all learning environments
• Research-based professional learning that translates into observable instructional practice
• Building teacher and clinician capacity through coaching, feedback, and targeted development
• Coherence across K-12 instructional systems, practices, and expectations

Key Responsibilities: 

1. Instructional Vision and Strategy

• Partner with the Associate Head of School to:
  • Define and operationalize a clear vision for high-quality instruction
  • Align professional learning priorities with observable instructional practices and student outcomes
  • Establish systems that promote instructional consistency across grades, departments, and learning environments

2. Professional Learning and Instructional Growth

• Design and lead a coherent, schoolwide professional learning system that builds staff capacity over time
• Translate instructional priorities into actionable classroom practice through:
  • Workshops and modeling
  • Coaching cycles
  • Observation, feedback, and accountability systems
• Build internal leadership capacity by developing department chairs and instructional leaders as effective coaches of teaching practice
• Ensure professional learning reaches all instructional staff, including teachers, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and new hires

3. Data-Informed Instruction and Inquiry

• Lead systems for analyzing student data, classroom evidence, and instructional trends to inform decision-making
• Guide teams through structured inquiry cycles that connect student outcomes, instructional decisions, and professional learning priorities
• Use evidence to identify instructional strengths, growth areas, and schoolwide opportunities for improvement

4. Cross-Team Alignment and Collaboration

• Serve as a member of the school leadership team to ensure coherence across curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional learning
• Partner with curriculum leaders to align what is taught with how it is taught
• Lead and facilitate instructional meetings (department, grade-level, and cross-disciplinary) that build shared practice and collective accountability

Requirements: 

• Required: Advanced degree in the Science of Teaching and Learning, Curriculum & Instruction, educational leadership, or related field
• Required: 10+ years of teaching experience (special education experience strongly preferred)
• Required: 5+ years of leadership experience in a school setting
• Demonstrated expertise in instructional coaching, adult learning, and data analysis
• Strong leadership, communication, and systems-building skills

Physical Requirements 

Able to maintain the physical capacity required to navigate the school environment and to ensure the safety of the students; the ability to… 

• walk, run, sit, and stand 
• move rapidly forward, backward, and laterally 
• bend and stoop 
• push, pull, and lift 

Professional Development 

All Cooke staff are responsible for developing a professional growth plan with their supervisor. Staff training is an integral part of the Cooke school and as such is a requirement of the job. All staff must at a minimum: attend all scheduled Staff Development activities throughout the year and participate in staff orientation scheduled in August. 

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement 

The Cooke School and Institute provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Cooke complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. 

The Cooke School and Institute expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Cooke’s employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.