2024-2025 Assistant Department Head (Arts) - High School

Job Description
At KIPP NYC College Prep, the Assistant Department Head serves as the assistant to the Department Head. Department Heads establish a clear, shared vision among department members for the role of their team in the intellectual development of each student, and develop the content expertise and planning habits of each department teacher.
Below are listed the responsibilities of the assistant department head. This particular assistant role will be for someone to teach at least 4 periods of classes and will manage approximately 1-2 teachers in the department for the 2024 - 2025 school year. The year will be a year of training to grow in the four areas outlined here:
#1 Drive academic achievement.
Support in planning and leading department meetings.
Support PLCs in ensuring vertical alignment in curriculum based on both the NYS Regents curriculum and standards.
Guide teachers’ analysis of student work, examination of class trends in data, measurement of progress towards big goals, and diagnosis of problems.
Monitor staff members’ gradebooks to ensure equity and alignment across PLC and that regular grade updates are logged.
Manage the State Regents Examinations &
Midterms and Finals, including:
preparing materials for exams, collecting test result forms, organizing Saturday Review/Mock sessions, serving as point person the day of department Regents Exams, serving as point person for grading of Regents, etc.
Ordering supplies/books/calculators/snacks and maintaining the budget.
Monitor bulletin boards for your department.
Help organize and execute Back to School Night, Parent Open Houses, Report Card Nights, and award ceremonies.
#2:
Model excellent teaching.
Give constant feedback to your students. Return major summative assessments (essays, tests, projects) with feedback within one week of submission. Return minor summative assessments (quizzes, graded HW or class work) within 3 days. Give targeted daily feedback to students to support academic growth.
Track student mastery of unit objectives for all students in each class as appropriate for the course.
Build supportive parent relationships by reaching out proactively to report student successes. Call home to students who are earning less <
75% regularly until performance improves, logging all calls in Deanslist.
Design and adhere to course scope and sequence.
Adapt summative assessments for students with IEPs. Collaborate with your Special Education teachers regularly.
Update PowerSchool regularly.
Model strong student interactions and build a supportive classroom culture (values, practices, and language).
Ensure classroom and lab spaces are clean and organized.
Revise/maintain school culture practices (e.G. disciplinary systems, Advisory, etc.)
Actively address student behavior in all places in the building. Lead large student group conversations when necessary.
#3:
Help Develop Teachers.
Help with recruiting and hiring new staff as needed.
Schedule and execute an observation cycle.
Facilitate regular peer observations.
Identify the highest leverage skills for individual teachers to work on and track progress toward goals.
Mentor department members that have been identified with your direct manager. Set up “buddy teachers” for new-to-KIPP teachers within the dept.
#4:
Support School-wide Logistics
Support in the completion of the 9th grade student placements, based on department’s criteria.
Update course catalog, including course descriptions and prerequisites when needed.
Ensure that all classes are covered when teachers are out.
Attend applicable manager PDs.
Hall/Lobby duty approximately twice a week.
*Assistant Department Heads and Department Heads are required to work 2 days prior to the entire staff returning.