Dean of Teaching and Learning

Deerfield Academy seeks a Dean of Teaching & Learning to start on August 17, 2022. We are looking for a leader who will promote, lead and build a culture of professional renewal and ongoing improvement among faculty.  Reporting to the Dean of Academic Affairs, the Dean of Teaching and Learning will work with Department Chairs and faculty to support instructional leadership and innovation.  They will foster collaboration and study and renew the Academy’s commitment to the liberal arts, ensuring that our curriculum and instructional practices offer an inclusive curricular program.   Deerfield faculty enjoy an outstanding work environment and excellent benefits, and work with colleagues who are deeply committed to their craft. Deerfield actively seeks to increase the diversity of its faculty and develop an inclusive community. Interested candidates should be enthusiastic about living in close proximity to teenagers and working with students both in and outside of the classroom. 

ABOUT DEERFIELD:

Deerfield offers an unmatched environment for teaching.  Near the Five Colleges (Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire College, and UMass Amherst), Deerfield’s 300-acre campus hosts exceptional facilities that enable powerful teaching both in and out of the classroom. Our students are engaging and excited to learn—and they are willing to work hard at their studies. Outside the classroom, our community is focused on active and ethical living.

Our teachers are committed to ongoing renewal. We seek candidates who are genuinely committed to their own growth, who are eager to work with colleagues to review the curriculum and programs we offer, and who can foster critical thinking, empathy, and determination in our students. As a boarding school, our faculty teach, mentor, and model in the classroom, in the dorm, at the dining hall, and in co-curricular activities. 

Diversity is essential to Deerfield’s success. Diverse perspectives within our school population fuel creative and innovative thinking, build empathy and consideration, and provide varied skills and experiences from which the entire community can benefit. Deerfield actively seeks candidates who are members of or support traditionally underrepresented groups—especially in terms of race, sexual orientation, and educational background.

ABOUT THIS POSITION:

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the Dean of Faculty Office, build on existing systems of appraisal and develop professional development programs that support growth and learning at each stage of a teacher’s career during the school-year and the summer.
• Lead Department Chairs, set departmental goals, evaluate their leadership efforts, and provide ongoing feedback.
• Encourage structured collaboration among colleagues. Explore further opportunities for co- and team-teaching, multi-disciplinary curricula, and the effective implementation of the Profile of the Learner.
• Work collaboratively with Department Chairs to identify high-impact evidence-based practices in support of intellectually inclusive practices and enfold them across our curriculum.
• Collaborate with the Head of School, Dean of Faculty, and Dean of Academic Affairs to develop and oversee the annual calendar of sustained professional learning, including summer professional development opportunities and orientation efforts that align with institutional needs.
• Lead efforts to fully institutionalize the Deerfield Forum which invites scholars and civic leaders to discuss contemporary issues, modelling constructive dialogue, active-open-mindedness and robust debate.
• Oversee Deerfield’s Teaching Fellow Program in collaboration with Penn Residency Master Teaching. This includes hiring Teaching Fellows, coordinating their visits to UPenn and peer schools, meeting weekly with the Fellows, and working with the mentors to support the Fellows.

Qualifications

• An understanding of Deerfield’s distinctive history as one of the nation’s leading residential boarding schools
• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred
• 3 - 5 years of combined experience teaching and leading or influencing other teachers
• 3 - 5 years of administrative experience, particularly in academic environments
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion and viewpoint diversity
• A demonstrated capacity to think strategically and lead professional development efforts
• An exceptional ability to connect with people, work in teams, and establish partnerships with third parties
• A relentlessly student-centered approach to teaching and learning
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Experience in K-12 schools and/or college or university settings
• Possess a high degree of energy and flexibility
• Demonstrated success in strategic planning and future-oriented initiatives, as well as previous experience in a curricular review/program analysis
• Broad understanding of and curiosity about the research on high-impact educational practices, including inclusive classroom practice, assessment and instructional design
• Excellent leadership and communication skills
• Experienced mentor with the capacity to cultivate new skillsets and mindsets of teachers

Deerfield Academy is a private, coeducational boarding school located in western Massachusetts with 670 students and 140 faculty. The Academy was founded in 1797 and has no religious affiliation.

Deerfield Academy is committed to equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected military veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.