Science Department Chair (.6 Dept. Chair / .4 Teaching) (OH)

COMPENSATION: Per Teacher Salary Schedule based on education and experience. District 308 grants experience credit on the salary schedule for up to 10 years of prior, verifiable, contractual full-time teaching experience. In addition to a competitive base salary, department chairpersons are eligible for stipends as set forth in the OEA collective bargaining agreement.

BENEFITS: Full-time Associates enjoy a robust selection of healthcare benefits including employer paid Life and AD&D insurance, Long Term Disability, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), as well as three medical plans to choose from including PPO and HMO plans. What's more, CUSD provides a 100% claim reimbursement program for out of pocket expenses (excluding ER services), when an employee is enrolled in our PPO plan and uses our RUSH Healthcare reimbursement program.

UNION MEMBERSHIP: This position is represented by the Oswego Education Association (OEA).

Qualifications

• A valid/registered Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with a Science Endorsement and Principal or General Administrative Endorsement
• Minimum of five years of subject matter teaching experience preferred
• Demonstrated knowledge of curriculum, instructional methods and current teaching techniques
• Strong communication skills and leadership qualities to work effectively with administration, faculty, students,and parents
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, families, team members, and others.
• Demonstrated knowledge of evaluation techniques and tools
• Qualified Teacher Evaluator approval
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and apply a variety of data for educational purposes
  
  

REPORTS TO: Principal and/or his/her designee

General Description

The Department Chair provides instructional leadership and assists in facilitating articulation regarding curriculum alignment with standards, the development and implementation of common assessments, and the use of effective instructional strategies that will most appropriately meet the needs of students. The duties of the department chair are critical to the overall educational program of the school and require effective and ongoing communication and collaboration with staff and administration.

Specific Responsibilities

• Evaluation
  
  

In collaboration with building administration, schedule and conduct observations, evaluations (both formal and informal), and student growth meetings for non-tenured and tenured teachers. Administration will assign final summative rating after consulting with department chair.

• Communication
• Agendas, minutes and email/voicemail communication with department members
• Collaboration with administration on establishing the school's goals
• Course catalog revisions
• Collaboration with counterparts (sister school department chair, administrative liaisons and specialists as needed)
• Planning, Organizing, and Implementing
• Establish strategies that involve the department in furthering the school’s goals and vision
• May consult and facilitate department meetings, content area articulation and district K-12 meetings
• Maintain a departmental budget
• Monitor monthly expenditures
• Inventory, order, maintain, and distribute supplies, consumables (inc. workbooks), and equipment
• Inventory and request textbooks/resources for their department.
• Accept/decline and assign potential clinical observations and student teachers.
• Analyze and share assessment data.
• Create and recommend to administration a department teaching schedule as a part of the master schedule (includes course schedule and room utilization).
• Interpersonal
• Coach and support departmental staff.
• Interview and recommend candidates in collaboration with an administrator.
• Conduct department-specific orientation for new staff.
• Based on the frequency and severity of concerns, the department chair may refer an issue to the building administration. Only administrators may implement formal disciplinary action.
• Actively contribute to building leadership team discussions.
• Serve as an intermediary between teaching staff and administration.
• Coordinate departmental articulation at secondary level (as applicable)
• Curriculum Development
• In collaboration with a curriculum team, review and recommend curriculum for relevance and rigor
• In collaboration with a curriculum team, recommend curriculum related technology
• Articulate and communicate with other high schools
• Assist in the development and revision of recommended departmental support materials.
• Read and share relevant professional information
• Collaborate with teachers regarding guest speakers and other curricular enrichments.
• Collect and review departmental syllabi
• Committees
  
  

Actively Participate In Committees

• High School Curriculum Council
• Building Leadership Teams
• Curriculum Renewal Cycle
• Instructional Leadership Team
• Other committees that may directly impact the departmental area (may appoint designee to represent the department)