Director, Mathematics

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500 schools and employing over 45,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Department of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) supports inclusive and innovative learning experiences in math, science, and whole-school integrated STEM & STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) programming across the district.  It is our commitment that every day, in every STEM classroom in CPS, all students will: actively make sense of and construct solutions to complex questions; productively contribute to the learning community to support a culture of collaboration, risk-taking, and innovation; and regularly reflect on and communicate their understanding of disciplinary ideas. Through these experiences and purposeful opportunities to face transdisciplinary challenges, students will graduate from CPS with advanced STEM literacies prepared to make the world a better place.

Job Summary:

The primary objective of the Director, Mathematics will be to provide the vision and direction for district-wide K-12 Math expectations, guidance, and ongoing support for curriculum, instruction, assessment and intervention impacting all students. This position will lead a team of direct reports and will report to the Executive Director of STEM Programs.

 The Director, Mathematics will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Develop and manage a high-functioning and collaborative team that is able to execute effectively, meet deadlines, and produce quality work to further the visions of the district, office, and department
• Lead strategic planning around Math initiatives to support district-wide vision for teaching & learning
• Lead the Mathematics Team within the Department of STEM Programs to improve student outcomes via professional learning, curriculum supports, programmatic supports, and partnerships
• Collaborate with relevant offices and departments to support  a coherent vision for teaching and learning across content areas
• Facilitate regular meetings with Content Specialists and Curriculum Designers to identify priority areas for continuous improvement of the district’s universally available digital curriculum, Skyline 
• Engage in regular progress monitoring and feedback cycles to deepen the impact of Math Content Specialists
• Provide subject matter expertise on district-wide initiatives including cross-departmental programs, RFPs, and resource development
• Maintain content area expertise through staying abreast of current research, practices, and innovation in the field
• Perform other related duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Director, Mathematics must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study from an accredited college or university, required
• Valid teaching certificate issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with appropriate grade level and content level endorsement, is required. (Candidates with a valid out-of-state, reciprocal license will be considered but must obtain ISBE licensure within 6 months of hire.)
• LBSI, ESL, or Bilingual Endorsement, preferred 
• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study, preferred

Experience Required: 

• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience, including the following, is required:

  • Minimum of five (5) years of classroom teaching experience in Math or other STEM-related field(s)

  • Minimum of three (3) years working with adult learners, including creating, organizing, and facilitating professional learning experiences to meet the needs of participants 

  • Minimum of three (3) years of experience in a management position leading a team of direct reports, providing professional coaching and managing individuals in developing and achieving a strategic plan

  • Teacher leadership experience, such as leading school teams in the development of curriculum and assessments, analyzing student performance data, etc. 

  • Experience with strategic planning and adult learning to shape the cross-content district-wide professional learning strategy

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Expertise in planning, designing, facilitating, and evaluating professional learning 
• Deep knowledge/understanding of Math teaching and learning instructional best practices 
• Strong leadership and team building skills, e.g. ability to develop high-performing teams united around a clear vision for serving schools and achieving student success

• Effective strategic planning capabilities, including the ability to establish and articulate a vision and goals, set high standards, and effectively guide individuals and teams in the realization of expectations set

• Excellent leadership development and instructional leadership skills; capable of coaching managers toward excellence, building the capacity of content area teams and developing meaningful and high-impact professional communities for teachers and school leaders
• Exceptional organizational skills; ability to effectively manage several work streams simultaneously
• Capable of building and sustaining positive, productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable collaborating and communicating across a diverse range of audiences, including network teams, principals, teachers, and support staff
• Commitment to CPS Instructional Core Vision, and ensuring that all students have access to grade-level, standards-aligned learning opportunities
• Ability to build consensus and leverage expertise with educators across the district 
• Excellent technology skills (Google Suite)

Benefits:

Health & Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

Medical Plan Options

Pharmacy

Dental

Vision

Behavioral Health & EAP

Employee Wellness Program
 

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement and savings options:

Basic Life Insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Pension Plans

Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life

CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:

Paid Leave

Sick Leave

Vacation Days

Parental Leaves

Short-Term Disability

Religious Holidays

Leaves

Reference the Chicago Public Schools: A Comprehensive Benefits Overview or the benefits handbook for comprehensive details.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions; however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.