Assistant Middle School Director - 2026/2027 School Year (Woodlawn Campus)

The Woodlawn Campus of the University of Chicago Charter School (UCW) opened in September 2006. It has a three-part mission:

1) to cultivate in students the habits of mind, work, and heart necessary for college success and responsible citizenship;

2) to contributeto the community through student research, service, and leadership; and

3) to improve teaching and learning by serving as a site of professional development for teachers and school leaders.

Position Overview:

The Assistant Middle School Director will be responsible for maintaining a balanced equation among administration, teachers, students, and parents to achieve academic excellence. The Assistant Middle School Director will assist in the direction and coordination of educational, administrative, supervisory, and counseling activities at school, and perform related duties as required. In the absence of the Middle School Director, the Assistant Middle School Director will take charge. The Assistant Middle School Director will also establish protocols and effective systems and structures to support achievement aligned with the vision and strategic plan of UCW MS. The Assistant Middle School Director will report to the Middle School Director on a regular basis to review gathered data, review proposals for solutions/resolutions to data/issues and evaluate the effectiveness of systems/protocols put in place. In addition, the Assistant Middle School Director will deliver the most rigorous and joyful academic experience through observation and feedback, data-driven instruction, curriculum and assessment, professional development, building team culture through strong leadership skills, and contributions to organization-wide initiatives.

Primary duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Instructional Leadership & Teacher Evaluation

• Implement and uphold the school’s instructional vision aligned to curriculum, assessment, and college readiness standards
• Conduct frequent informal observations and formal evaluation cycles in accordance with UCW performance frameworks
• Lead goal-setting conferences, mid-year reviews, and end-of-year summative evaluations
• Provide structured, evidence-based coaching using consistent observation and feedback protocols
• Deliver real-time, actionable feedback during instruction.
• Identify instructional trends and design targeted professional development responses
• Support teachers on improvement plans with clear performance benchmarks and documentation
• Calibrate evaluation practices with school and network leadership to ensure rigor and fairness

Data-Driven Instruction & Academic Systems

• Lead schoolwide assessment cycles, including scheduling, quality assurance, preparation, and analysis
• Facilitate data meetings that result in actionable plans with clear ownership and progress monitoring
• Monitor grade-level and content-area performance toward quarterly and annual goals
• Conduct gradebook audits and GPA reviews to ensure grading integrity and accountability
• Oversee Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention systems within an MTSS framework
• Track subgroup performance and address opportunity gaps
• Develop academic action plans for students not meeting standards

Coaching & Development of Mid-Level Leaders

• Assist in supervision and coaching of grade-level leads, content leads, instructional coaches, and deans
• Build leadership capacity through regular 1:1 coaching focused on:
  • Data analysis and instructional planning
  • Team facilitation and adult accountability
  • Strategic problem-solving
  • Conflict resolution and staff management
• Hold mid-level leaders accountable for student achievement, team performance, and implementation fidelity
• Develop leadership pipelines by identifying and cultivating emerging leaders

Professional Development & Adult Learning

• Design and deliver high-impact professional development aligned to instructional priorities
• Lead grade-level and content team meetings with clear objectives and measurable outcomes
• Support new teacher onboarding and instructional acclimation to UCW systems
• Ensure PD sessions are data-driven, actionable, and aligned to evaluation trends
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, high expectations, and professional accountability

Student Culture & Student Discipline Systems

• Oversee implementation of schoolwide behavior systems and restorative practices
• Assist in supervision and support of the dean and SEL team
• Monitor discipline data for equity and disproportionality trends
• Lead student support meetings, threat assessments, and crisis response protocols
• Partner with families to address academic and behavioral concerns
• Ensure consistent implementation of the student code of conduct

Compliance & Legal Oversight

• Ensure adherence to federal, state, and local education regulations
• Monitor special education compliance in collaboration with case managers and service providers (IEP timelines, 504 plans, manifestation hearings)
• Ensure testing security compliance for all state and local assessments
• Oversee attendance compliance and truancy intervention processes
• Uphold FERPA and student records confidentiality
• Support Title IX processes as applicable

Safety & Emergency Management

• Lead coordination and documentation of safety drills (fire, lockdown, evacuation)
• Oversee implementation of school safety protocols
• Partner with operations and security personnel to ensure a safe learning environment
• Serve on crisis response teams and manage incident follow-up processes
• Ensure accurate documentation of behavioral and safety incidents

Staffing, Scheduling, & Operations

• Collaborate in building and maintaining the master schedule
• Support hiring processes, including screening, interviewing, and onboarding staff
• Oversee substitute coverage systems and staffing contingencies
• Support budget oversight for instructional materials, interventions, and professional development
• Ensure operational systems support academic priorities

Strategic Leadership & Community Engagement

• Contribute to and implement the school’s strategic plan
• Analyze schoolwide data and propose strategic adjustments
• Represent the school in family and community meetings when appropriate
• Support schoolwide events such as curriculum nights, award ceremonies, and student exhibitions
• Reinforce and model the values of Scholarship, Leadership, Excellence, and Grit

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education administration or social work required
• Five or more years of urban education experience and previous management or supervisory experience in an education environment required
• Ideal candidate will possess the ability to effectively communicate and interact well with students, teachers, and parents
• Candidate should have strong problem-solving skills with the ability to build teams and collaborations; have outstanding multi-tasking and research abilities; extensive knowledge in core curriculum areas; and be a seeker of new knowledge and methods that will improve the overall performance of students and staff
• Adeptly skilled at strategic planning: efficiently using data to make decisions through analysis, action planning and execution
• An unwavering belief that all students can succeed and lead exemplary lives
• Experience with organizing, developing, and delivering high quality professional development
• Documented experience with analyzing data, facilitating quarterly data conferences, tracking progress toward academic goals (including gradebook audits and GPA), and success with implementing systems and structures for improvement in these areas that drive measurable results
• Ability to receive, internalize, and respond to feedback from campus and network leadership
• Demonstrated success improving teacher performance and student outcomes
• Proven experience conducting formal evaluations and coaching cycles
• Experience supervising adult staff and developing leaders
• Strong knowledge of compliance requirements in public charter settings

Pay Range: $105,000.00 - $115,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University of Chicago Charter School's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. The salary will be commensurate of years of teaching experience and education.

UChicago Charter School offers a wide range of benefits programs for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in theBenefits guide.

UCCS recruits, hires, compensates, promotes and otherwise manages employees and prospective employees on the basis of individual merit without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status or any and all other factors protected by law. This policy includes UCCS’s commitment to maintain a workplace free from sexual or other unlawful harassment or discrimination of any nature.