High School Religious Studies Department Chair

Carondelet is an equity-focused, woman-centered, 800-student high school located in the East Bay. The school is committed to recruiting a diverse team of adults that contribute different perspectives and ensure our students are surrounded by a rich community of mentors — DEI Statement.

Employees at Carondelet are lifelong learners with a keen interest in growing professionally in all areas. An ideal candidate is a team player who can think outside the box, is confident, and is capable of using technology. All employees are invested in providing a quality faith-based education for our young women. All participate actively in the life of the school community in a manner that supports and promotes the mission and core values of Carondelet. Employees should establish and cultivate relationships that help promote and progress the advancement goals of the school. Employees who actively contribute to building and strengthening a culture of philanthropy – internally and externally – that spotlights the impact of broad community participation and support.

For the classroom, we are seeking individuals who are interested in curriculum development as it relates to making learning highly relevant in today’s world. Our curriculum demands authentic assessments with rubrics, and lessons that provide critical and creative thinking opportunities.  Candidates should have a background or appetite for innovative, collaborative teaching models.

Carondelet High School (About us) is looking for a Full-Time Religious Studies Department Chair for the 2022-2023 school year.  The department chair plays a key leadership role in their department as they fulfill the role of teacher and administrator simultaneously. The Department Chair serves as an instructional leader for fellow faculty members, stewarding instruction and learning in their department.   This position is a full-time position.  The Chair teaches 3 sections in their department and has 4 “prep”  periods to cover their Chair responsibilities and faculty responsibilities.  This is a middle-level leadership position responsible for establishing open communication between and among departments and between administration and faculty.

General Department Chair Responsibilities:
Serves as a communication liaison between faculty and administration. The chair’s role as both faculty member and administrator serves to further mutual understanding of complex issues. The department chair openly participates in dialogue with members of the department, other department chairs, and administrators to ensure that the goals and direction of the school are clearly stated and aligned with the mission of the school.
Serves as a leader in curriculum and pedagogy in his or her respective department. The chair guides conversations about teaching and learning in each department to ensure that rigor and innovation are being pursued and good practices are being followed. The department chair leads annual (or more frequent) reviews of the curriculum in the department to ensure vertical continuity and appropriateness of content, skills, and assessment.
In order to stay in “front of the curve” of new developments and the most current pedagogy in the respective subject area, the department chair maintains relationships with local, regional, and national associations of teachers of their subjects. The chair attends local, regional, or national conferences in the discipline or creates the opportunity for others to do so and shares what was learned with the department. The chair seeks out new ideas and initiatives and introduces them to the department.
The chair models good teaching by using a variety of teaching techniques suitable to the subject and age group as well as by incorporating a variety of tools to reach students with a wide range of learning styles.  The department chair will specifically be a model for technology integration in their classroom.
The department chair assists in hiring, training, evaluating, and supporting the faculty members in their respective departments. The chair supports teachers who are new to the department or profession, teachers who might be struggling professionally or personally, and provides the first line of accountability for teachers in the department, partnering with the administration when more significant intervention is needed.
During meetings with the other department chairs and with administrators, the department chair serves as an advocate for one’s own department while at the same time supporting the wider mission of the school. The department chair supports a culture of healthy and open discussion about school issues, while also showing active support for the school’s decisions.
The department chair facilitates department meetings that promote participation from all department members. The chair keeps department meetings focused on curricular or teaching issues or needs of the students. The chair will use meetings to make sure administrative details are being attended to as well as to engage in meaningful conversation about teaching and learning.
The department chair creates and maintains a department handbook that includes course offerings, curriculum guides, student outcomes, etc.
The department chair should have a purposeful approach to developing their own leadership and collaboration skills. The chair should participate in formal and informal efforts to strengthen and improve his or her own leadership skills and seek out feedback on his or her own leadership as often as possible.

Specific Department Chair Responsibilities Responsibilities:
Coordinate and manage the implementation of the new Capstone program to ensure alignment with the mission and charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph
Communicate and manage the implementation of Carondelet’s new programming that is focused on Teaching and Curriculum for the specific subject area based on research and best practice, including our unique Catholic mission and our emphasis on relevant women-centered education.
Setting goals and objectives for the department as well as the faculty within the department that promotes and delivers the new Carondelet curriculum
Assist in developing measurable performance goals and benchmarks for the department and its faculty based on the articulated objectives.
Effectively communicate with faculty members regarding their strengths and areas of improvement to ensure faculty preparedness and accountability in achieving expectations.
Play an integral role in student academic performance and success by facilitating and resolving student academic concerns in conjunction with other members of the academic team, including the department of student success, the learning specialists, and others.
Resolving concerns of students, parents, and faculty before escalating to leadership level.
Assist in designing and collecting student data and outcomes. Use data to help in developing and implementing improvements.
Implement an effective observation process to achieve teaching objectives and inform performance evaluations.
Assist in developing and implementing Professional Development and growth opportunities for faculty within the department.
Assist in the hiring and mentoring of new faculty members.

Responsibilities and Duties as Teacher

Effectively manages instructional time and student behavior
Plans diverse lessons that ensure student comprehension of learning outcomes
Uses diverse assessments that demonstrate student comprehension of content in a variety of ways
Effectively uses Schoology as an avenue for student learning
Records assignments in PowerSchool in a timely fashion
Collaborates with department members and seeks out opportunities to partner with colleagues to implement innovative learning opportunities for students
Communicates with department chairs, academic support, personal counselors, students, and parents in a timely fashion when students are at-risk academically or personally
Cooperates with appropriate personnel (eg, Deans and Attendance officer) in enforcing school policies, rules, and regulations. This includes but is not limited to the following:
Administration/dean/counselor requests for student conference (green slips)
Faculty use of facilities
Student absence policy
Student appearance code
Student tardy policy
Participation in activities, workshops, and meetings as required
Fulfills duties and assignments in a punctual manner. This includes but is not limited to the following:
Arrival/departure on campus and to school functions as required
Faculty substitute procedure
Grades and progress reports
Notification of Main Office of departure/return during school day
Proctor duties
School services
Yard duty
Assists in maintaining a safe, clean, and friendly campus environment
Monitors appropriate student use of facilities
Monitors student behavior
Cooperates with and supports administrative initiatives
Performs other duties as assigned by the Principal and Assistant Principal
Provides appropriate instruction in specified curriculum and instructional feedback
Effectively monitors and evaluates student performance
Maintains professional standards within the educational environment
Fulfills professional growth expectations

Requirements
Demonstrated alignment and enthusiasm for the Catholic mission and unique charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph
An undergraduate degree in theology or a related field
Open to collaboration with other teachers both within and outside of the department on curricular projects and school initiatives
A history of openness to creative and innovative lessons, assessment, and learning opportunities
Experience with or openness to initiatives fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion to create a safe and welcoming learning environment

Preferred Qualifications
Five or more years of experience teaching the subject at the high school level
Experience in a leadership role
Experience with implementation of curricular change and innovative practices