Spanish Department Chair

The Opportunity

Blue Ridge School is an all-boys, all-boarding college-preparatory school serving 180 students on a 751-acre campus situated along the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just 20 miles from Charlottesville, Virginia, Blue Ridge School is innovative in its approach to educating young men. Passionate teachers, small classes, strong relationships, lots of opportunities to participate in athletics and co‑curricular activities, and a rigorous but supportive college prep curriculum, empower Blue Ridge graduates to thrive in college and beyond.

With an average class size of 11 students and teacher autonomy, faculty members are able to help each student discover the best way to master the course material, and challenge each student to reach beyond self‑determined limits and fulfill his untapped potential.

Blue Ridge School seeks a Spanish Department Chair. The role of Spanish Department Chair is a full‑time, 9‑month, position that has primary responsibilities to plan, organize and implement an appropriate instructional program in a learning environment that guides and encourages students to develop and fulfill their academic potential. Beyond their core teaching role, Department Chairs serve as a communication liaison between faculty and administration, serve as a leader in curriculum and pedagogy in their respective department, and assist in hiring, training, evaluating and supporting faculty members in their respective departments.

Department chairs work collaboratively with each other and their team to communicate the wider mission of the school, and serve as an advocate for their departments best interests. This person would be required to teach 4 sections of Spanish, levels to be determined at the discretion of the hire and Academic Dean.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a committed educator who is at their core, student oriented, collaborative in nature, willing to work with and support the teachers in their department, and has the ability to balance leadership and directives with teacher autonomy. Candidates should have:

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Spanish from an accredited institution
• Relevant teaching experience preferred
• Experience working with students of different academic backgrounds and learning profiles preferred, but not required
• Flexibility, creativity and willingness to play an active role in the life of the School community
• Proficient use of technology in the classroom and the theory behind such use
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with students, parents, peers, and supervisors
• Exceptional organizational, planning, problem solving, decision making and critical thinking skills
• Effective time management skills

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Schedule and facilitate effective department meetings that center the discussion of teaching and learning, and best practices in your discipline.
• Be a champion for the professional development of your department’s teachers. Help teachers identify, and then encourage them, to take advantage of meaningful PD opportunities, and lead by example in this manner by actively seeking out and completing professional development activities of your own.
• Oversee the creation, revision, and management of the department’s Scope and Sequence Document. Ensure that what is on the department’s scope and sequence document matches the reality of what is happening in classrooms.
• Oversee the creation and revision of the syllabi for the department’s courses. Assist teachers in creating and formatting these documents.
• Promote, encourage, and lead by example in the deployment of Project Based Learning and incorporating the tenets of Project Based Learning into your department’s classes.
• Be a resource and a sounding board for the department’s teachers, maintain an open door policy that allows teachers to feel comfortable sharing ideas and experiences.
• Conduct periodic classroom visits to observe your department’s teachers in action. Validate the things they are doing well and identify any areas for improvement. Invite your teachers to visit your class.
• Proof‑read all narrative progress report and report card comments from teachers in the department and offer feedback on each teacher’s comments.
• Foster collegiality, camaraderie, and collaboration among the department’s teachers.
• Plan, prepare and deliver instructional activities that facilitate engaging learning experiences
• Demonstrate a willingness to engage students in developing solid skills in speaking, reading and writing Spanish for comprehension, communication, appreciation, and interpretation.
• Familiarize the students to the culture and history of the Spanish‑speaking world.
• Encourage active student participation and thinking during classes
• Plan, prepare and deliver instructional activities that facilitate active learning experiences
• Develop course syllabi and lesson plans
• Establish and communicate clear objectives for all learning activities
• Prepare classroom for class activities
• Provide a variety of learning materials and resources for use in educational activities
• Use relevant technology to support instruction
• Willingness to work with students of different academic backgrounds, utilizing professional development opportunities and experiences to identify and select appropriate instructional resources and methods to meet students’ varying learning profiles.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use of learning materials and resources
• Successfully convey to students major concepts, principles, theories, laws and interrelationships of the field of science in which you instruct.
• Engages students in safe, student‑centered teaching methods, including numerous activities, projects, language labs, and outdoor learning opportunities.
• Keep up to date with developments in subject area, teaching resources and methods and make relevant changes to instructional plans and activities
• Assign and grade class work, homework, tests and assignments to include regular constructive feedback on all work and assessments
• Observe, evaluate, and record each student’s overall performance and development
• Prepare reports and update all necessary records accurately, completely, and timely as required by school policies regarding students’ behavior and academic achievement
• Participate in department meetings, school meetings, and parent meetings
• Communicate necessary information regularly to students, colleagues and parents regarding student progress and student needs
• Perform certain advisory duties including but not limited to student support, counseling students with academic problems and providing student encouragement
• Maintain discipline in accordance with the rules and disciplinary systems of the school
• Participate in two seasons of co‑curricular programming
• Participates on weekday and weekend duty teams
• Attends on‑campus special events, such as Registration, Parents Weekend, Alumni Weekend, School sponsored mixers, etc.

Why Work at Blue Ridge School?

Whether you’re an educator, administrator, or support person, a career at Blue Ridge School can bring the meaning you seek in your work. You’ll work in an incredibly beautiful campus setting helping to shape the lives of diverse young men from many cultures and communities. You’ll enjoy a work environment that stresses collaboration and innovation.

And you’ll be immersed in the Blue Ridge culture—one that is focused on family, community, and mutual support.

Eighty percent of our faculty live on campus; and on‑campus housing is provided for many positions. All employees have access to many other unique benefits, including:

• Access to BRS fitness facilities and wilderness trails
• Meals in the dining hall for you, your family, and your guests
• A comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package with generous support for professional development and continuing education
• Structured mentorship, collaborative professional development, and support for educators at every career stage; Blue Ridge fosters a culture of innovation and collegiality.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

Teaching credential or certification preferred; not required

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands: occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; some climbing and balancing; frequent stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally the job requires 25% sitting, 25% walking, and 50% standing. The job is performed under minimal temperature variations and under conditions with some exposure to risk of injury and/or illness.

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