24-25 - Doyle - Director of Advanced Learning - 1.0 FTE

Curriculum & Instruction

Doyle Administration Building

$107,352.00 - 118,804.50 Annual Salary

Why You Should Work with MMSD!

MMSD is seeking highly motivated and energetic applicants for openings for the 2024-2025 school year. The Madison Metropolitan School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We continue to seek a diverse and talented workforce. We encourage veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities to apply.

Becoming a Model School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. We have a simple but bold vision — to ensure that every school is a thriving school, fostering the growth of every student so they graduate from high school ready for college, career and community.

Our strategy is captured in our strategic framework , and centers on three major goals: that all children achieve academically, that our schools are places where children and adults thrive, and that our Black youth excel at school. To achieve this vision, we seek to retain staff in all positions, who are committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. Staff who will actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to making MMSD a thriving, welcoming environment for all students, families and staff.

We firmly believe and are here to create a work environment that is challenging and rewarding, while supporting you in your career path. We aim to foster, cultivate, and retain a skilled workforce that supports and mirrors the diversity of our student population.

We know this vision doesn't come to life without dynamic leaders and support staff in every school.

About Our District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is the second largest school district in Wisconsin. The district serves a beautifully diverse population of more than 27,000 students. More than half are students of color. Almost half come from low income households. Nearly one third are English Language Learners, and more than 100 languages are represented in our schools. Madison schools are committed to making this district a place where every child thrives.

Purpose of Position

The Director of Advanced Learning is responsible for the implementation of the MMSD Advanced Learning Policy and Advanced Learning Plan. The Director of Advanced Learning articulates the vision of the Advanced Learning Policy and plan and manages the multi-year implementation plan aligned to the MMSD Strategic Framework

The Director of Advanced Learning leads the district’s efforts in educating diverse advanced learners while providing enrichment opportunities for all students, especially those often underrepresented in advanced programs, and providing support as necessary within the department, across schools, and throughout central services. Requires strong collaboration with Curriculum and Instruction leaders.

A key component of this work is developing and implementing a talent development model focused on helping students from underrepresented backgrounds access and succeed in advanced coursework.

The Director of Advanced Learning is responsible for compliance with federal requirements, state standards, and MMSD Board Policy, training and overseeing the AL team in the use of best practices for support of students with advanced learning needs, and working with both school-based and central office administrators to provide monitoring, accountability, and guidance for school-level implementation of AL supports and services across MMSD.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Leadership
• Providing leadership for excellence and equity, empowering and motivating district and school staff to implement clear, timely and efficient systems for identification, instruction, and monitoring of students with advanced learning needs in all five domain areas: General Intellectual, Specific Academic, Leadership, Creativity, and Visual & Performing Arts
• Taking initiative to identify, define expectations for and problem-solve around implementation of Advanced Learning services within a Multi-Tiered System of Support
• Collaborate with curriculum leadership, coordinators, teaching and learning coaches and principals to plan and facilitate the implementation and alignment of curriculum and strategies for advanced learners
• Demonstrating a willingness to embrace change, challenge the status-quo and provide overall direction for Advanced Learning and Talent Development programming within an urban school district
• Serving as an advocate for Tier 1 differentiation, talent development, and implementation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 advanced learning interventions that meet the needs of students across 4K-12 environments
• Building and supporting a strong, collaborative and visionary K-12 Advanced Learning team, grounded in understanding of current best practices and research in Advanced Learning
• Supporting and coaching of the Advanced Learning Specialists, Advanced Learning Teacher Leaders and Advanced Learning Coordinator
• Supporting the evaluation of Advanced Learning staff utilizing the Educator Effectiveness model as defined by the State of Wisconsin
• Engaging in a cycle of continuous improvement with the visioning, implementation, and revision of the MMSD Advanced Learning Plan
• Representing MMSD as a liaison to community, state and national advocacy group
• Collaboration & Communication
• Developing and sustaining collaborative relationships with building principals to ensure embedded Advanced Learning programming within schools to meet the needs of a wide range of learners in all five domains
• Participating within Curriculum & Instruction Department meetings and representing and advocating for the Advanced Learning Department on the Central Office Leadership Team
• Working collaboratively with the Arts Education Coordinator to ensure high quality support for students with advanced learning needs in the areas of Creativity, Leadership, and Visual and Performing Arts
• Modeling training and experience in conflict resolution, negotiating with a wide variety of stakeholders, including families, community members, community partners and district staff
• Building and sustaining trust between schools, families and students with advanced learning need
• Leveraging opportunities with local universities/colleges, creating partnerships within the Madison community to support the needs of students with advanced learning needs
• Aligning the scope of MMSD's major plans in collaboration with Central Office team members, and ensuring attention to students whose social-emotional and academic needs are considered across multiple plans of support (e.g. students who are twice exceptional; English Learners in need of advanced supports; students with significant social-emotional needs who are also in need of advanced supports)
• Developing a network of professionals within external organizations
• Identification/Programming
• Researching and implementing systems for state of the art identification and programming models within all 5 domains
• Ensuring integration of instructional technology as a tool to provide differentiation for students with Tier 2-3 advanced learning needs
• Researching and implementing high-quality valid interventions, aligned to the CCSS and current best practices for advanced learning, in service of students, college, career and community readiness
• Demonstrating expertise in matching resources and supports to various sub-groups of students with advanced learning and/or talent development needs
• Integrating social and emotional needs of students with advanced learning needs into program development
• Data Analysis/Monitoring
• Utilizing multiple sources of data to monitor trends, growth and achievement of students receiving Advanced Learning services
• Monitoring systems of support and determine program effectiveness across the district and within schools
• Utilizing data to communicate with district staff, families and community stakeholders
• Researching, developing and promoting non-biased evaluation and identification tools
• Working with the Research and Evaluation Department to develop and implement measurable goals and benchmarks to ensure accountability and compliance with state and district standards and requirements
• Curriculum/Assessment
• Researching and recommending curriculum and interventions for students with advanced learning or talent development needs within all 5 domains, including consideration of social-emotional needs of advanced learners
• Understanding a Comprehensive Assessment System and its relationship within a Multi-Tiered System of Support in an urban school district
• Researching and recommending appropriate assessments within a Comprehensive Assessment System to support the Advanced Learning Policy and Plan for identification and monitoring
• Participating on cross-functional teams to develop performance tasks and rubrics across K-12 content to assess proficiency and to inform intervention systems
• Working collaboratively within the Curriculum and Instruction Department to implement advanced coursework in Middle School and Honors coursework and AP systems for secondary students
• Collaborating with the Director of Instructional Technology to create an implementation plan for virtual learning and on-line opportunities for students with advanced learning needs
• Professional Development
• Designing and delivering effective professional development for staff related to differentiation within a Common Core State Standards aligned curriculum, as well as partial and full curricular replacement options
• Designing and delivering professional development around the MMSD coaching model as defined by the partnership with UW-Madison
• Aligning a multi-year Advanced Learning Professional Development Plan with the overall Professional Development plan in MMSD
• Budget/Fiscal Responsibility
• Creating and managing all aspects of the Advanced Learning Department budget, including staffing and non-staffing funding
• Leveraging internal and external resources to support implementation of MMSD Advanced Learning Policy and Plan
• Identifying external funding sources to support creative differentiation and intervention resources for students with advanced learning need
  

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Deep knowledge of the Common Core State Standards, content area standards, National Association of Gifted Children Standards (NAGC) and Smarter Balanced Assessment System
• Deep knowledge of the field of advanced learning, gifted education, and social-emotional needs of students with advanced learning needs
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including listening, oral and written communication skills
• An excellent ability to communicate with families
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Wisconsin Administrator Certification, Director of Instruction, 10 or 5010. Applicants who are currently working toward a Director of Instruction certification and will be eligible for a provisional license will also be considered.
• Certification in Gifted Education and/or comparable training, background, and experience with instruction and program development for students with Advanced Learning needs. Applicants who are currently working toward Certification in Gifted Education or comparable training will be considered, but must articulate methods to ensure acquiring this knowledge as a condition of employment.
• Demonstrated successful teaching and/or leadership experience within differentiated learning environments, working cross-culturally within a diverse population.
• Demonstrate strong instructional leadership related to curriculum, instruction and assessment.
• Successful experience with system and organizational development and management of resources.
• Experience working cross-culturally and/or commitment to work toward one’s own cultural competence (i.e., valuing difference/diversity, recognizing personal limitations in one’s skills and expertise, and having the desire to learn in these areas)
  
  

Desired Qualifications

• Building-level Principal experience or prior experience as an Advanced Learning/Gifted & Talented Director
• Bilingual language fluency
  
  

Next Steps

• Based on reviewing your application, a hiring authority may reach out to you to schedule an interview.
  
  

Physical & Sensory Requirements

• Ability to wear appropriate PPE as necessary/required
• Ability to operate a computer terminal/PC and other office equipment
• Ability to exert very light physical effort in sedentary to light work
• Ability to sit, stand, type, or use the keyboard for extended periods of time
• Ability to give oral presentations
• Ability to work long hours
• Work involves frequent deadlines under pressure
  
  

Working Conditions

• Ability to wear appropriate PPE as necessary/required
• Work involves frequent deadlines under pressure
• Work requires frequent use of computer programs and data analysis
• Work involves exposure to the general public
• Plans with others and determines how organizationally to best meet the needs of those served
• Flexibility in adjusting to continuously changing situations
• Ability to work in a safe and comfortable environment where exposure to environmental factors is minimal and poses little risk of injury
• Flexible daily schedule
  
  

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the District will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.