Dean of Academics-STEM Focus Middle School

About Us:

Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter Schools (www.freedomprep.org) is a network of PreK-12 free public charter schools serving students in Memphis, TN, and Birmingham, AL. Our mission is to prepare all students in grades PreK-12 to excel in college and in life. Since our founding in 2009, we have grown from a class of 96 sixth grade students to now serving over 1950 students across multiple campuses. In 2024, we expanded into Birmingham, AL, starting with grades K-1, with plans to grow to a K-5 campus. 

At Freedom Prep, we are committed to transforming education for students across the South, ensuring they have access to high-quality educational opportunities that empower them to thrive. Over the past 15 years, our students have consistently exceeded both local and state averages in math and have surpassed local benchmarks in English Language Arts on state assessments. Our mission is guided by three core beliefs: every child deserves the right to a high-quality public education, character development is essential to student success, and exposure to diverse opportunities builds the confidence and skills needed to excel in college and in life.

At Freedom Prep, we cultivate a structured, academically rigorous environment that fosters excellence in core subjects, promotes advanced academic skills, and encourages students to embody the core values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Excellence, and Community.

POSITION SUMMARY

This position supports and oversees various facets of the school’s operation that directly impacts learning in the instructional aspects. This will include the monitoring of classroom instruction, management of all internal and external assessment data, and curriculum development. The Dean of Academics-STEM Focus will be responsible for direct oversight of all instructional staff in the school.  

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

•Serves as instructional leader with oversight of curriculum development and student assessment (internal and external).

•Oversees professional development of all education staff.  

•Supervises the daily instructional work of teachers.  

•Conducts weekly teacher observations and provide feedback on performance.  

•Communicates regularly with the Head of School concerning student achievement, curriculum development, professional development, staff evaluations, and the budgetary needs for each.

•Ensures appropriate rigor on internal assessments by building assessments prior to school year for content areas taught by direct reports, including benchmark scores to indicate appropriate level of mastery.

•Builds and/or vets yearlong sequence of objectives for each course taught by a direct report prior to teacher orientation.

•Implements effective internal assessment systems to monitor academic progress of students throughout the year.

Implements and oversee systems for data analysis of all internal and external assessments.

•Ensures curriculum alignment with standards for the State of Tennessee.

•Seeks and share curriculum best practices from other schools and professional journals.

•Reinforces school-wide rules and expectations in the classroom and lesson planning

•Communicates effectively and maintain strong relationships with students, families and colleagues

•Maintains the school culture of high academic and behavioral expectations through continuous reflection

•Maintains accurate, complete and correct records as required by law, and district and administrative regulations  

•Works an extended school day to allow for collaboration, professional development, and ample communication with parents and other staff members

•Performs other related duties as assigned or directed 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

Governed by the Rules and Regulations of the Tennessee Code Annotated 

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree required from accredited college or university.

Master’s Degree preferred from accredited college or university.

Certification:

Tennessee Professional Educator License 

Eligibility for Tennessee Professional Educator License required.

Considered highly-qualified based on NCLB guidelines

Experience:

•Four years of urban teaching experience is preferred

•1+ years experience leading and/or coaching teachers (with STEM Focus)

•Experienced classroom teacher with demonstrated, quantifiable and objective student performance gains that surpass state or local averages

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

•Results-driven educational leader with a commitment to standards-based curriculum and the use of data and assessments to drive instructional decisions

•Good problem-solving ability and good judgment

•Familiarity with cultural diversity 

•Ability to work collaboratively with staff, families, and community members 

•Ability to be creative, resourceful, and reflective 

•Possess strong interpersonal skills 

•Professional demeanor, strong work ethic, detail-driven work style with excellent organizational skills

 •Manager of an urban classroom who has used structure, incentives, and high expectations to drive student success

•Ability to work with a variety of learning abilities, including those with low skill level in a heterogeneously grouped classroom setting

We are excited that you are inspired or called to learn more about our mission, values, and potential opportunities. We’d encourage you to explore a few additional resources about us, the recent investment for what’s possible, and why you should consider our community as a place for you to become a part of. We are one of the few networks that centers the whole person and their needs to thrive and support themselves and their families in the South.

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION: At Freedom Prep, we prioritize transparency in everything we do. We believe that open communication fosters trust and collaboration. As part of this commitment, we make our salary scales available online for you to view, ensuring clarity and fairness in our compensation practices. You can view our compensation scales on our website. Please click HERE to be redirected.

Check out some of the unique and rare benefits here, including but not limited to: 

-Paying higher, scaffolded teacher salaries from Year 1 to retirement stage

-Zero dollar monthly premium options, including holistic options such as chiropractic or acupuncture care (TN ONLY)

-Focus on staff well-being and collective care through our Adult Social-Emotional Learning

-Support in obtaining licensure

OUR COMMITMENT: Freedom Preparatory Academy is actively seeking to build an experienced team of educators. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. We are an equal opportunity employer.