Director of STEAM Learning & Innovation

Friends’ Central School Overview

Friends’ Central School is an independent, coeducational Quaker day school founded in 1845 and serving approximately 750 students in Nursery through grade 12. Located in the Philadelphia suburbs, the School has two campuses. The Middle & Upper Schools are located just outside of West Philadelphia in Wynnewood, and the Lower School is on our Old Gulph Road campus in the heart of Wynnewood.

The exceptional faculty at Friends’ Central offers a curriculum that cultivates the intellectual, spiritual, and ethical growth of our students. Our pedagogy is grounded in continuing revelation, reflection, integrity, and a willingness to accept responsibility. From Nursery to grade 12, our students participate in a process designed to foster creative, critical, and flexible thinking, along with compassion. As they transform from playful children to skilled, self-possessed teenagers, they are always intellectually curious and engaged thinkers. Friends’ Central prepares graduates to succeed in college and in life.

Director of STEAM Learning & Innovation

Friends’ Central is seeking a Director of STEAM Learning & Innovation for the Middle and Upper School. The Director of STEAM Learning & Innovation is responsible for embedding the pedagogy of STEAM education across the grades 6-12 curriculum, as well as providing students and teachers with innovative learning experiences. The Director develops and delivers STEAM education and training for students, teachers, and the larger FCS community and supervises and maintains the campus makerspace. The Director provides opportunities for the FCS community to gather, share, create, innovate, and most importantly, inspire each other with the possibilities of science, technology, engineering, art/design, and math. The Director of STEAM Learning & Innovation reports to the Assistant Head of School.

Responsibilities

Curriculum & Program

• Teach at least one Middle School Computer Science class and Upper School Computer Science

• Lead the development of curriculum for robotics, fabrication, engineering, and computer science

• Collaborate with school leadership to expand and innovate our school’s STEAM offerings

• Partner with the school’s academic leadership to promote innovation, technology, engineering, design, and creativity across the curriculum

• Collaborate with teachers to enhance the curriculum with STEAM projects

• Design and facilitate hands-on, interdisciplinary projects with students; team-teach with classroom teachers

• Develop opportunities for programming, including those for existing students, prospective students, and with community partnerships

• Plan instructional opportunities to build competencies and skills with resources and equipment, including 3D printers, laser cutters, vinyl cutters, Arduino, power tools, sewing machines, as well as low-tech tools

• Provide safety and equipment training for students and faculty

• Assist with Middle and Upper School clubs and other extracurricular programming

Professional Development

• Plan and lead professional development programming and workshops for faculty

• Support and coach faculty with their learning programs on making within the classroom

• Build capacity through the coaching of teachers and help them to see possibilities for interdisciplinary teaching and learning

Administration

• Develop routine maintenance protocol for equipment, and keep inventory of equipment and raw materials

• Research, develop, and prototype innovative STEAM activities and maker activities, and maintain materials, tools and equipment including hardware and software

• Keep informed of trends and best practices in STEAM education

• Perform general troubleshooting and required maintenance of equipment, furnishings and software

Community Engagement & Partnerships

• Create opportunities and programming in STEAM for families and the nearby community

• Develop and maintain partnership with outside organizations and experts that enhance the delivery of the curriculum and program, including STEAM professionals, educational institutions and maker organizations

• Design and plan summer programming and camps

• Effectively communicate STEAM-related events and resources using a variety of methods, including social media, web, written, verbal, and video

Desired Qualities

• Is a flexible and collaborative team member who can support, inspire, and motivate others

• Understands the principles of engineering, design, art, and design thinking, and demonstrates a passion and knowledge about the use of technologies to support creative, engaged learning

• Is a lifelong learner, and embodies the FCS spirit of creativity and innovation

• Has a strong record of research and practice, a willingness to take risks, a desire to look beyond traditional disciplines, and a dedication to making a difference in the world

• Is enthuasiastic about exploring new trends and tools for learning

Education/Experience Required

• At least 3-5 years of experience in:

  • Coding and using media, design, and digital fabrication tools and software

  • Teaching and curriculum development

• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field; master’s degree preferred

For more information on Friends’ Central School, please visit friendscentral.org.

Friends’ Central School seeks candidates with a commitment to fostering an inclusive learning community who will address issues of diversity, as well as enhance the Philosophy of Inclusivity and Awareness articulated in our Diversity Statement.