Director of Innovation

The Director of Innovation is a forward-looking and wide-reaching academic leadership position which focuses on assisting teachers from all disciplines as they integrate the principles of design thinking and project-based learning into the School’s curriculum and our students as they participate in a maker culture that cultivates empathy, curiosity, self-advocacy, innovation, tinkering resilience, and entrepreneurship. This individual will serve as the primary ambassador for Fenn’s design thinking efforts, its three-year-old maker program and its new 3,000 square-foot innovation lab. Scheduled to open during the summer of 2018, the innovation lab will have large spaces for hands on projects and multiple classes; a “clean room” for coding, programming and focused instruction; and cutting-edge digital, electronic, and physical equipment.

The successful candidate will possess the qualities that enable her/him easily to collaborate, teach, and coach a confident and creative faculty. This individual will also have a strong background in curriculum design, experience teaching at the middle school level, and an established track-record of implementing the principles of design thinking and project-based learning in schools. S/he will work closely with teachers as they determine how to use the tools of the modern classroom (including those found in an innovation lab, the information literacy resources found in our library, and educational technology applications associated with Fenn’s 1-1 iPad program in grades six through nine) to design dynamic, interactive student-centered curriculum focused on authentic problem solving. Finally, this individual will have an appreciation for working with energetic elementary and middle school boys excited for the projects and learning they tackle in this space.

Primary responsibilities include the ability to:

• Act as a faculty guide and coach to encourage, inspire, and support teachers in their exploration of purposeful uses of our innovation lab as they develop project-based learning curriculum.
• Collaboratively design, coordinate, and provide design thinking and technology professional development for faculty on a planned and a “just in time” schedule.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Technology and Library Director to integrate the resources from these departments with the resources available in our innovation lab.
• Work closely with the Director of Technology and faculty to foster an environment of thoughtful, creative and independent use of technology throughout the academic program.
• Enthusiastically champion successes of students and faculty in their achievements with design thinking, project-based learning and the use of technology across all grades and subjects.
• Develop co-curricular student programming focused on the use of the tools and materials located in the innovation lab as well as on exploring and mastering coding skills.
• Develop outreach opportunities for faculty, staff, parents and other community members to introduce the creative opportunities offered by this space.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Supervision of the innovation lab each day before school and during recess and most afternoons after the conclusion of the school day.
• Scheduling and overall management of the innovation lab, including establishing best practices and protocols for the space.
• Teaching an academic section in the relevant discipline.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree in a related field, elementary and middle school teaching experience, and strong organizational skills, the successful applicant will also possess:

• Knowledge of design thinking and project-based learning (PBL) principles and experience helping faculty design curriculum which applies these practices to teaching and learning.
• Experience designing activities and curriculum which will make good use of the innovation lab and conducting professional development in these areas.
• Experience speaking in public with fellow educators and the greater school community.
• Willingness to research, learn and share new technologies with students and faculty.
• Familiarity with the use and maintenance of the equipment typically found in an innovation lab, including 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and laser cutters.
• Significant computer programming/coding experience, preferably with Scratch and Lego EV3 programming language as well as a high comfort level with Lego robotics engineering.
• Experience in a 1-to-1 school, preferably one with iPads.
• Experience with the Google suite of applications on iOS, OS X and Windows devices.

Interested candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest, resume, statement of educational philosophy and contact information for professional references via email attachment to Stephen Farley, Assistant Headmaster for the Academic Program, at the following email address sfarley@fenn.org. Receipt of materials will be acknowledged via email. Interested candidates are asked not contact the School once applicant materials have been submitted.