Summary 

Working under the direction of the Principal, the Director of Instruction at St. Andrew's School builds staff capacity to deliver high-quality, responsive, and rigorous instruction that meets the needs of the whole child. This role provides programmatic leadership, curricular design, and instructional coaching rooted in ambitious instruction and aligned with our core values. The Director serves as a key instructional thought partner and assumes school leadership responsibilities as needed..

School Overview 

St. Andrew’s School (SAS) is a tuition-free, independent Episcopal day school serving students in Kindergarten through 5th grade in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1894, SAS is one of a small number of schools in the country that provides an independent school education to children from families with limited financial resources through a full scholarship for every child. With 96 students across six grade levels, we employ a whole-child approach to education that integrates academics, family engagement, graduate support, social-emotional learning, visual and performing arts, and wellness and nutrition.

St. Andrew’s is an equal opportunity employer. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants, women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Key Responsibilities & Competencies

Instructional Leadership

• Leads staff capacity development in Tier I and Tier II instruction, project-based learning, and whole child programming through weekly student work reviews, coaching, and data-informed feedback cycles.
• Uses performance data and evaluation instruments to identify trends, guide decision-making, and generate clear, actionable reports that improve practice.
• Supports the Principal in strategic planning aligned to the 5Essentials, with a focus on Ambitious Instruction.

Professional Development & Team Collaboration

• Co-constructs and delivers high-impact professional development aligned with the school’s strategic plan.
• Builds and maintains trusting relationships with staff, balancing clarity and kindness in all communication and feedback.
• Demonstrates and builds emotional literacy and self-awareness in high-stakes conversations and group facilitation.

Program Assessment & Innovation

• Assesses the impact of academic programming, enrichment offerings, and partnerships in collaboration with the Principal and key stakeholders.
• Benchmarks best practices and adapts implementation to fit school context and student needs.
• Facilitates continuous improvement of programming and pedagogy based on evidence and educator input.

Data & Compliance Oversight

• Manages academic benchmarking assessments, including scheduling, accommodations, and administration (e.g., MAP, formative assessments).
• Coordinates with external service providers and public district partners to administer Title I, II, and IV funds and support intervention services.
• Designs and implements a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) in collaboration with the Principal and School Counselor.

School Culture, Operations, & Leadership

• Attends and actively contributes to all major school functions, including student exhibitions, family nights, and milestone events, serving as a visible leader representing the academic program.
• Participates on the admissions team and supports graduate programming as assigned, contributing instructional perspective across the student lifecycle.
• Responds proactively to emergent operational needs and supports logistical problem-solving to maintain a calm and focused learning environment.
  Serves as acting school leader when the Principal and Head of School are off-site or unavailable.
• Manages substitute interviewing, onboarding, and coverage plans; reviews timesheets and PTO requests for accuracy and equity in instructional support.
  Participates in hiring and onboarding processes, ensuring alignment with school values and instructional priorities.
• Supports the Principal's instructional vision and contributes to a shared culture of feedback, growth, and high expectations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Education required; Master's preferred
• Experience teaching elementary-age students required; teaching certification in K–5 preferred
• Strong program and project management skills required
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with students, families, and colleagues required
• A genuine passion for working with young people and a commitment to equity and access in education required
• Flexibility, patience, and enthusiasm for collaborative work in a dynamic school environment required
• Successful completion of criminal offender record and sexual offender registry checks required
• Knowledge of the Responsive Classroom approach to academics and social-emotional learning preferred
• Experience working in an urban school setting with students from under-resourced communities preferred

Physical Requirements

This role requires the ability to navigate a multi-story building multiple times daily and supervise outdoor activities.

About St Andrew's School

At St. Andrew’s School we believe every child deserves an education that equips them to thrive. In 1894, founder Grace Arents was confident in her belief that a solid education was essential in preparing children to build successful lives as adults. More than 120 years later the school continues to be guided by that founding principle, educating children academically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually through a progressive, whole-child approach. Rooted in today’s best practices, our student-centered academic program is designed to develop passionate, lifelong learners. Children learn more deeply when they make their own connections through hands-on experiences and student-led questioning; this is the cornerstone of our model.

Connections working at St Andrew's School