STEM Ed Announcement: Director of Curriculum Outward Bound Program

[Morton Sternheim <mort@k12s.phast.umass.edu>]

This is a not a UMass Amherst position
Contact information is below.
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Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center


Position:  Director of Curriculum and Instruction 	
Reports to: President
                 
Duration: Full time, year round	Location: Boston, MA (Thompson Island) 

Organization and Opportunity: Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center
(TIOBEC) is an independent Massachusetts 501c3 non-profit corporation and a
chartered member of the Outward Bound USA network.  TIOBEC owns and operates
Thompson Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area just a half
hour boat ride away from the heart of Boston. The 204-acre island is
tranquil, undeveloped and ecologically diverse.  The Island is perfectly
suited as a venue for environment-based education programs. In addition to
its fields, forests, meadows, marshes and beaches, Thompson Island contains
a formal school campus complete with dormitories, dinning hall, classrooms,
lab space, library, auditoriums, gymnasium and three high challenge course
structures.

TIOBEC has been a national leader in character and leadership development
programming for urban youth for over two decades.  In 2008, the trustees
adopted a strategic plan to integrate that core programming with hands-on
activities that use the environment of the island as a context for learning
science, math and other academic disciplines.  TIOBEC already serves over 30
Boston Public Schools as well as schools from other districts with
environmental field trips 1 to 3 days in length. We collaborate with the
National Park Service to create and deliver these programs, providing access
to professional research and stewardship projects being conducted on
Thompson and many other Boston Harbor Islands.  With interested partners at
local universities and a gathering momentum for environmental education on
both the state and federal level, this position provides an extraordinary
opportunity to create compelling academic activities and unforgettable life
experiences for Boston's most deserving youth.

Summary: The Director of Curriculum and Instruction's (DCI) primary role is
to develop curricula and instructional practices for use by TIOBEC program
staff, National Park Service (NPS) staff, and client school faculty working
with grades 5-9.  These curricula and practices will provide compelling
environmental learning experiences that improve student competency in areas
required by the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks (MCF) and develop the
confidence, motivation, teamwork and collaborative skills that empower
success, high school level, college and life.  The DCI works with school
system officials, principals, curriculum/instruction managers and teachers
to understand school-based learning objectives and to develop field
trip-based activities that enhance student learning within those objectives. 
This includes actual field activities on Thompson Island and other Boston
Harbor Islands (BHI), school-based activities that prepare for and follow up
on field trips, and training activities for school faculty that support the
above student activities. 

Principle Responsibilities
"	Along with TIOBEC program staff, create activities that optimize use
of TIOBEC resources and capabilities in creating compelling outdoor learning
experiences that focus on science, math and other disciplines and use
teamwork and leadership skills to empower students to be successful in their
work.
"	Ensure that activities created are closely tied to MCF and
integrated into specific curricula and instructional sequences used by
schools and their respective districts.
"	Document curricula for activities that detail the learning
objectives, key concepts, classroom setup, materials and timelines for
lesson plans.  
"	Collaborate with NPS staff as well as other professionals conducting
scientific and stewardship activities in the BHI to incorporate their work
where practicable into our curricula and activities.
"	Participate in the trustee-led Program Evaluation Committee, making
key contributions to the design and implementation of program evaluation. 
"	Provide training for and assessment of TIOBEC staff and NPS partner
staff who deliver the curricula and conduct activities.
"	Provide training for client school faculty as needed to support
student activities.
"	Support sales activities to potential new client schools by creating
curricular summaries and presentations and participating in presentations
and negotiations to ensure a tight match between client needs and TIOBEC
deliverables.
"	Remain current on trends in middle school curriculum development,
particularly STEM curricula
"	Remain current on Massachusetts's trends in student assessment and
particularly STEM assessment, and any emerging assessment of 21st century
career skills.
"	Remain current on trends in Outward Bound Teambuilding and Student
Management Skills and maintain relationships with the Outward Bound Training
Institute.
Secondary Responsibilities Dependent on Qualifications
"	Instruct student activities, both school-based and field-based as
primary responsibilities allow.
"	Participate in grant writing activities
"	Publish in relevant journals regarding TIOBEC's activities,
findings, and accomplishments.

Qualifications
"	Bachelor's degree required, master's degree or broad experience in
education preferred.
"	General knowledge of state curriculum frameworks required,
experience with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks preferred.
"	Strong experience working with students in grade 5-9 in both formal
and non-formal environments required.
"	Experience writing curricula for students in grades K-12 as well as
bringing content from multiple disciplines together strongly preferred.
"	Knowledge and understanding of environmental science, biology and
ecology preferred.
"	Experience delivering professional development to K-12 teachers
preferred.

Compensation 
Salary commensurate with experience. Benefits currently include 401k,
health, dental, disability insurance, paid holidays and vacation.

Applications

Please send a letter and resume via email to:
	Stephen M King
	President
	Multicultural Engineering Educational Systems
	Sking2992@comcast.net