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JK-12 BUILD (Boys Using Innovation to Learn and Design) Coordinator and Upper School Teacher and Instructional Technologist
Reports to: Head of Upper School, with “dotted line” reporting responsibility to the Director of Academic Technology and the Assistant Head of School
St. Christopher’s School, the largest all-boys school in Virginia and one of the largest and oldest boys’ schools in the Mid-Atlantic region, seeks a dynamic teacher leader to teach in our Upper School and oversee our state-of-the-art Maker Space, also known as our BUILD Lab. Serving approximately 1,000 boys in Grades JK-12 in Richmond, Virginia, St. Christopher’s School is committed to cultivating a school community that is diverse, inclusive, and welcoming and prides itself on bringing out the best in every boy. Our Episcopal foundation is at the center of what we do, and we care most about developing young men who possess honor and integrity. Our boys benefit from an education and curriculum that is focused on excellence in all forms, including academics, the arts, athletics, and service learning.
JK-12 BUILD Vision
Students learn as they design—and redesign—their projects in an environment that fosters a desire to constantly refine and improve their ideas. Located in the Luck Leadership Center, the School’s BUILD Lab brings students together to create using high-tech tools such as a 3D printer or simple materials such as cardboard. Students are tasked with activities involving specific problems that allow them to solve in their own ways. They design and create machines, art projects, or devices in ways that focus on process, not product. The Upper School curriculum includes a BUILD primer class for every 9th grade boy that meets one time per week for one semester. In addition, students can take an Upper School “Make” elective course that utilizes the space. Both courses use design thinking to structure projects and focus on process, not product. The BUILD Lab is open to boys during free periods and lunch to have time to tinker on projects of interest. The BUILD Lab welcomes teachers and classes from across campus to partner with the BUILD faculty to create meaningful hands-on projects to support the classroom curriculum.
Principal Responsibilities: JK-12 BUILD (Boys Using Innovation to Learn and Design) Coordinator
- Develop and implement the School’s BUILD curriculum, aligning with national and industry standards as well as best practices in STEAM education
- Collaborate with industry partners to develop and implement real-world projects and experiences for students
- Communicate the vision for BUILD to all constituencies (students, teachers, parents, community members) and partner with the marketing and development teams to share program vision
- Cultivate relationships with other STEAM programs and establish the St. Christopher’s BUILD program as the preeminent resource for other schools through networking, presenting at conferences, and mentoring new programs
- Oversee a BUILD Advisory Board of Upper School boys to ensure the program is student-centered
- Coordinate with Middle School and Lower School BUILD teachers to ensure continuity of BUILD vision and experience cross-divisionally
- Create opportunities for parents, faculty, and community members to experience the BUILD program
- Maintain equipment, manage the BUILD program budget, and allocate resources effectively to support program initiatives and activities
Principal Responsibilities: Upper School BUILD Teacher
- Teach BUILD 9 (four class periods over two days) and Make elective(s) for grades 9-12 (one class, meeting four times per week)
- Create a positive and inclusive learning environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and critical thinking and where all students feel known and valued
- Provide opportunities for students to work on individual projects outside of classes
- Partner with content areas across all disciplines to integrate BUILD, technology projects, and other technology applications into curriculum and instruction, with a particular focus on developing student experiences in the robotics program
- Ensure that the BUILD Lab is a safe environment and provide training on how to best and safely use its equipment
- Plan and prepare lesson plans and instructional materials that facilitate active learning
- Deliver individual, whole-group, and small-group instruction as appropriate
- Assess student progress using a variety of formal and informal data collection tools and methods and provide feedback in a timely manner
- Manage student behavior in accordance with best practices for teaching boys
- Foster communication and a respectful partnership with parents/guardians in conferences, during phone calls, and through written correspondence
- Communicate in a timely and efficient manner with parents, students, and colleagues
- Engage in continuing professional growth and development, including staying abreast of best practices for teaching boys
- Advise (typically eight students, generally two students from each grade level) and actively participate as a member of the House System (a group of approximately 6 advisories under a House Dean)
- Coach or lead a significant co-curricular activity (clubs, community service, student government, etc.) generally for two after-school seasons per school year
- Attend department and faculty meetings and all-school professional development meetings, including the Curriculum Institute at the end of the school year after evaluation year
- Attend Chapel regularly
- Offer an X Term cohort (experiential learning program through the academic year that culminates in a one-week intensive at the end of the school year)
- Handle other duties (study halls, chaperoning dances, etc.) as assigned
- Participate in the life of the School through committee work and be a regular presence at major events such as concerts, plays, athletic contests, and other events as a means of supporting the students and the mission of the School
Principal Responsibilities: Instructional Technologist
- Coordinate the A/V needs for Upper School Chapel services three times per week
- Provide tech support for Upper School students and teachers on an as-needed basis
- Provide professional development opportunities for faculty to stay current on new technologies, trends, and teaching methodologies in STEAM education
- Attend weekly Technology Department meetings
Qualifications and Key Skills
- Commitment to St. Christopher’s mission, policies, and initiatives
- Commitment to best practices in education, as articulated in the School’s T eaching Excellence Document, and a dedication to best practices for boys, as espoused by the St. Christopher’s Center for the Study of Boys
- Commitment to diversity, community, and inclusion in school communities, as expressed in the School’s Diversity and Inclusion Statement
- Hold at least a bachelor’s degree with strong academic record in the subject area or a closely-related field of study; a masters degree preferred; teaching certificate is not mandatory
- Possess a thorough knowledge of and passion for teaching the discipline being taught, including an openness and experience in employing inquiry-based instructional methodologies
- Show an understanding of the vital role of research and analysis in preparing students for college and professional life in STEAM fields
- Possess a passion and strong understanding of design-thinking processes in order for students to create using human-centered design and an iterative, non-linear process that focuses on a collaboration between designers and users
- Demonstrate familiarity, ease, and openness with integrating technology tools into the classroom, including, but not limited to, 3D printing, autocad, laser cutting, Ozobots, Makey-Makeys, Raspberry Pis, Micro: bits, electronics kits, sewing machines, and cooking equipment
- Familiarity with coding concepts and programming languages
- Proficiency troubleshooting solutions for and fixing all of the physical equipment in the BUILD Lab including, but not limited to, 3D printers and laser cutters
- Effectively collaborate with members of an academic department, House advisory groups, and the Upper School faculty
- Enhance students’ skills and abilities in creative thinking and problem solving, intellectual curiosity and risk taking, research and analysis, collaboration and teamwork, and ability to apply core knowledge to new and changing situations
- Proficiency with Blackbaud’s LMS, Google Workspace, Hapara, and other academic technology tools
- Engage in professional development and remain current with trends and advancements in academic technology
- Possess excellent problem-solving, communication, and analytic skills
- Exhibit a growth mindset, creativity and flexibility, and a sense of humor
- Accept constructive feedback as part of professional growth and development
- Model professionalism and integrity at all times
- Enjoy working with young people, especially adolescent boys
