Head of World Languages Department
Dwight School is the first school in the Americas to offer all four International Baccalaureate programs from preschool to grade 12. Guided by our philosophy of igniting the spark of genius in every child, Dwight is an inclusive school that aims to meet the unique needs, abilities, and interests of each student. At the same time, Dwight challenges every student to develop intellectual independence, respect for diversity and belonging, and to become innovators and thought leaders.
Known for its low student-teacher ratio, Dwight enrolls 1,100 students with 400 faculty and staff. Our School rests on three pillars: personalized learning, community, and global vision. As part of a leading global network of schools, Dwight offers employees exciting cross-campus opportunities. Additionally, with the support of The Dwight School Foundation’s generous grants, Dwight provides faculty professional development, enabling teachers to deepen their content knowledge and pursue their own sparks of genius to be shared with the community. At Dwight, we strive to ensure that our environment is welcoming — a place in which everyone can thrive — and an organization we are proud of. We recognize that this takes trusting relationships and ensuring that all individuals feel valued regardless of their backgrounds. At Dwight, we encourage diversity in all respects, including diversity of thought, and embrace innovation and foster collaboration and growth.
We consistently strive to advance the equity, diversity and belonging of our community in all domains, including the curriculum, admissions, environment, and hiring. Our goal is to achieve and maintain equal employment opportunities, with policies in place to maintain a work environment free from discrimination.
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Head of World Languages Department
Grades K-12
Full Time, 7:30AM-4:00PM
Compensation commensurate upon experience: $120,000-$150,000/annum
Dwight School is an innovative PreK-12 coeducational school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. We are seeking a self-directed, experienced and energetic Head of World Languages Department to begin in August 2026.
Responsibilities:
Instructional Leadership & Curriculum Oversight
- Lead and supervise department faculty providing mentorship, evaluation, and professional growth support.
- Collaborate to provide oversight and guidance for the Language A program and supervise the external teachers for non core languages offered at Dwight.
- Ensure a coherent, vertically aligned PreK–12 curriculum grounded in concept-based, inquiry-driven, and student-centered instruction in Language Acquisition and Language and Literature programs.
Oversee course design and ensure compliance with all external program requirements (e.g., PYP, MYP, DP, or other governing bodies). - Use internal and external data to drive continuous improvement in pedagogy and student outcomes.
- Promote a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging consistent with Dwight’s mission and values
- Teach World Language course(s) aligned with the instructor’s mother tongue language proficiency.
Assessment & Academic Oversight
- Lead department-wide assessment strategy and ensure clarity and alignment of objectives, methods, and evaluation practices.
- Monitor student progress and maintain oversight of standardized assessment data and course outcomes.
- Partner with administration and admissions on student placement and faculty teaching assignments.
Collaboration & Communication
- Work closely with Division Heads to ensure alignment across Lower, Middle, and Upper School.
- Foster collaboration among PYP, MYP, and DP teachers to ensure program continuity.
- Lead department meetings and communicate school initiatives effectively.
- Serve as liaison to parents/guardians and relevant external organizations.
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Education (preferably in Foreign Languages)
- Experience with International Baccalaureate curriculum highly preferred
- Hands-on knowledge of implementing language instruction in a PreK-12 environment
- Strong communication and writing skills required
- Experience teaching to a range of learners
- Eager to contribute positively to the Dwight community
- Willingness to engage with and learn from people with diverse backgrounds and experience
- Ability to bring joy, kindness, maturity, and flexibility to the school environment
We are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people or people with long-term health conditions. If you would like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process, or provide any information in an alternative format, please let us know.
Dwight School’s goal is to achieve and maintain equal employment opportunities. It is also the policy of Dwight School to maintain a work environment free from discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran/military status, marital status or other status protected by federal or state law, with regards to any term or condition of employment.