Vacancy Announcement (School year 2021-22)

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL COORDINATOR

Kelem International School is a pre-KG to Grade 8 school that was originally established under the Swedish Embassy in Ethiopia in 1946 but reopened as an independent not-for-profit school in July 2019.

We are currently seeking a Curriculum and Instructional Coordinator for an August 2022 start.

Our vision is to become a collaborative center of learning in Ethiopia, where each and every child becomes a confident and self-realized global citizen. Our mission is to facilitate the realization of every child’s full potential and develop resilient, curious, open-minded and reflective students who are able to express themselves fully and effectively.

We wish to enable our students to think critically, analyse and creatively solve problems to be adaptive in a rapidly changing world. Our school fosters in the minds of our students that learning is a life-long endeavour, setting the example by the continued professional development of our teachers and staff.

Our school aims to produce responsible and compassionate global citizens, with respect and recognition of the rich heritage of our host country, Ethiopia.

Currently the student-body of 175 represents 27 different nationalities. We have 30 teaching staff the majority being Ethiopian. Kelem International School follows the Finnish curriculum blended with international standards for G1-8 and International Early Years Curriculum for KG. We are in process of being accredited by Cognia and expect to be fully accredited by June 2022. We are developing an international curriculum for the school, to enhance inquiry and student-centered learning and are looking for a talented curriculum coordinator who will support the Principal in doing this.

Job Summary

The instructional leader will support classroom education staff (teachers and teacher assistants) to refine their practices and improve instructional quality to ensure high quality educational experience for the students in a safe and enriching environment.

Key Activities:

Curriculum

• To integrate the Finnish curriculum with the common core curriculum
• Establish and manage the curriculum review process
• Collaborate with teaching staff in the development, writing, implementation and assessment of school curriculum 
• Manage program implementation of curriculum, assessment tools and any supplemental materials. Align program practices and standards to support quality implementation.
• Provide support to and monitor teachers in developing, implementing, and tracking assessment practices.
• Support teachers with the analysis and use of data from internal and external assessments to improve teaching and learning.
• Provide support to teachers in creating lesson plans that are faithful to the curriculum and developmentally appropriate. Review lesson plans and provide teachers with timely feedback and recommendations.
• Coordinate bulletin boards content and lay out with teachers

Professional Development 

• Organize in-house & external staff development training and train staff on newly adopted programmes.
• Collaborate with classroom education staff to develop individual professional development plans for each staff member, based on feedback from staff supervision and evaluation.
• Identify potential professional development opportunities that align to teaching staff goals and needs offered in Ethiopia, Finland or online.
• Develop and facilitate a professional learning community focused on instructional excellence.
• Observation and Coaching
• Conduct regular observations in all assigned classrooms based on the Trust-based Observation model and maintain records.
• Engage education staff in reflective coaching to discuss observations and develop a data driven plan to strengthen challenging areas and build on areas of strength.
• Conducts demonstration lessons and mentor teachers to develop their pedagogy and content knowledge
• Develop and implement initiatives to support peer observation and learning between classrooms.

Instructional Quality 

• Participate in professional development opportunities, including workshops and conferences, to bring new and emerging best practices into the program. 
• Evaluation, purchase and incorporation of texts, material, resources, and technology that will support instructional quality and integrate them into classroom instruction and program practices 
• Develop internal systems and procedures that advance instructional quality

Other duties

• In collaboration with the school counsellor, support the implementation of the social curriculum.
• Collaborate with appropriate personnel to provide school-wide opportunities for enrichment activities.
• Communicating information to community members about the school’s curriculum programs and initiatives
• Input into school policy making where appropriate

Reports to: Principal

Coordinates with: Principal, Team Leaders, Teachers, Counsellor, Learning Support, Dean of Students, HR Manager

Job Requirements

Desired Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Curriculum & Instruction or related field of study
• Qualified teacher status
• Minimum of 5 years teaching experience
• Experience working with the Finnish Curriculum is advantageous
• Demonstrated working knowledge of curriculum implementation

Key Skills and Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication in English
• Build and maintain positive relationships
• Effective organizational skills
• Shows initiative and resourcefulness
• Excellent critical thinking & problem-solving skills

How to Apply

Interested applicants are invited to submit their most recent CV as well as a letter of no more than two sides of A4 outlining their suitability for the post and motivation in making the application in person at Kelem International School (KIS) HR Office, The Former Swedish Community School Parents Charitable Organization (FSCPCO), located on Dar Sahara street, Kazanchis area, Cobble stone road opposite Meles Foundation, house no. 9999 or send by email to hr@scsaddis.com For further information, contact Tel. 0911527341

NB: The CV must include names and full contact details of three professional referees, one of whom must be the candidate’s most recent supervisor/ line manager. Referees will not be contacted without prior permission. Please note that applicants will be contacted for further assessment only if they are shortlisted. In addition to interaction with candidates’ professional referees a variety of background checks will be required prior to final appointment. Please note that Kelem International School is committed to all aspects of safeguarding and safer recruitment practices to ensure that the school provides a safe and secure environment for all.