2026-27 Dean of Teaching and Learning 6-12

Reports To:   Upper School Director

Position Type: Full-Time, Faculty, Exempt

Bentley School is a K-12 co-educational, independent day school located on two campuses in Oakland (K-8) and Lafayette (9-12), California. Founded in 1920, Bentley School's legacy of excellence in teaching and learning maximizes student success in college and throughout their lives. Bentley is an inclusive community that shares a vision of academic achievement, balance, and the cultivation of character. Engaging in continual reflection, re-assessment, and pursuit of mission-driven pedagogical practices, Bentley faculty members maintain a growth mindset by observing and learning from each other and participating in robust professional development.

The Dean of Teaching and Learning provides instructional leadership across the middle school and high school campuses, supporting excellence, coherence, and innovation in teaching and learning for Grades 6–12. The role partners closely with faculty and leadership to strengthen curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and professional growth while ensuring alignment with the school’s mission and strategic priorities.

A central focus of the role is fostering continuity across the 6–12 program, supporting a strong and confident transition from middle to high school, and strengthening the academic experience in ways that encourage student continuation with Bentley. The Dean also supports thoughtful, responsible integration of emerging instructional practices, including artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance learning and teaching.

The Dean fosters a culture of continuous improvement, reflective practice, and innovation, supporting faculty in leveraging emerging technologies to enhance student learning, personalize instruction, and prepare students with critical thinking and digital literacy skills for a rapidly evolving world.

Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

General:

Support Bentley School’s Promise, values, institutional goals, and educational philosophy

Instructional Leadership

Provide vision and leadership for teaching and learning across Grades 6–12.

Promote research-based instructional practices that support student engagement, rigor, and well-being.

Support faculty in designing developmentally appropriate and intellectually challenging learning experiences.

Provide leadership in instructional innovation, including the thoughtful and mission-aligned integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance teaching and learning.

Curriculum & Assessment

Oversee curriculum review, alignment, and documentation across middle and high school programs.

Support faculty in developing meaningful assessment practices that promote deep learning and student growth.

Partner with leadership to ensure vertical and horizontal curriculum alignment across departments and divisions.

Support curriculum and assessment practices that reflect emerging considerations related to AI, including academic integrity and authentic assessment.

Faculty Support

Coach and support faculty in reflective practice, instructional growth, and continuous improvement.

Support onboarding and ongoing development of new faculty members.

Provide professional learning opportunities that help faculty understand and responsibly use AI-informed instructional tools.

6–12 Program Alignment & Grade 8–9 Transition

Provide instructional leadership across both campuses to ensure coherence and continuity in the 6–12 academic program.

Partner with middle school and high school faculty and administrators to strengthen and encourage the academic and developmental transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9.

Support initiatives that help students and families understand and feel confident about the academic expectations and culture of the high school.

Collaborate with leadership to identify and address academic or programmatic factors that influence student continuation from the middle school into the high school.

Collaboration & Leadership

Serve as a collaborative partner to division heads, department chairs, and other academic administrators.

Participate in academic leadership team meetings and strategic planning initiatives.

Communicate clearly and effectively with faculty and school leadership across both campuses.

Collaborate with academic and technology partners to ensure alignment of AI-related instructional initiatives with school goals and values.

Equity, Inclusion & Student-Centered Practice

Champion inclusive teaching practices that support diverse learners and learning needs.

Promote instructional approaches that prioritize student belonging, engagement, and well-being.

Ensure that the use of AI in teaching and learning supports equitable access and inclusive educational practices.

Required Qualifications:

Advanced degree in education or related field

Demonstrated excellence in teaching and instructional leadership

Strong understanding of curriculum design, assessment, and pedagogy

Experience in innovative course design, planning, implementation, and assessment

Experience working collaboratively with faculty across divisions

Excellent communication, coaching, and organizational skills

Experience in an interdisciplinary environment with an emphasis on group collaboration

Experience in teaching problem-solving skills in addition to traditional core content

Ability and willingness to work with students in large and small group settings using multiple teaching methods to reach a broad range of students

Desire to continually examine one’s practice with the goal to improve student learning

Commitment to issues of diversity, leadership, inclusion, and equity; Candidates who reflect the broad range of diversity of the Bay Area are encouraged to apply

A passion for working with young people

A desire to collaborate in a dynamic community of teachers and administrators

Excellent interpersonal, writing, and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in independent schools or similar educational setting

Experience working across middle and high school programs

Experience or demonstrated interest in instructional innovation, educational technology and the use of AI in education.

Pay Range:

Bentley uses a competitive salary scale, which takes into account experience, education, and skill level. The starting salary for this position ranges from $120,000 to $150,000.

How to Apply:

Please submit a letter of interest, a CV/resume, and a statement of teaching philosophy that addresses both your approach to working with students and how you approach your classroom practice.  A list with the names and contact information of three (3) references should also be included. No phone calls, please.

Bentley School is an equal opportunity employer and seeks rich diversity among faculty and administration. Bentley School offers equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and all employees without regard to sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, race, color, caste, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, religious creed, sexual orientation, age, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic characteristic or genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, citizenship, medical leave or other types of protected leave, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.  An applicant who does not meet the minimum qualifications of the position(s) for which the applicant applies will not be considered for employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview for the position, or otherwise participate in the hiring process, please notify Human Resources.