LIBRARY & MEDIA CENTER_______________________________________
The JLA Library and Media Center is a state of the art facility at the heart of its brand new Miami campus. Designed by a leading global architectural firm, it is intended as a student-centered space for learning, research, reflection, collaboration, and relaxation both during school and after school hours. Sitting right above the Dining Hall and immediately adjacent to the school’s fab-lab and recording studio, the Library and Media Center serves as a central hub for much of the student academic, artistic, and social life on campus.
RESPONSIBILITIES _________________________________________________________
JLA seeks an experienced, growth-oriented, and innovative educator to oversee all aspects of the school’s library and information literacy programs. The director will report to the Associate Heads of the Middle and Upper Schools and will work closely with the faculty to steward the library, its programs and resources. The successful candidate will demonstrate a particular interest in building a dynamic library space and program from scratch with an eye for what’s next in independent school libraries.
Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Providing leadership and expertise in the selection, acquisition, evaluation, and organization of information resources and technologies in all formats
- Organizing the library's collection of resources for maximum and effective use
- Guiding software and hardware evaluation for library use
- Planning learning experiences related to library science, research, and media literacy by providing group and individual instruction, assessing student progress, and evaluating activities
- Strategically planning for the continuous improvement of the school library program
- Preparing, justifying and administering the school library program budget to support specific program goals
- Assisting teachers in planning and implementing meaningful experiences that will promote a love of reading and learning, including poetry readings, hosting guest authors, and teaching research methods
- Ensuring equitable access and responsible use of information by developing and maintaining a collection of resources appropriate to the curriculum, the learners, and the teaching styles and instructional strategies used within the school
- Understanding and promoting copyright, fair use, and licensing of intellectual property
- Guiding students to read for understanding, and for exposure to diversity of viewpoints and genres, and for pleasure
- A leadership role in the school’s weekly Morning Joe program, designed to teach media literacy through regular study of current events
- A key supporting role in the school’s Nesher program, in which every student will select a year-long passion project under the mentorship of a JLA faculty member
- Active participation in the school’s Star Summit program, aimed at on-boarding 6th and 7th grade students to the expectations and culture of the JLA through the first three weeks of every school year
- Proctoring make-up exams and providing supervision for students when their primary teacher is unavailable
QUALIFICATIONS _________________________________________________________
Applicants must have a minimum of 5 years of experience at the middle/upper school level, as well as a strong foundation in library/media center pedagogy. He/She must have an undergraduate degree in a related field, though advanced degrees are preferred. Experience working with gifted and talented students is an asset.
In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate:
- The ability to connect with and inspire students.
- The ability and desire to work collaboratively on a high functioning team.
- Excellent people skills.
- Mastery of Google Workspace for Education and an overall comfort with technology.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
- The desire to be a part of a learning community.
- A strong work ethic.
- A deep understanding of project and inquiry based learning.
- The ability to demonstrate strong web-based and print-based research skills
BENEFITS__________________________________________________________
A strong benefits package includes:
- Highly competitive salary
- Full health, dental, and vision for employee
- 8% annual retirement match
- Daily breakfast and lunch
- Generous PTO
- Relocation stipend
- Opportunities for professional development and growth
- Short and long term disability and life insurance