Biddeford Schools are seeking:
Multilingual Learner (ML) Department Chair -District
Specific Job Details:
Starting ASAP
Find the Biddeford School Department's Three Pillars of Commitment to Students attached.
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Brief Job Duties:
The ideal candidate will have experience in the following areas:
1. Instructional Leadership
Make recommendations to senior leadership regarding instructional models and best practices for multilingual learner programming.
Facilitate the ML Curriculum Design Team to ensure coherent and vertically aligned programming across all grade levels (K-12).
2. Assessment and Data Management
Monitor and coordinate district-wide ML assessments including WIDA Screener and ACCESS for ELLs administration.
Analyze annual WIDA scores and other assessment data to inform instructional practices and programming decisions.
3. Staffing and Program Coordination
Assist senior leadership with recommendations for ML teacher staffing deployments and resource allocation across all buildings.
Coordinate services and collaboration between ESOL specialists and mainstream teachers in partnership with building administrators.
4. Policy and Compliance
Conduct annual review and updates of the district's LAU Plan to ensure compliance with federal and state requirements.
Ensure compliance with all federal ML education requirements including Title VI, ESSA, and relevant Supreme Court decisions (Lau v. Nichols, Plyler v. Doe, Castañeda v. Pickard).
Coordinate with building administrators to ensure consistent implementation of ML program policies and procedures.
5. Family and Community Engagement
Oversee coordination of translation and interpretation services to ensure meaningful communication with ML families.
Support and facilitate community partnerships for cultural brokering and case management services.
Full Job Description
Certification/License:
Valid Maine teaching certificate with endorsement in English as a Second Language (ESL) or English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
Criminal History Record Check (CHRC), which includes Fingerprints on file with the Maine Department of Education
Education:
Master's degree in TESOL, Applied Linguistics, Bilingual Education, or related field preferred.
Experience:
Minimum of five (5) years of successful teaching experience with multilingual learners.
Demonstrated knowledge of second language acquisition theory, sheltered instruction strategies, and differentiated instruction for English learners.
Working knowledge of WIDA standards, ACCESS for ELLs assessment, Language Acquisition Plans (ILAPs), and federal compliance requirements under Title VI and ESSA.
Live and Work in the Biddeford, Maine Community
Equal Opportunity
The School Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The district shall actively work to ensure that the teacher and administrator workforce reflects the diversity of the student body.
The School Department's selection will be based on those with the highest capabilities, the most significant commitment to quality education, and the greatest likelihood of effectively implementing the learning program.
Therefore, selections will be made without consideration of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, marital status, parental status, disability or genetic information, pregnancy, membership in an employee organization, military service, political affiliation, and any other state or federal prohibitions.
For this policy, "sexual orientation" means a person's actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality, or gender identity or expression.
Criminal Background Check
All employees of Maine schools must be fingerprinted for a criminal history background check. Please create a Department of Education log-in and make an appointment for a fingerprinting appointment at https://www.maine.gov/doe/cert/fingerprinting
Please see other Job Openings at :
Biddeford Schools
Dayton School
Southern Maine Administrative Collaborative
In the Biddeford Schools, our
caring teachers and staff aim to
nurture healthy, resilient students
who are prepared to excel in any
post-secondary pursuit. Through
2030, we will sharpen our focus
on three key pillars to further
advance students’ academic and
social-emotional growth:
Vi
si
on
2
03
0
PILLAR
We create an environment
where learning feels more
like discovery with practical
application, authentic
engagement, and
transformative, student-
centered experiences.
01 Our schools foster academic development by helping students sharpentheir critical thinking skills and fully invest in their learning by linking
lessons to real-world situations, communicating to authentic audiences,
and connecting academic studies to community involvement and future
goals.
Using an aligned, comprehensive, standard-based curriculum, we
maintain high academic standards and empower each student to achieve
by providing various pathways and supports to meet their individual
needs.
By offering rich, varied content and differentiated opportunities for
analytical and creative thought, we aim to nurture curious, capable
learners who can think independently, understand complex ideas,
analyze information impartially, combine various viewpoints, and convey
their knowledge successfully.
All staff will prioritize interactions that build respect and trust with
students, parents, and each other, creating psychological safety and
cultivating collaboration and connectedness. Working to engage families
in their children’s education is a priority.
The School Committee will allocate resources to educate the whole child
beyond math and literacy. Recognizing the connection between student
well-being and educational outcomes, we will invest in wraparound
services to support student access to healthcare, behavioral health,
housing, and nutrition.
Our school curriculum, programming, and schedules are intentionally
designed to support the whole child, with relationships at the core. Our
staff play an important role in creating a sense of belonging.
All learners are best
supported by a positive
culture and climate. By
prioritizing a sense of
belonging in our schools,
we create an environment
where students feel valued,
respected, and empowered
to reach their full potential.
03
Biddeford’s New Mainers enrich and enliven our curriculum, hallways,
and city. The School Department has added staff and programs to
support these families and will continue to embrace diversity and
welcome our new neighbors.
We embrace and celebrate our differences, seeking to understand each
other and finding ways to unite through collaborative problem-solving.
We will honor our differences and continue to become more culturally
aware.
To best meet the needs of all students, staff identify needed support and
share resources in a way that fosters collaboration.
We will not ignore--nor
make excuse for--the
impact of what happens
outside of school. Educating
the whole child, being
mindful of trauma, housing
disruption, and our transient
student population requires
us to center relationships
and rapport.
02PILLAR
PILLAR