NJSBA MANUAL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS		
											 D-15
Instruction/Curriculum								Certified

TITLE:			DEPARTMENT CHAIR

QUALIFICATIONS:	
1.	Valid New Jersey Instructional Certificate and Subject Area Endorsement or eligibility
2.	Demonstrated knowledge of subject specialty and effective teaching methods
3.	Ability to maintain a positive learning environment
4.	Strong interpersonal and communication skills
5.	Required criminal history background check and proof of U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status
*As defined in N.J.A.C. 6A:9-9 Instructional certificates 
REPORTS TO:		Principal/Designated Administrator
SUPERVISES:		Pupils, and when assigned, assists classroom teachers, student teachers and 				classroom aides
JOB GOAL:	
To assist teachers in providing an approved education program in the specialty high school or middle school subject matter (such as English, mathematics, or science) and establishing a class environment that fosters learning and personal growth; assists teachers in helping pupils to develop skills, attitudes and knowledge needed to provide a good foundation for continued education; and exercises leadership skills to resolve minor scheduling conflicts, encourage learning, and maintain good relationships among parents, students and other departmental staff members.
PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Leadership including development of curriculum and review of lesson plans
1.	Works to achieve the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and charter school educational goals and objectives in a specific academic discipline or department, by coordinating the efforts of certified staff to promote active learning and skills development in the classroom.  Coordinates the efforts of certified staff to teach pupils through an approved course of study using board-adopted curricula, textbooks and other appropriate teaching materials.
2.	Assists the building principal and charter school Lead Person/CSA in assembling materials for reports, state-required documents, annual plans, procedures, budgets, purchase orders, grant applications, news releases, and seminars and workshops for staff, as assigned.
3.	In the event of an emergency, when supervisory staff are not present or are disabled, exercises leadership and good judgment to direct departmental staff and students until assistance arrives and the emergency is over. 
4.	Upholds and enforces school rules, administrative regulations and board policy.
Coordination of learning activities
5.	Coordinates and assists the efforts of certified staff to develop lesson plans and instructional materials in a specific academic discipline or department and provides opportunities for individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each pupil. 
6.	Coordinates and assists the efforts of certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department to set specific objectives wherever possible in lesson preparation and weekly lesson plans and to carry through presentation to effectively achieve these objectives.
7.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their efforts to assess pupil academic progress and personal growth toward stated objectives of instruction.
8.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their efforts to maintain records of pupil's educational progress in class record books and/or board approved forms and to summarize these marks for reporting purposes.
9.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their efforts to identify pupil needs and to cooperate with other professional staff members in assessing and resolving learning problems.
10.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their efforts to establish and maintain standards of pupil behavior needed to achieve a classroom climate conducive to learning.
11.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their efforts to budget class time effectively.
12.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their efforts to communicate with parents through conferences and other means to inform them about the school program and to discuss pupil progress.
13.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in their efforts to devise written and oral assignments and tests that require analytical and critical thinking as well as the reproduction of facts.
14.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in their efforts to supervise and control pupils in out-of-classroom activities as assigned.
15.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in their efforts to maintain professional competence and continuous improvement through inservice education and other professional growth activities, and as an intermediary to supervisory staff establishes and verifies the professional development needs of teaching staff and conveys those needs to the central office.
16.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their participation in school-level planning, faculty meetings/committees and other school system groups.
17.	Coordinates and assists certified staff in a specific academic discipline or department in their efforts to make effective use of community resources to enhance the instructional program.
Meetings
18.	Chairs certified departmental staff meetings and portions of meetings on curriculum and operations, as assigned, serving in the stance of "PRIMUS INTER PARES" “First among equals” at such meetings.
19.	Attends meetings as assigned and accurately reports back as a liaison to certified staff on items related to achieving school educational goals.
Other
20.	Continues to teach classes in a specific academic discipline or department as assigned but with a reduced schedule in order to allow time for coordination and assistance to other departmental certified staff.
21.	Performs other duties within the scope of his/her employment and certification as may be assigned.

TERMS OF
EMPLOYMENT:	Work year and stipend to be determined by the board.

annual 
evaluation:		Performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with NJ State law 			and the provisions of the board’s policy on evaluations

Approved by: 

Date: 

Revised: 

Legal References:

N.J.S.A. 7F	Comprehensive Educational Improvement and Financing Act
N.J.S.A. 18A:6‑7.1	Criminal history record; employee in regular contact with pupils; grounds for 	disqualification from employment; exception
N.J.S.A. 18A:6‑10	Dismissal and reduction in compensation of persons under tenure in 	public school system
N.J.S.A. 18A:16‑2	Physical examinations; requirement
N.J.S.A. 18A:25‑2	Authority over pupils
N.J.S.A. 18A:25‑4	School register; keeping
N.J.S.A. 18A:26‑1	Citizenship of teachers, etc.
N.J.S.A. 18A:26‑1.1	Residence requirement prohibited
N.J.S.A. 18A:26‑2	Certificates required; exception
N.J.S.A. 18A:27	Employment and contracts
N.J.S.A. 18A:28‑3	No tenure for non-citizens
N.J.S.A. 18A:28‑5	Tenure of teaching staff members
N.J.S.A. 18A:28‑8	Notice of intention to resign required
N.J.A.C. 18A:37	Discipline of pupils
N.J.A.C. 6A:7	Managing for equality and education in education
N.J.A.C. 6A:8	Standards and assessment
N.J.A.C. 6A:9	Professional licensure and standards
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:9-3.3	Professional standards for teachers
N.J.A.C. 6A:9B	State board of examiners and certification
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-5	General certification policies
N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-8	Requirements for instructional certificate
N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-9.1	Authorizations-general
N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-9.2	Endorsements and authorizations
N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-3	Required professional development for teachers and school leaders
N.J.A.C. 6A:16	Programs to support student development 	
See particularly 
N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.8  	Attendance
N.J.A.C. 6A:32‑4.1	Employment of Teaching staff
N.J.A.C. 6A:32-6.3	Requirements of physical examinations
N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.4 et seq.	Evaluation 
N.J.A.C. 6A:32-5	Seniority
N.J.A.C. 6A:32-7	Student records
N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.3	School Attendance 

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, 8 U.S.C.A. 1100 et seq.

Every Student Succeeds Act, Pub. L. 114-95, Title 1,  20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.