Director of Innovation & Design

Mid-Peninsula High School is an independent, non-profit, non-sectarian, coeducational college preparatory high school in Menlo Park, California. Intentionally small by design, Mid-Pen is built on genuine connection. Each student has a daily home base with a trusted adult who helps them get organized, set goals, and navigate the week, so students are supported, challenged, and guided toward greater independence.

Mid-Pen offers a college-preparatory program that includes a full range of high school experiences. Students have options for accelerated and honors classes, visual and performing arts, and a robust and inclusive athletics program. Mid-Pen’s distinctive program is shaped by signature experiences such as the daily Core Program, DragonWeek intersession, and Dragon Workshops. Alongside a dedicated learning support program and a college advisor, these experiences help students build skills, confidence, and purpose.

At this exciting moment in the school’s 47-year history, Mid-Pen seeks a director of innovation and design (DI&D) to start this summer. This is a new role that seeks a creative, inspirational, and ambitious educational leader who wants to help a small, relational school explore pedagogical innovation across all disciplines and areas of school life.  The DI&D will have a chance to help make that innovation come alive via staffulty partnerships and direct student instruction. Reporting to the head of school, the DI&D will serve on the administrative team, supervise the director of technology, and teach two elective courses each year. The successful candidate will bring a love of teaching, an experienced instructional design toolkit to inspire other educators, a passion for and fluency in one or more innovation-related domains (such as design, maker, fabrication, robotics, computer science, or applied engineering), an eagerness for helping to establish a new role in a small teaching community, and an understanding for how to develop multiple learning pathways for a neurodiverse, motivated, and intellectually curious student body.

12M & Ed Tech Recruiting is running the search on behalf of Mid-Peninsula High School. Applications received by March 13 will receive priority review.  For application instructions and the full job opportunity statement, please visit:

www.EdTechRecruiting.com/jobs/MidPen/innovation

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Priority Deadline: March 13, 2026

Semifinal Round: Late March – Early April

On-site Final Round: Week of April 20

Decision Announced: April 30, 2026

Start Date: Summer 2026

Reports To: Head of School

Annual Salary Range: $120,000 – $150,000

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

 

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Innovation & Strategy

·       In partnership with the leadership team, define and communicate a mission-based approach to innovation and design in teaching and learning at Mid-Pen.

·       Set annual priorities and lead a small set of pilots and initiatives across the academic program.

·       Work directly with faculty through co-planning, coaching, and practical support.

·       Guide the development of values-aligned norms for student use of AI and related tools, and support their day-to-day use in classrooms.

·       Teach two classes, including design thinking and a second elective aligned with school priorities and the director’s expertise.

 

Leadership & Partnerships

·       Supervise the director of technology and provide direction for the technology program through that role.

·       Collaborate closely with the director of teaching, learning, & equity to support innovation work with student needs and teaching practice.

·       Steward the student device approach in a way that supports learning and access.

·       Establish and maintain local, regional, and national partnerships that expand learning opportunities for students and support the school’s goals.

·       Serve on the administrative team, report directly to the head of school, and perform other duties as assigned.

 

Maker-centered Learning

·       Pilot and grow maker-centered and design-oriented learning experiences using existing spaces, programs, and partnerships.

·       Identify near-term partnership opportunities and resources that expand hands-on learning.

·       Work with staffulty to connect making to arts, performance, and DragonWeek, and to STEM learning as appropriate.

·       Explore computer science pathways over time, such as coding or robotics.

·       Contribute to longer-term planning for a maker-centered learning space as timing, space, and priorities allow, with a focus on building a program, not just a room.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

Professional Qualifications

·       Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree welcomed

·       At least 5 years of experience in schools, including significant classroom teaching experience at the secondary level

·       Demonstrated experience leading instructional innovation initiatives, including planning, piloting, and learning from results

·       Demonstrated experience coaching teachers 1:1 through co-planning, observation, feedback, and reflection

·       Experience supporting neurodiverse learners, including approaches that build access, independence, and self-advocacy

·       Experience developing community-wide guidance and shared expectations, including clear guidelines for student use of AI and related tools

·       Experience designing and facilitating professional learning for educators

·       Project management experience, including managing multiple initiatives, setting priorities, and following through reliably

·       Experience as a manager, including coaching and feedback

 

Leadership and Personal Qualities

·       A warm, steady presence with students, staffulty, and families, grounded in listening and clear communication

·       Credibility with staffulty and an ability to work alongside others in classrooms and planning spaces

·       Judgment to hold varied perspectives, build shared direction, and move work forward at a sustainable pace

·       Curiosity and humility, with a willingness to learn the Mid-Pen way before proposing solutions

·       Comfort with iteration and reflection while keeping a clear throughline

·       Care for student voice and integrity, including a thoughtful approach to emerging tools and AI guidance

·       Visible engagement in the life of the school, including performances, exhibitions, and signature experiences such as DragonWeek

 

TO APPLY

For more information, please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.

www.EdTechRecruiting.com/jobs/MidPen/innovation

Tagged as: High School