Position Summary

The Director of Learning Innovation is a senior leadership role at the intersection of experiential education, curriculum design, and school-wide instructional development. The Director will serve as the founding administrator of The Arbor — TREE’s new pilot learning environment for higher-needs students who benefit from a deeply individualized, hands-on approach — while also partnering with the Head of School to strengthen and evolve TREE’s broader instructional model.

This is a collaborative leadership position. The Director works in close, ongoing partnership with the Head of School and alongside a dedicated full-time Arbor teacher. Curriculum and instructional decisions are made jointly. The person in this role brings deep expertise in learning differences, experiential pedagogy, and standards-based assessment, and applies that expertise both within The Arbor and across the school.

The Director will be a strategic and thought partner with TREE’s Head of School, an experienced practitioner and nationally recognized leader in experiential education, making this role a genuine opportunity for professional growth alongside a leader doing this work at the highest level. Together, they will build something that does not yet fully exist: an assessment and documentation system tailored to TREE’s students and values, informed by leading models in the field.

The Arbor: Program Overview

The Arbor is TREE’s innovative pilot learning environment, launching with an initial cohort of 3–5 students. It is designed for higher-needs learners who have not thrived in traditional classroom settings, not because they lack ability or potential, but because traditional schooling has not met them where they are. The Arbor offers an alternative: a structured, high-expectation environment grounded in real-world, hands-on experience, where disciplinary learning emerges from doing rather than preceding it. 

The Arbor draws on TREE’s existing program strengths, including music, visual arts, culinary arts and food systems, and urban agriculture as the experiential contexts through which students access and develop academic skills, executive function, and personal and social growth. 

A cornerstone of The Arbor’s model is the development of TREE’s own Growth Transcript — a competency-based assessment framework that will track student development across academic skills, executive function, and personal and social growth. TREE is building this framework in conversation with One Stone School, whose pioneering Growth Transcript assesses students across a range of hard-to-measure 21st century competencies through real-world experience. The Director of Learning Innovation will take a foundational role in designing and implementing TREE’s Growth Transcript — first within The Arbor as a pilot, then guiding its phased adoption across the school. This is ground-up collaborative design work, not implementation or adaptation of an existing system.

The Arbor is designed from the outset as a proof of concept — a model for what deeply individualized, experiential education can look like at TREE and a transferable framework for school-wide adoption and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

Arbor Program Administration

• Administer the day-to-day operations of The Arbor in alignment with the direction of the Head of School
• Develop and manage individualized learning plans, student schedules, progress documentation, and family communication for Arbor students
• Ensure compliance with applicable special education requirements, IEPs, and accommodation plans
• Partner with the full-time Arbor teacher on instructional planning, student support, and program execution
• Coordinate with TREE’s broader faculty and staff to ensure Arbor students are integrated into the life of the school

Instructional Leadership & Curriculum Development

• Serve as TREE’s lead voice on learning differences, differentiated instruction, and individualized education within The Arbor and across the school
• Co-develop with the Head of School the instructional frameworks, scope and sequence, and assessment practices that define The Arbor model
• Lead the development and implementation of the Growth Transcript within The Arbor, then guide its phased rollout across the school
• Contribute to the design and evolution of TREE’s school-wide experiential learning program in collaborative partnership with the Head of School

Professional Development

• Lead and coordinate faculty professional development on learning differences and differentiated instruction, experiential learning design and pedagogy, and standards-based assessment
• Build school-wide capacity to understand and effectively serve students with diverse learning profiles
• Function as an ongoing resource, thought partner, and instructional coach for TREE faculty

Action Research & Program Documentation

• Lead The Arbor’s action research process, designing and executing a practitioner inquiry cycle that documents student outcomes, refines instructional practice, and builds the evidentiary base for the model
• Develop and maintain systems for data collection, narrative documentation, and longitudinal outcome tracking
• Contribute to grant reporting, external communications, and the broader positioning of The Arbor as a replicable model for experiential education

• Master’s degree or higher in Educational Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction, or a closely related field
• Special Education credential preferred
• Minimum 5 years of experience working directly with students with learning differences
• Demonstrated experience in educational administration or program leadership
• Substantial experience in experiential learning pedagogy 
• Strong grounding in standards-based assessment and individualized learning plan development
• Excellent communication skills across audiences: students, families, colleagues, and external partners

Preferred

• Experience in independent, progressive, or non-traditional school settings
• Familiarity with portfolio-based and competency-based assessment models
• Background in practitioner action research or educational program documentation
• Experience designing or leading teacher professional development
• Fluency in one or more of TREE’s program areas: music, visual arts, culinary arts, or urban agriculture

About TREE Academy

Located in the heart of West Hollywood, California, TREE Academy is a progressive, student-centered school that emphasizes experiential learning, creativity, individuality, and interdisciplinary thinking. We nurture academic excellence and personal growth in a flexible, inclusive environment where every student’s passions and strengths are celebrated. TREE Academy is dedicated to nurturing trusting collaborative relationships, fostering discovery, and supporting authenticity in every student. We recognize the individuality of each student and have designed our school to provide a distinctive learning experience that prioritizes personal growth and academic excellence. Our small class sizes, averaging 10 students, allow for personalized attention that builds trust and cultivates joy in learning. We provide a balanced approach to homework, and our two-on-one tutoring for every student ensures both academic rigor and tailored support. Our collaborative learning atmosphere enables students to explore their interests, passions, and identities, fostering lives enriched with purpose. We empower students to embrace their individuality while contributing positively to society.

Connections working at TREE Academy