Academic Director, BEAM Summer

Overview

BEAM’s mission is to create pathways for students from low-income and underserved communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. BEAM believes that pathways to STEM careers are created through community, individual support, and access to advanced work that lies outside most school curricula. BEAM directly supports students and helps transition them to other enrichment programs that enable future success.

BEAM offers continuous support from middle school through college graduation, including summer programs, weekend classes, mentoring, and college/admissions guidance. BEAM also emphasizes building community as a core part of its work and has grown into a national program with multiple sites.

Academic Director, BEAM Summer Away

The Academic Director is the instructional leader for a BEAM site, responsible for ensuring high-quality, student-centered math instruction and supporting faculty growth. You will guide the academic vision for your campus, support faculty development, and ensure that BEAM’s inquiry-based, student-centered math instruction comes to life daily. BEAM Summer Away provides a residential math experience where students grow as problem solvers, learners, and community members.

The Academic Director partners with the Site Director, Associate Site Director, Director of Student Life, and Guidance Counselor as part of a cohesive leadership team. The role also supports site-wide operations as needed to ensure a strong student experience.

• Complete BEAM’s Leadership and Faculty Coach training.
• Review the Site Leadership Handbook and align with program expectations.
• Participate in virtual leadership team meetings.
• Support final hiring or placement decisions for faculty.
• Support student course assignment processes.
• Attend synchronous faculty training sessions and the virtual course planning retreat.

• Pre-Camp Week (On-Site): Leadership Retreat:
  Align with the leadership team on roles, academic expectations, and camp-wide goals; contribute to planning team-building activities and culture-setting norms; assist in preparing classroom spaces, materials, and logistics.
• All Staff Pre-Camp Training: Lead all faculty-specific training, including academic modules; facilitate prep time, course refinement, and problem-solving planning for faculty; assign and review academic training tasks or modules; confirm completion of HR onboarding for faculty.

• Observe each faculty member across three full observation and feedback cycles.
• Provide individualized coaching and implement BEAM’s coaching and feedback structures.
• Co-facilitate twice-weekly collaboration spaces with senior faculty focused on lesson planning, math content, pedagogical strategies.
• Guide faculty on best practices for Open Math Time, problem-solving pedagogy, and student discourse.
• Provide and record formal summative feedback for all faculty.
• Support new faculty in understanding BEAM’s teaching philosophy.

• Serve as the primary translator of academic needs within the leadership team.
• Participate in daily and weekly leadership check-ins.
• Communicate academic updates, shifts, or faculty needs.
• Troubleshoot classroom or scheduling issues in partnership with leadership.
• Provide emergency class coverage if needed.
• Support decision-making conversations when academic or student needs intersect.

• Ensure classrooms reflect BEAM’s commitment to safety, belonging, inquiry, and student ownership of math.
• Support faculty in implementing student accommodations and engagement strategies.
• Address escalated…