New Instructional Leadership Specialist: Secondary Mathematics

The Instructional Leadership Specialist collaborates with district and school leaders to facilitate and execute the district’s Strategic Plan with fidelity and integrity.  An Instructional Leadership Specialist is expected to spend 50% of their work schedule in classrooms actively engaged in modeling, coaching, co-teaching and/or demonstrating standards-based best practices, 30% of their work schedule reviewing data, leading team meetings, presenting professional development, facilitating professional learning communities, and 20% of their work schedule instructing students. Instructional Leadership Specialists will we evaluated through the SEEDS process, including Principal 8.

The Instructional Leadership Specialist has a primary role to lead and coach adults by:

1. Planning, implementing, and supporting rigorous standards-based instruction for all students.
• Designs model classrooms for demonstration purposes.

• Supports and facilitates the planning and implementation of rigorous, standards-based lessons in response to student data.

• Supports educators with the implementation of technology tools and resources that enhance student-centered, standards-based instruction.

• Demonstrates an ability to access, analyze, and act on school, classroom, and individual student data in support of quality tiered standards-based instruction.

• Facilitates professional learning communities.

2. Collaboratively designing and executing targeted school-based professional development that is in alignment with the district’s Strategic Plan.

• Attends and actively participates in all school-based Instructional Leadership Team meetings.

• Attends and actively participates in all applicable district-based professional development to ensure connections are made between district initiatives and the instructional goals of the school’s improvement plan.

• Actively engages the school community to understand how everyone contributes to the execution of the district’s Strategic Plan to collectively raise student achievement.

3. Creating a school culture of reflective practice, high expectations, and continuous learning.

• Develops partnerships with district and building administration, families, and community to support the improvement efforts of the school.

• Consistently models high expectations for the quality of instruction and ensures accessibility for all students.

• Develops and nurtures a culture in which staff members are reflective about their practice and use student data, current research, best-practices and theory to continuously adapt.

• Coaches and manages teams to create, monitor, and achieve district and school-based goals.

• Delivers constructive feedback to educators that acknowledges effective practice and provides next steps that will impact teaching and learning.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Has completed a minimum of 5 years of experience working directly with students, with most of the teaching experience in the content area to which the candidate is applying.

2. Has a 97% attendance rate in a historical context from the academic year 2022-2023 and the academic year 2023-2024.

3. Possesses a master's degree from an accredited college or university.

4. Possesses a professional teaching license from the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The license should reflect the content and grade-level of the position that the candidate is seeking to obtain in either English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science.

5. Overall exemplary evaluation rating from a direct supervisor is preferred. A minimum of an overall proficient rating is required.  These evaluations must come from the last two current years of employment

6. Demonstrate growth in student achievement based on assessments over the past one to two years. 

Application Process:

Phase One- Initial Application

The initial application must include:

• Letter of Interest that describes the following:
  • expertise in impacting teacher practice,
  • analysis and use of student data,
  • leadership skills,
  • implementation of student learning goals, and
  • the instructional planning process in your school.
• A copy of your valid, professional teaching license.
• Resume with complete history of professional work experience.
• Name and contact information of three (3) professional references.

After the initial review, selected candidates will be notified if they are approved to proceed to the next phase of the application process.

Phase Two- Site-Based Observation

Members of the Academic Department will come on-site to observe the candidate either leading the learning of adults or instructing students.  This observation is non-evaluative.

After the site-based observation, selected candidates will be notified if they are approved to proceed to the next phase of the application process.

Phase Three- Interview Inclusive of Performance-Based Tasks

Part 1:  Data Analysis

Candidates will receive a data set prior to the interview.  Completion of this task will require the candidate to analyze the data and communicate their findings to the interview committee.

The candidate will provide data to demostrate growth in student data over the past one to two years. The candidate will communicate their data, action steps and instructional moves to the interview committee. 

Part 3:  Interview

During the interview the candidate will present the data analysis, explanation of student growth, and answer questions that allow the candidate to articulate their expertise related to the duties detailed in this posting.

Phase Four- Principal Interview

Candidates that have successfully completed the previous phases of the interview process will be designated as Highly Qualified Instructional Leadership Specialist candidates.  Principals with vacancies will interview these candidates, in collaboration with their Chief School Officer.  After this interview the Principal and the Chief School Officer will determine if a candidate is selected for employment as an Instructional Leadership Specialist.

If after the principal interview, a candidate is not selected for immediate placement then they will be placed in a pool of applicants.

The Springfield Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, age, handicap, or military service, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.  

Reach out to Carmen Molina-Figueroa, the Human Resources Analyst, at 413-787-7100 ext. 55394, the email address is molina-figueroac@springfieldpublicschools.com. She will be happy to answer any questions that you have.  

Nondiscrimination Statement

The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, age, disability or military service or marital status. The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in admission to, access or treatment in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation, disability or homelessness.

Title IX Notice of Nondiscrimination

Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex in admission, administration of its educational programs or activities or employment.  Springfield Public Schools is required by Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 not to discrimination on the basis of sex in admission, administration of its educational programs or activities or employment.  The Senior Administrator of Human Resources, Kathleen O’Sullivan, Springfield Public Schools, 1550 Main St. Springfield MA, 01103, 413-787-7100,  ext. 55428, has been designated as the employee responsible for coordinating Springfield Public Schools efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX.  Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 to Springfield Public Schools may be referred to Kathleen O’Sullivan or to U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202-1100, telephone 800-421-3481.