School Leader Fellow

Summary of the School Leader Fellow Position 

Santa Fe South is looking for a dynamic leader to help further the mission of education equity by founding a school in South Oklahoma City. The School Leader Fellowship is a highly-selective, one-year, cohort-based leadership program that is designed to provide in-depth support and insight into the processes and best practices involved in school leadership while preparing fellows to open a new Santa Fe South school. 

The program consists of:

• On-the-job learning: Each fellow serves as a full-time member of the leadership team at an existing SFS school. The fellowship exposes fellows to excellent school design and provides intensive on-the-ground development. Fellows learn by observing their mentor school leader, executing?responsibilities of the school leader role, and contributing to the overall vision of the school.
• Planning and performance assessments: Fellows follow a structured development plan that is mapped to critical school leadership skills. They are observed frequently and engage in regular performance assessments to demonstrate readiness to step into the school leader role.
• Mentorship, coaching, and professional development: Throughout their journey, fellows receive feedback and coaching from a mentor school and district leaders. They also receive regular professional development from SFS leaders and outside experts to build their knowledge of effective instructional design and academic standards.
• School design:  Fellows will create a comprehensive school plan that guides all design, implementation, and growth to prepare to open the doors of a new SFS school. They will receive ongoing feedback on the plan from district leaders throughout the fellowship.

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

• Develop relationships with and coach teachers
• Observe teachers and provide feedback (at least 1x per week)
• Feedback given in person and logged in district platform
• Provide weekly lesson plan feedback aligned to district expectations for planning
• Meet with content teams at least 2 times per week
• Maintain weekly content team agendas
• Facilitate district protocols during content team meetings
• Communicate action steps with site leader and members of Academic Team
• Set and monitor progress toward development and performance goals
• Provide coaching in the form of modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, observing, and conferencing to support individual teachers
• Establish coaching plans for each teacher with teacher and coach actions
• Analyze student data to inform next steps and drive student results
• Hold teacher planning meetings with teachers three times per year to review development and performance goals to align them with site/district goals
• Implement district curriculum and instructional methods
• Monitor roll out of district curriculum (pacing and assessments)
• Support district's academic team in continued development of district curriculum as assigned
• Work alongside members of the district’s Academic Team to develop content knowledge (including pedagogy, content, and methodology) in self and teachers
• Support teachers with planning/pacing of lessons, differentiation, and selection of best practices to meet the needs of their students.
• Work with teachers to provide quality test environment for common formative assessments and other district assessments
• Monitor effectiveness of personalized learning platform and intervention
• Assist the site leader in executing the district’s strategic plan
• Support site leader in developing and executing 90 Day Plan for each semester aligned to district’s strategic plan
• Work with site leader to design and deliver professional development aligned to district and site goals when applicable
• Support site leader in using data to drive student achievement results
• Conduct performance reviews with teachers to monitor progress toward district goals at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year
• Analyze assessment data after district and common assessments
• Review the data
• Identify action steps for teachers and students
• Assist content team in creating and delivering action plan
• Develop interventions to support Tier 1 instruction and tiered growth goals as needed
• Engage fully as an instructional leader in the district
• Follow weekly work schedule that aligns with district expectations
• Actively participate in district instructional leader trainings
• Hold the line on site and district goals
• Support school and district culture

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction, Education Administration, or another relevant area required.
• Candidates who are currently working towards their degree may also be considered.
• Demonstrated success as a teacher or instructional leader
• Deep knowledge of content and learning theory, current educational trends, blended learning practices, methods, research, and technology, and program planning and implementation
• Familiarity with NWEA MAP, OSTP, and Oklahoma Academic Standards.
• An uncompromising belief that all students will learn.
• A relentless work ethic and a high degree of patience to push through difficult challenges.
• Views failures as an opportunity to learn and keep improving.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with and drive student outcomes through teams of teachers
• Ability to build and manage strong relationships with relevant stakeholders including students, teachers, leaders and district staff.
• Technological proficiency and adaptability.
• Excellent organizational skills.

Approximate Dedication of Time

• 70% of time spent on site-level instructional leadership
• 20% of time spent on coaching and mentorship
• 10% of time spent on professional development and school design

Reports to Executive Directors of Elementary and Secondary Schools