School Change Leader

Posted: Continuous 2012-05-25
Closes: 06/25/2012
School Based
 

Months of Employment :     12 months/year

Benefit Type :     Benefited - Regular Full Time

Salary :     This is a two year position funded through the Christina School District's Race to the Top Plan. 

                Salary Range is $120,000 - $135,000

                There is a signing bonus and professional enterprise stipend associated with this position funded through the Christina Race to the Top Plan.

 

Start Date :     TBD

 

Reports To :    Superintendent  

Minimum Qualifications :

  • Eligible for State of Delaware Certification as Principal
  • Experience with restructuring of schools preferred
  • Record of improvement of student achievement
  • Experience with project management
  • Master's degree
  • Minimum 3 years of teaching experience
  • Minimum 3 years of building level administrative experience
  • District level experience preferred
  • Successful experience with school improvement and turnaround leadership
  • Demonstrated the ability to improve student achievement in a time-compressed manner
  • Experience working in an urban environments, high needs schools, and/or high poverty settings
  • Employment is Conditional Upon Receipt of an Acceptable Criminal Background Report, a Negative Pre-employment Drug Screening and a Child Abuse Registry Check Showing You Are Not on the Registry at any Level

Primary Functions The successful candidate will lead the transformation of identified schools (4 total) in the District through the implementation of plans designed for each school.  These plans will focus on rapid and increased student achievement, support for the whole child, building a positive climate for learning, leveraging research and data-driven initiatives, effectively engaging families and communities, and building a high performing faculty and leadership team to achieve the school's vision, goals, and aspirations.

Fringe Benefits :     Twenty-four (24) days vacation per fiscal year; Life Insurance; Health Insurance; Blood Bank; Benefit Stipend to assist with the cost of prescription, vision and/or dental insurance. 

  Application Procedure :   Interested applicants must apply online and submit (upload) a letter of interest, copy of administrative certificate, resume, portfolio of work reflecting supporting experience and three current (within two years) letters of recommendation.   The portfolio can be uploaded, mailed, hand-delivered or faxed and the complete application packet should be hand delivered, faxed or mailed to the address below and needs to be received no later than 4:30 pm on June 25, 2012:            

Human Resources Office

CHRISTINA SCHOOL DISTRICT

600 North Lombard Street

Wilmington, DE   19801

Website:   www.christina.k12.de.us

PH:  302/552-2650

FX:  302/552-2651

Performance Responsibilities:

The Change Leader is a new role for Christina and this position's sole responsibility will be to support identified high needs/Partnership Zone (PZ) schools in the design and implementation of each school's transformation plan. This position is designed to operate as a partner with the Principal in each of the identified schools, providing the necessary support to implement the transformation plan.  The Change Leader is expected to work in a collaborative manner; however the position has accountability for successful implementation.

A complete listing of the activities of this position is impossible because of the many facets of the job and the unique nature of each School Change Model.  The most important activities include:

  • Work with building level and district level administration to implement plans designed to promote change in identified schools.  There is one school that has been identified by the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) for a change process to begin in July 2012 - Bancroft Elementary.  There are two schools that were identified by the DDOE and are currently in the process of implementing plans developed in 2010 and 2011 - Stubbs Elementary and Glasgow High School.  There is one other school identified by the District that will be developing a change plan in 2012 - Bayard Middle School.
  • Be present in all four schools consistently to assist the building level teams in implementing change and to assist in identifying areas where planned initiatives may require mid-course correction in order to be as effective as possible.
  • Provide dedicated support to Bancroft Elementary in many ways including but not limited to:
    • Drive successful implementation of initiatives outlined in the Partnership Zone Plan;
    • Coordinate, participate in, and evaluate professional development activities;
    • Work with staff to drive achievement and management plan implementation;
    • Regularly assess goals of the Plan;
    • Work closely with Principal and team in reviewing student data;
    • Assist in implementing effective small learning communities;
    • Assist principal in developing effective leadership teams and a model of distributed leadership;
    • Assist administrative team in developing  a schedule that allows for adequate planning/professional development time for teachers as well as effective additional learning time for students;
    • Support the building in creating a learning environment and school culture that is engaging and conducive to teaching and learning;
    • Participate and evaluate Professional Learning Communities with the Principal so that effective Professional Development can be outlined through observation
    • Review and evaluate assessments;
    • Walk thru classrooms with Principal or DDOE as requested
  • Provide support to the two current PZ schools - Stubbs Elementary and Glasgow High by coordinating with the Principal and an Outside Partner on progress in meeting plan requirements.  In these schools the Change Leader will provide a different kind of support that may include but would not be limited to the following:
    • Participate and evaluate Professional development activities;
    • Participate in Professional learning communities;
    • Work with the building leadership and coordinating partner in evaluating and analyzing student data;
    • Evaluate assessments;
    • Assist in prioritizing needs in the schools;
    • Assist team in designing school schedule;
    • Walk through classrooms with Principal or DDOE as requested
  • Assist all three PZ schools in preparation for Monthly Department of Education walkthroughs
  • Represent each school at the PZ Delivery Unit meetings and be responsible for providing updates around progress metrics for both plan based activities as well as student achievement measures.
  • Work with the PZ Delivery Unit to remove obstacles identified at the school level which have impact on the successful implementation of PZ plans for all three schools.
  • Work with Bayard Middle School to develop a change plan and timeline for implementation

Selection Criteria :         The successful candidate will demonstrate , via Resume , Portfolio , Interview and References :

Vision

  • Ability to articulate vision

Commitment to equity and excellence

  • Belief that every child can learn and achieve at academically high levels
  • Experience in working with diverse student populations
  • Sense of urgency in closing the achievement gaps

Results Orientation

  • Record of improvement of student achievement
  • Experience with project management, systems thinking
  • Experience as change agent
  • Initiative
  • Resilience and perseverance
  • Problem Solving Skills
  • Ability to make difficult decisions
  • Commitment to distributive leadership
  • Effective time management

Instructional Leadership

  • Knowledge of various instructional strategies and practices to meet the needs of diverse learners
  • Effective supervision of instruction
  • Using data to inform instruction and improve student outcomes
  • Holding staff and self accountable to high standards
  • Building capacity
  • Modeling continuous learning and professional growth

Interpersonal Skills

  • Strong written and verbal skills
  • Successful collaboration with various stakeholders
  • Ability to build relationships quickly
  • Team building
  • Keeping abreast of current educational research
  • Personal presence

This is a new position funded with proceeds to be received through the Race to the Top (RTTT) award between 2010 and 2014.  The continuation of this position beyond 2014 is expressly contingent in each succeeding fiscal year upon the availability of sufficient funds from state, federal, and/or appropriated special funds, and further contingent upon state allocated full-time equivalent (F.T.E.) authorizations in succeeding fiscal year budgets of the State of Delaware.

______________________________________________________

The Christina School District is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Board of Education of the Christina School District ("District") that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age or Vietnam Era veteran's status be subjected to any discrimination prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended; the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; and other applicable laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. This policy applies to the District's programs and activities. Inquiries regarding compliance with this policy may be directed to Dr. Judi Coffield, Director of K-12 Services, Christina School District, 600 North Lombard Street, Wilmington, DE 19801; Telephone: (302) 552-2600

 

Christina Public Schools


600 N. Lombard St.
Wilmington, DE 19801
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