School: Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) - (GVR Campus)

Job Title: Third Campus Middle School Director Position

Category: Full-time

Classification: Administrator/School Leadership

Work Year: 2010-2011

Job Description:

Position Overview: DSST Public Schools (DSST) seeks a Middle School Director for DSST’s third campus who has a demonstrated track-record of elevating student achievement in urban schools. The Middle School Director will open a new middle school on a third 6-12 DSST campus opening in 2011-12.  The Director holds primary responsibility for implementing the DSST model including school culture, curriculum and instruction, assessment and data analysis, recruitment of teachers and students, and building relationships with families in grades 6-8. 

 

DSST Public Schools Overview:  In its first five years, DSST has been recognized locally, state-wide, and nationally as a new model for high-performing urban secondary schools. 

·         DSST was the top performing Denver Public School, high school and middle school, in the 2008-09 year.

·         DSST has earned the highest student achievement growth of any high school in the state of Colorado over the last three years.

·         100% of DSST’s first three graduating classes were accepted to four-year colleges – the first Denver public high school to accomplish this achievement.

·         DSST has been featured in Newsweek’s “Great American High Schools,” The Denver Post, and by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, and Colorado’s Lt. Governor as a national exemplar of school reform.

 

Working at DSST Public Schools: Educators who work at DSST can expect:

·         A Culture of High Expectations:  All of DSST’s graduates are accepted and go to four-year colleges and they are expected to become our city, state and country’s next leaders.

·         Amazing Colleagues:  The DSST team is comprised of highly talented, successful, passionate educators who are committed to educating underserved students.

·         A Supportive Team:  DSST supports each one of its team members both in their professional and personal lives in a highly collaborative environment.

·         Professional Learning:  DSST is a learning organization which supports and challenges each staff member to learn, grow and become better educators daily.

·         Professional Success:  DSST provides everyone on our team the opportunity to succeed at the highest level – inspiring and changing the lives of our students. 

·         Leadership Training:  DSST has created a comprehensive leadership development program that helps train aspiring leaders in the organization.  Each school director will benefit from this training.

 

Qualifications:  DSST seeks candidates who have a demonstrated track record of the following leadership skills and beliefs:

 

Leadership

·         DSST Mission Driven:  Shares a sense of urgency about achievement for ALL students and preparing every student for four-year college.

·         Demonstrates tenacity and persistence in pursuit of solutions that maximize student achievement. Is willing to do whatever it takes to get the work done right.

·         Inspires students, families, staff, and others to believe in and reflect the school’s mission, high expectations and values.

·         Demonstrates a high level of professional maturity including emotional constancy in stressful situations, ability to bring out the best in others, a solution seeker, and acts as a positive force to motivate others.

·         Carefully manages tasks and time, is well-organized, and is detail-oriented.

·         Mentors and coaches staff members with challenging but manageable assignments to encourage growth. Identifies and systematically develops future leaders.

 

Culture

·         Able to establish a school culture that is centered on core values that ultimately deeply cares for each student and staff member and holds each student and staff member to the highest level of accountability.

·         Creates a professional learning community in which teachers regularly collaborate to reflect on and refine curriculum and instruction at the school using achievement data, student work, and their own observations/experiences.

·         Demonstrates the ability to effectively relate to and engage students in relationships in one-on-one, small group and large group settings.

·         Ensures effective communication with families with respect to student academic performance, student conduct, school programs, and school performance.

 

Instruction

·         Demonstrates ability to provide instructional leadership informed by a nuanced understanding of DSST best practices.

·         Demonstrates ability to provide teachers with specific, actionable, qualitative (i.e., narrative) and quantitative (i.e., rubric) feedback on their performance in all areas.

·         Able to manage a data-driven instructional process that includes rigorous interim assessments that are effectively aligned with year-end assessments and college readiness.  Able to align all other school leadership components to the data driven instructional process (professional development, curriculum development, teacher observation/supervision, etc.)

 

Systems

·         Able to implement systems that “sweat the small stuff,” maximize the programmatic goals of the school, and are scalable as the school grows. Develops solutions to complex problems that involve multiple stakeholders and steps.

·         Manages with fiscal responsibility - develops a disciplined planning process that identifies the school’s highest-priorities.

 

The Middle School Director will be evaluated based on data-driven performance indicators including, but not limited to student attendance, measurable student learning gains on CSAP tests, and internal standardized testing, student retention and parent/student satisfaction.

 

Experience Required:  Middle School Director candidates should demonstrate proven school leadership skills in urban settings with an emphasis on data-driven instruction and demonstrable gains in student achievement.  It is also preferred that the candidate have 3+ years working in middle school classrooms and schools, preferably in urban schools and/or communities.

 

Compensation:  DSST Public Schools offers a very competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to continuing professional learning.

 

2010-2011 School Year:  The third campus Middle School Director will begin work in June 2010.  The Director will work in a current DSST middle school during the 2010-2011 school year in a significant leadership role in addition to preparing to open the third campus.

Application Instructions:

To Apply:  Please apply online at http://www.scienceandtech.org/jobs/jobs-overview.php.

 

The DSST Public Schools proudly values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. 

Date Posted: 2010-01-06

Closing Date: 2010-04-06