Instructional Support School Designer
Job Description
NYC Outward Bound Schools www.nycoutwardbound.org is a nonprofit organization that transforms schools and changes lives by bringing out the best in students, teachers and school leaders throughout New York City. We operate a citywide network of public schools, in partnership with the City’s Department of Education, which primarily target students from underserved neighborhoods. Our schools feature rigorous learning experiences, both in and out of the classroom, and are built upon a culture of high achievement and mutual support. And we provide our students with a robust To & Through College program. To further extend our impact, we also offer Adventure & Team Building programs to young people not enrolled in our schools and professional learning services to NYC public schools interested in adopting specific practices from our schools. Over the past 30 years, we have served over 100,000 students.
We operate a citywide network of public schools in partnership with the New York City Department of Education that fully embody our educational approach. Our network schools are unscreened and serve a predominantly high-needs student population. We support our schools by providing:
- Coaching and professional development for teachers and school leaders in the implementation of EL Education, a nationally-recognized school-wide model with its roots in Outward Bound.
- Character and leadership development programming for students.
- “To & Through College” programming aimed at supporting our students—most of whom will be the first in their families to attend college—in applying to, enrolling in, and completing college.
We also bring our approach and activities to a growing number of public schools outside of our network through our new Select Strategies professional learning services and our Adventure and Team Building programs.
Summary
The School Designer role is a critical component of success in NYC Outward Bound Schools’ work with schools. This role supports both our Network and Select Strategy Schools. In our Network Schools, the School Designer functions as the cornerstone of our supports, typically spending 20-40 days per school per year supporting strategic planning, curriculum development, high quality instruction and assessment practices, and continuous leadership growth that create the conditions for student achievement. In our Select Strategy Schools, the School Designer works to support the school community in implementing a specific strategy and related practices such as Crew (advisory), Student Engaged Assessment, or project based learning in order to strengthen teaching and learning.
This position is a full-time role reporting to the Chief Schools Officer. School Designers work predominantly in their assigned schools as well as remotely and/or out of our headquarters office in Long Island City.
Essential Functions
School Coaching:
- Partner with principals and school leadership teams in implementing EL Core Practices through a model of shared leadership in order to support high levels of student growth in knowledge and skills, character, and high quality work.
- Provide leadership coaching for principals and assistant principals
- Design and facilitate high quality professional development (PD) at the school relating to the EL Core Practices, i.e. curriculum, instruction, assessment, leadership, and school culture and character that results in improved teaching and learning.
- Use modeling, co-teaching and observation and feedback to support teacher growth in core EL instructional practices.
- Facilitate rapid inquiry cycles with school teams following a Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) model.
- Coach Instructional Guide (IG) and teachers in understanding and applying the EL model.
- Support teachers and teams in the design of standards-based learning expeditions and case studies (curricula) student-engaged assessment strategies, and active pedagogy.
- Foster the development of effective Crew (advisory) structures in schools.
- Support the integration of NYC Outward Bound Schools’ To & Through College and Crew Expedition program supports.
- Actively collaborate with members from other departments such as the Program Service Team (PST) in support of meeting the organization’s mission.
- Shepherd the annual work plan cycle for each school from design to execution and manage processes for documenting, tracking, and reflecting on school progress toward achieving long term performance benchmarks.
- Support schools on the path to EL Credentialing.
- Serve on school planning teams or committees based upon the needs of the school.
- Facilitate the annual Implementation Review (IR) with schools and compile data and results.
- Counsel principals, assistant principals, and IGs on PD options and choices that support the school-wide PD plan as well as individual teacher development.
Out of School Professional Development and Supports:
- Design and facilitate off-site professional development (Institutes, Seminars, etc.) which take place during the school year and in the summer.
- Support internal NYC Outward Bound Schools projects designed to improve school and student outcomes.
- Participate in external and internal professional development and support structures.
Professional Experience/Qualifications
- Minimum 7 years of classroom teaching experience at the secondary level in an EL school or similar
- Minimum 4 years effectively coaching and facilitating individual adults and teams in schools
- Demonstrable success with interdisciplinary, project-based learning and active pedagogy
- Previous success using data inquiry to improve student learning
- Deep content knowledge and pedagogical expertise in at least two of the following areas; mathematics, science, humanities, project based learning, mastery based learning and social and emotional learning.
- Affinity with the Outward Bound approach and belief in the EL Design Principles and Core Practices
- Prior experience in NYC or a comparable urban district strongly preferred
- Experience with restorative justice practices and advisory a plus
Additional Competencies and Desired Skills
- Unwavering conviction that every student can achieve at high levels
- Values impact, quality and sets high standards for him/herself and for others
- Flexible, hard-working and effective multi-tasker
- Builds strong working relationships and strong teams (teacher teams, leadership teams)
- An efficient and effective coach who creates and tracks coaching plans, with attention to details, superb follow up and a consistent track record of delivering on promises
- An independent, action oriented practitioner with an “anything is possible” attitude who can maintain humor and flexibility and work in all types of contexts and environments simultaneously
- Engenders understanding and trust by helping others develop to the highest possible potential—meeting each individual at his or her starting point, without judgment, adopting a growth mindset
- A master teacher of adults, who understands adult learning and knows how to inspire, engage and teach, and how to bring out the best in all people
- A lifelong learner who is constantly seeking self-improvement and continually developing a deeper understanding of best practices in EL
Compensation and Benefits
- We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
- We offer medical, dental, and vision coverage as well as HRA/FSA/Transit accounts, life insurance, 403(b) with employer match after one year, sick leave, and generous PTO.
NYC Outward Bound Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination against, and harassment of, any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, genetic information, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, military or veteran status, qualified individuals with a disability on the basis of the disability, or any other category which may be protected under applicable state or federal law.
No phone calls please. We appreciate all responses, but due to the high volume of resumes received, we can only contact those applicants whose qualifications best match the position requirements.
