BPS Teaching Fellowship Specialist (SY26-27)

REPORTS TO: Senior Director of BPS Teacher Pipeline Programs

Terms: BTU - (On or about) Aug. 15th - June 15th.

The work year for a full-time Teaching Fellowship Specialist will be 183 days an additional 18 hours per year and an additional 2.5 hours per week 5% differential for additional time worked

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

Founded in 1647 Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the oldest public school district in the country. As the birthplace of Americas public education system BPS has a long rich tradition and commitment to education. We are a leader in urban education. BPS has been recognized nationally for programs and initiatives such as universal preschool early childhood education equitable school-based funding formula and policy specifically focused on creating greater racial equity to name a few. Boston Public Schools is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative welcoming schools. We partner with the community families and students to develop in every learner the knowledge skill and character to excel in college career and life.

OFFICE OVERVIEW:

Boston Public Schools Division of Equity Strategy and Opportunity Gaps (ESOG) comprises four different offices (Equity; Opportunity Gaps; Recruitment Cultivation and Diversity; and Strategy and Innovation). The Office of Recruitment Cultivation & Diversity Programs (RCD) combines talent acquisition and cultivation pipeline development and diversity programs to better support candidates and employees from recruitment throughout their careers. RCD is committed to recruiting hiring developing and retaining a racially ethnically culturally and linguistically diverse group of highly effective and culturally proficient teachers and staff members every year. We continue to focus our efforts on three key levers for our work: 1) Build and Support Pipelines 2) Cultivation and 3) Develop and Retain employees. These levers remain at the center of our strategy for accelerating student learning. This school year RCD will significantly scale up and augment its existing programming to meet the high demand and to recruit and develop aspiring and current educators of color. It will also work in concert with the Equity and Strategy Division to ensure Systemic Racism is disrupted by providing Strategic Systemic Support by ensuring Transparent Accountability and Removing Barriers to Increase the diversity of our school-based and central office staff and leaders.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The BPS Teaching Fellowship is an accelerated teaching and licensure program operated by Boston Public Schools (BPS) in the BPS Teacher Pipeline Programs Office of Recruitment Cultivation and Diversity Division of Equity Strategy & Opportunity Gaps. It is part of an overarching strategy to increase the number of licensed teachers in the district who reflect the racial cultural and linguistic diversity of our students and our community. Boston Public Schools have an especially high need for English as a Second Language and Special Education teachers and the Fellowship is a pathway designed to meet that need by recruiting and training new teachers in those licensure areas.

Responsibilities:

The BPS Teaching Fellowship Specialist assumes a number of roles related to the support development and expansion of the BPS Teaching Fellowship and BPS Teaching Fellows. These roles include working collaboratively with other stakeholders to review develop and expand the current BPS Teaching Fellowship. The Fellowship Specialist will coach and mentor the Fellows during their first year of teaching through conferencing modeling observing and providing support in all areas that are challenging for the beginning teachers. Other responsibilities include developing and facilitating Fellowship professional development and online coursework. In performing these varied roles the professional commitment of the BPS Teaching Fellowship Specialist is directed at promoting the fullest development of each individual BPS Teaching Fellow.

Coaching and Mentoring Support:

• Accelerate the development of up to 15 Teaching Fellows to be effective teachers in their first year by proactively managing Fellow performance throughout their entire school year.
• Observe and analyze Fellows performance to determine the most important skills for improvement and align support to ensure growth.
• Organize identification training and assignment of Supervising Practitioners to support the BPS Teaching Fellows.
• Submit CAP (Candidate Assessment of Performance) observations on the CAP Platform.
• Complete a baseline formative and summative assessment for each BPS Teaching Fellow.
• Maintain data on performance coursework completion and Professional Development of all BPS Fellows.
• Recommend Fellows for licensure after successful completion of Fellowship requirements.
• Provide on-site support to the beginning Teaching Fellows at various schools using a variety of support and assessment strategies focused on the beginning teachers needs.

Such support and strategies include but are not limited to:

• Helping Fellows with classroom set-up and planning in preparation for the first days of school.
• Facilitating the orientation and induction of Fellows into the Boston Public Schools system (including support with navigating payroll health insurance online curricular materials professional development registration etc.).
• Regularly conferring with Fellows and their assigned Supervising Practitioners to plan for reflect on and analyze Fellow practice.
• Observing and providing feedback on targeted areas for growth.
• Reviewing student work to inform instruction and enhance student achievement.
• Helping to plan participate in and facilitate exemplary teacher observations for Fellows.
• Modeling as appropriate innovative teaching methodologies through techniques such as team teaching demonstrations and simulations.
• Assisting Fellows in identifying instructional resources additional support and appropriate professional development in the school community as well as the district.
• Supporting Fellows with strategies to engage and communicate effectively with parents guardians and other caretakers.
• Helping Fellows to develop and periodically reflect on professional teaching goals using the Massachusetts Teaching Standards and the teacher effectiveness rubric.

Collaboration with School and Program Administrators:

• Communicate regularly with the school administrators and Fellowship Program administrators.
• Partner in a non-administrative capacity with school administrators and other school staff members to enhance support for Fellows.
• Meet regularly with the Manager of Pipeline Programs
• Contribute to district initiatives to improve instruction including instructor quality and curricular knowledge.

Professional Development and Leadership:

• Participate in planning and executing the professional development for BPS Teaching Fellows including monthly Academy Sessions.
• Moderate online coursework aligned with teacher certification.
• Plan for and facilitate a summer orientation program for BPS Fellows.
• Promote the development of a professional learning community among BPS Fellows.
• Attend regularly scheduled professional learning sessions to build coaching and mentoring capacity.
• Coordinate with other teacher training/professional development programs and initiatives to support beginning teachers as appropriate.
• Actively contribute to the support of overall program goals by building personal leadership capacity and assuming leadership responsibilities.
• Manage the BPS Fellowship CAP (Candidate Assessment of Performance) Platform.

Support Development and Expansion of BPS Teaching Fellowship:

• Meet regularly with Fellowship administrators to assess progress of the program.
• Regularly review assess and update the pre-practicum and practicum online blended and in-person coursework and curriculum.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to review prepare and execute documents for the ESE review process.
• Participate in planning for the expansion of the Fellowship program.

Required Qualifications:

• Valid Massachusetts professional teaching license
• K-12 teaching experience
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity ensuring all students access to the highest quality instruction and closing the achievement gap
• Mastery of pedagogical and subject matter skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong communication skills including use of BPS e-mail system and digital resources
• Ability to work effectively foster collaboration and enhance growth in a team
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing standards-based instruction
• Demonstrated commitment to professional growth and learning
• Experience in relating to adult learners
• Experience in coaching or mentoring educators
• Experience in developing and leading teacher professional development.
• Experience facilitating and building trusting confidential non-evaluative and professional relationships with adult learners/aspiring teachers of color
• Ability to track and analyze data.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills
• Experience leading professional development or creating other learning opportunities for teachers
• Willingness to help new teachers identify their progress against standards for teaching proficiency by engaging in non-evaluative conversations about their practice using evidence of classroom practice and student learning
• Willingness to accommodate the scheduling needs of Fellows

Terms: BTU 5%

Please refer to (under Employee Benefits and Policies) for more information on salary and compensation. Salaries are listed by Unions and Grade/Step.

The Boston Public Schools in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies does not discriminate in its programs facilities or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race color age criminal record (inquiries only) disability homelessness sex/gender gender identity religion national origin ancestry sexual orientation genetics or military status and does not tolerate any form of retaliation or bias-based intimidation threat or harassment that demeans individuals dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.

Required Experience:

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