Primary Science Curriculum Specialist

Company: Kipp Houston Public Schools
Location: Dallas
Posted on: June 12, 2021

Job Description:

Company Description

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a nonprofit public charter school network, dedicated to preparing students in educationally underserved communities for college success and choice-filled lives. Today, KIPP Texas operates 59 public charter schools educating over 31,100 students across four regions - Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. KIPP schools are part of the free public school system and enrollment is open to all students. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income families.

You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/.

Job Description

The Primary Science Curriculum Specialist role is an exciting opportunity for an individual with deep content knowledge of science at the primary levels and passion for curriculum and instruction. The Primary Science Curriculum Specialist will play a critical role at the state-level in an effort to drive improved student results, including growth and achievement, college and career readiness, and closing the achievement gap.

General Role Description

• Curriculum Writing | Develop and/or cull rigorous, aligned, and accurate curriculum to meet Texas state needs to support regions in strengthening science curriculum and instruction.
• Assessment Writing | Create and/or recommend top-quality assessments or assessment resources, aligned to the college-ready bar for students.
• Data Analysis | Analyze data ate student-level, teacher-level, school-level, and regional level to identify strengths, opportunities for growth, and curricular and implementation implications.
• Professional Learning | Plan and lead virtual and in-person professional development on curriculum and instruction to ensure all regions are set on a path to achieve academic goals.
• Coaching | Coach and support school administrators, teachers, and regional support teams to grow and achieve goals in science.

Duties and Responsibility

The Primary Science Curriculum Specialist responsibilities will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Develop and/or adapt Amplify Science curriculum including lessons, modules, pacing calendars, and assessments in order to meet KIPP Texas state needs.
• Ensure that all science curricular materials are top-quality and aligned to a college-ready bar.
• Create, vet, and recommend top-quality science assessments that are aligned to Texas state standards and the college-ready bar.
• Conduct Texas state-wide and regions-specific data analysis to guide regions around intentional data driven response in instructions.
• Plan and lead virtual and in-person science professional development for science coaches and teachers including lesion internalization, module internalization, and responding to data.
• Coach, build relationships, and support APs, School Leaders, teachers, and regional support teams across the state to ensure strong implementation of science curriculum and instructional practices.

Content and Pedagogical Expertise

• Strong knowledge and belief in the college-ready bar for students in science, exceptionally high standards for rigor and the belief that all students can achieve at high levels.
• Expert in science in the primary grades (Kth - 4th) with a strong knowledge of the full science continuum (K through 12th Grade)
• Master teacher in science with strong skill in internalizing curriculum and modeling lessons
• Strong coach of teachers with expertise in observation and feedback
• Strong coach of leaders with the ability to model strong coaching and school leadership

Technical Skills

• Detail oriented and obsessed with accuracy, especially in the areas of curriculum and assessments
• Ability to create own work plan and can project plan around multiple priorities and fast-paced deadlines
• Able to succinctly present summaries and updates
• Can work across multiple modes of communication (virtual and in-person) to impact others and achieve goals
• Advanced understanding of Microsoft Office suite and (Preferred) Adobe and Google Drive
• (Preferred) Strong fluency with Illuminate and Tableau

Communication, Interpersonal and Team Skills

• Builds and maintains strong relationships across a variety of levels and stakeholders
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; tailors message for the audience, context, and mode of communication
• Motivates others to work in partnership toward ambitious goals
• Builds consensus and resolves conflicts; exhibits willingness to have difficult conversations
• Skillfully navigates systems and structures at various levels in a large district
• Comfortable in ambiguity and can take abstract ideas into concrete work plans and products

Problem Solving and Systems Level Thinking

• Understands how various systems, departments, and stakeholders interact to achieve short and long term goals
• Makes decisions using data and takes initiative to solve problems and create stakeholder buy-in
• Can exhibit flexibility when faced with shifting priorities, demands, and timelines through analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Identifies and prioritizes mission critical issues and offers innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems
• Exhibits strong focus on goals and results and sets clear metrics for success

Leadership Skills

• Motivates, inspires, and moves other adults to action to achieve ambitious goals
• Builds coalitions and works collaboratively with diverse stakeholders at all levels, including but not limited to state leaders, regional leaders, school leaders, coaches, teachers and students
• Establishes clear expectations, deliverables and deadlines across organizational layers

Empathy and Commitment to Cause

• Deep belief in the mission and values of KIPP and commitments to improving student achievement
• Passionately believes that all students can achieve at high levels
• Demonstrates cultural competencies and a deep understanding of and empathy for issues facing students and urban school districts

Compensation and Benefits:

In addition to a competitive salary scale, a part of KIPP Texas' competitive benefits options, KIPP offers all employees an $0 HMO plan for the employee only. In addition to our $0 plan, KIPP provides a $600 employer contribution towards a Health Savings Account and a variety of other supplemental benefits such as Dental, Vision, Short and Long-Term Disability, Pet Insurance, Life, etc.

Keywords: Kipp Houston Public Schools, Dallas , Primary Science Curriculum Specialist, Other , Dallas, Texas