Sector

Function

State

IDEA Public Schools prepares students from underserved communities in Texas for success in college and citizenship, and is committed to developing students with the academic, social, and leadership characteristics to apply, matriculate, and succeed in a four-year college or university. IDEA believes that all students, when given the opportunity coupled with high expectations, will succeed.

Over ten years ago, the Texas State Board of Education formally voted to approve IDEA’s application for a charter. Today, IDEA is a growing network of 28 schools across three regions in Texas that demonstrates that closing the achievement gap is possible. IDEA does this through a high-quality, focused approach to teaching and learning that is derived from the rigorous IB, AP, and AVID models, a unique and powerful school culture of high expectations for all, small school size, and partnership with parents. In addition, IDEA students participate in college field lessons beginning in third grade. To receive a high school diploma, each student must be accepted to and matriculate in a four-year college or university.

IDEA students have consistently outperformed their peers on numerous measures of student achievement. Their achievement results to date demonstrate their effectiveness:

• IDEA is home to the #1 high school in the Rio Grande Valley, the #3 high school in Texas, and the #13 high school in America (“America’s Best High Schools 2010", U.S. News & World Report)
• IDEA Public School District is rated "Exemplary" by the Texas Education Agency, the highest rating possible
• Recipient of the 2009 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award for Best Small School District in the state of Texas
• 100% of IDEA students have enrolled in a four-year college or university upon graduation; more than 75% of these students are the first in their families to go to college

IDEA Principals in Residence (PIRs) are instructional leaders who are preparing to lead an IDEA school within one to three years. PIRs are placed at an IDEA campus under the management of a mentor principal. They are responsible for coaching and developing a group of teachers at their placement school to achieve ambitious goals with students. They play an active role on the lead team of their placement school while engaging in focused professional development individually and with their PIR cohort.

This is an ideal opportunity for an entrepreneurial and visionary instructional leader to play a role in growing and shaping a premier charter school network committed to helping students across Texas achieve a high level of academic success.

The Principal in Residence will:

• Coach and manage a group of teachers at placement school
  • Conduct regular classroom observations and provide feedback
  • Disaggregate student achievement data results with teachers, and lead reflection and goal-setting processes
  • Share and model instructional best practices
  • Track teacher goals and progress throughout the year
• Build school culture with staff and students
• Lead or facilitate professional development for teachers
• Perform administrative duties as assigned
• Attend monthly PIR trainings, coaching sessions, and school visits
• Participate as an active member of the leadership team at placement school

Education and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least 3 years of full-time teaching experience
• At least 2 years of instructional leadership experience (principal, assistant principal, instructional coach, etc)
• Proven track record of personally achieving success and of leading others

Skills, traits and beliefs:

• Mission Focus – focuses on IDEA’s core purpose of getting all students into college
• Record of Results – holds high expectations for self and others to achieve and surpass intended goals
• Managing Others to Deliver Results -- leads team to achieve measurable and ambitious results
• Instructional Leadership – leads instructional staff to improve their teaching quickly and measurably through observations, coaching, data conversations, and effective evaluations
• Problem Solving – able to synthesize, analyze, and prioritize data and opportunities to develop strategies for achieving quantifiable goals
• Coaching & Developing – develops team through formal and informal methods; makes professional development a top priority
• Communication – effectively conveys information using a variety of channels and techniques
• Continuous Improvement – proactively identifies opportunities to improve and consistently reflects on past actions to guide future decisions

Competitive compensation, commensurate with experience