Phoenix Leader-in-Residence

2018-2019

Philosophy

Phoenix Charter Academy's mission is to challenge young people in our area with an academically rigorous and individually tailored curriculum. Phoenix scholars will have the support, resources and training needed to succeed academically in high school and college, and become economically secure in their future. Phoenix Charter Academy is named after a mythological figure of strength, healing and renewal.

Phoenix schools challenge resilient, disconnected young people with rigorous academics and relentless supports, so they take ownership of their futures and succeed in high school, college, and as self-sufficient adults.

Role Summary

The Phoenix Leader-in-Residence (LIR) program supports future school leaders in their development as they prepare to become a school leader with the Phoenix Network.   The LIR role allows for a deep immersion into the nuances of school leadership within Phoenix. As an active members of the school leadership team, the LIR will have the opportunity to deeply embed themselves in interactions with scholars,  daily school operations, instructional leadership, student support, school culture and people and project management.

LIRs will work in partnership with Chief Academic Officer to identify, design and manage a discrete scope of work that will generate ongoing capacity for the host school or the larger Phoenix school network.  This work will serve as the foundation of their school placement, and as a rich source of real time training. LIRs will be supervised by the Chief Academic Office in collaboration with the assignment school’s Head of School, take part in a series of trainings specific to the LIR role, and have the opportunity to join other network based leadership retreats, trainings and gatherings

Leadership Commitments

All leaders model the core values and mission of Phoenix Charter Academy in every piece of their work and at all times. In order to be successful, all leaders must be innovative, relentless, humble and communicative with all members of the Phoenix Charter Academy community. Further, leaders should have a strong desire to take ownership of various projects and should possess an entrepreneurial spirit.

Qualities of a Phoenix staff member:

• Unwavering Belief in Phoenix Scholars - Phoenix staff operate with the deeply held belief that all young people want to and can succeed even in the face of what can seem like insurmountable barriers and societal constraints.
• Ability to Put Scholars First - Phoenix staff go above and beyond to ensure mastery of the skills and development of positive self-identity that will ensure success for college, careers and beyond.  Phoenix staff find every opportunity to engage in teaching and learning with scholars, using conflict to build supportive relationships with scholars and never taking things personally.
• Eager to Learn Under Pressure - Phoenix staff must be able to learn as they go in a fast paced, ever evolving, urgent environment. They have the desire to receive direct feedback and the ability to implement the feedback into practice quickly.
• Humility - Phoenix staff approach problem solving with curiosity and desire to understand the perspectives of others. They carry an internalized sense of “I can always learn more” from others, and know that adults at Phoenix must model the qualities of being open-minded and willing to make mistakes and learn from them.
• Experience with Low Income Communities -  Staff have the proven ability to work across cultures and experience serving low-income communities and/or academically-disconnected adolescents.  
• Ability to Find Inspiration In the Small Things - In the face of challenge and hard work,  Phoenix staff must have the ability to find humor, inspiration, success and joy in the day to day interactions with scholars and the larger Phoenix Community.
• Personal Commitment to Cultural Proficiency and Ongoing Development - Phoenix staff are ongoing learners about diversity, equity and inclusion and seek to understand the ways that their self-identity and experiences impacts and interacts with their daily work, colleagues and scholars.

Instructional Leadership

• Develop knowledge of competency based learning, performance assessment, and personalized learning in order to be a lead learner of the innovate instructional work of Phoenix Forward.
• Supervise or coach a small cohort of teachers and provide weekly supervision and short weekly observations of each teacher
• Design and facilitate one working group connecting to school operations and performance improvement
• Become deeply knowledgeable of data cycles at Phoenix and utilize data within supervision and team meeting structures
• Work with the Leadership Team to plan and when possible/strategic facilitate professional development sessions for the school team
• Conduct regular culture walks and provide targeted feedback
• Develop a clear scope of work (approximately 25-40% time) that will address a critical school or network capacity or development need and is aligned to Phoenix Forward
• Work collaboratively to develop a project management process, engaging multiple stakeholders and taking into account change management / program design best practice

Student Relationships and Supports

• Meet regularly with Director of School Culture and student support team to become knowledgeable of Phoenix student support practices and core theory of youth development and restorative approach to discipline
• Model the implementation of all school policies as outlined in the student handbook, serve as a warm demander in all scholar facing interactions
• Support advisory based on the needs of the school; authoring advisory curriculum, observing and coaching advisors
• Learn the core practices of student recruitment and retention and the unique role within a Phoenix school
• Learn logistics and practices of discipline law; DESE regulatory practices and basic civil rights law
• Be an active leader of Phoenix core restorative practices and interventions including circle backs, intensive outreach, student support plans, personal growth projects
• Learn the legal requirements and effective practices for Supporting Special Education and English Language Learners effectively.

Learning and Leadership Development

• Attend all Leadership Team meetings
• Attend Instructional Leadership Team meetings
• Create an individualized leadership development plan and participate in a Mid Cycle Review to determine next steps of Leadership Development process
• Attend Leadership Institute in July
• Act as a lead learner as the network engages in a transition to competency-based mastery grading.
• Visit 2 other schools to bring “Best Practices” to Phoenix Network, plan leadership meeting and PD session around innovative practices
• Model active engagement and personal identify reflection in all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion conversations and hold diversity as a guiding principle in all hiring and recruitment; set a personal leadership development goal around development of DEI in your own leadership
• Become deeply knowledgeable of Powerschool, scheduling practices, in-coming student diagnostics and academic placement practices

Qualifications

• Deep belief in the mission of Phoenix Charter Academy Network
• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• 5+ years of experience working with hard to reach youth in alternative education settings
• Minimum of 2 years managing adult accountability
• A commitment to providing equity and access for all scholars in an educational setting
• Continuous development of one’s cultural proficiency and to being a lead learner who integrates this learning into daily practice with school staff and fellows
• Model strong judgement and decision making
• Effective delegation skills
• Detail-oriented with superb follow through
• Proven record of successfully taking initiative
• Growth-oriented mindset; a desire for learning and growing as a professional
• Experience teaching preferred

**It is understood that this Job Description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the position. It is not intended to be a complete and total description of each and every duty and responsibility. As such, this job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. He or she will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her supervisor. It is also understood that the Network retains the right to modify this Job Description at any time, for any reason, at the Network’s sole discretion**

We seek a diverse workforce. Phoenix Charter Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Phoenix Charter Academy is committed to providing equal opportunity to staff and applicants in all areas of employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other area protected by federal, state or local law. Phoenix Charter Academy is committed to making any reasonable accommodation necessary to support an individual's employment.