Managing Director of Student Supports

  • Full-time
  • Subject: Special Education
  • Start Date: Next year opening
  • Department: Regional Support and Leadership

Company Description

Our Mission

The mission of all of KIPP Massachusetts schools is to create an environment where students develop the academic skills, intellectual habits and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college and the world beyond. Our program is based on:

  • A focus on high-quality instruction supported by rigorous professional development to ensure that our students develop the academic skills necessary to pursue the life they choose.
  • A high regard for character development to ensure that our students and staff celebrate and develop their character and identity strengths.
  • An emphasis on family engagement, because we believe that our students are most likely to be able to maximize their potential when we work in partnership with our students and their families.
  • A focus on college readiness for all students so that all students can make choices about their post-secondary education and future.

What We Do

We seek to provide a world-class education for students from educationally underserved communities in Lynn and Boston. Our student demographics mirror those of neighborhood schools in terms of race, socioeconomic status, English Language Learners, and students who receive special education services.

Our promise to families is that their children will enter college and the professional world able to thrive academically due to their literacy, numeracy, and core knowledge in science and social studies. We also promise that our students will develop the zest for learning and grit necessary to persevere as they climb the mountain to and through college and career. Our graduates will be prepared to return to their community as teachers, leaders, and architects of continued growth in Lynn and Boston.

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Vision

At KIPP Massachusetts, we believe that Knowledge is Power. Every day, our team and family have the opportunity to either perpetuate systems of oppression or disrupt them. We are compelled by the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Therefore, we continuously commit to operating as an anti-racist organization.  Read more at Diversity Equity Inclusivity Vision.

Who We Are

KIPP Massachusetts began enrolling students in 2004. We currently hold two charters, operating two “districts.” Our first district, KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School, is based in Lynn, MA.  Our second district, KIPP Academy Boston Charter School, is based in Mattapan, MA. Each district is housed on one or more “campuses,” which we use to refer to different grade spans, for example, elementary grades, middle school grades, or high school grades.

In Lynn, KIPP Academy Lynn Elementary (serving grades K-4), KIPP Academy Lynn Middle (serving grades 5-8), and KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate (serving grades 9-12), are all under our Lynn charter.  Admission to any grade in the Lynn district is admission to all remaining grades in the Lynn district K-12. 66% of our students in Lynn are Hispanic, 23% are African American and 11% are other races/ethnicities.

In Boston, KIPP Academy Boston Elementary (serving grades K-4), and KIPP Academy Boston (serving grades 5-8), are both under our Boston charter.  Admission to any grade in the Boston district is admission to all remaining grades in the Boston district, K-8. 68% of our students in Boston are African American, 30% are Hispanic and 2% are other races/ethnicities.

Across both districts, in school year 2020-21 KIPP Massachusetts will serve over 2,100 students.

KIPP National

KIPP Massachusetts partners with the KIPP Foundation, or KIPP National, which is a non-profit national network of college-preparatory public charter schools serving elementary, middle and high school students.  KIPP National has a 25-year track record of preparing our students in educationally underserved communities for success in college and life.

There are 242 KIPP schools in 20 states plus the District of Columbia educating over 100,000 students on their path to and through college and career.  We believe that excellent academic, safe and structured schools, empowered teachers, an emphasis on character development and support through college are the foundation for student success, and we strive to provide this for every student.

All KIPP schools, whether they are in Massachusetts or in other states, are part of the free public school system in their respective states and enrollment is open to all students.  KIPP public charter schools are given more academic and budgetary flexibility than traditional public schools, and in exchange commit to deliver high-quality academic results for students.

 

Job Description

MD of Student Supports Position Overview

At KIPP MA, we are deeply committed to ensuring ALL students develop a love of learning and grow academically and social emotionally. The Managing Director of Student Supports role will be dedicated to student Support. This MD role will manage the work related to our Exceptional Learners and our Multilingual Learners as well as ensuring we have robust tiered systems of supports implemented at all of our schools. This role will report directly to our Chief Academic and Strategy Officer. 

The MD of Student Support will be responsible for the following scope of work:

I. Managerial Leadership and Team Development

  • Manages student support services team who embody the mission and beliefs of KIPP MA
  • Serves as a thought partner to directors as they lead their respective teams and bodies of work; coaches and supports directors to address their key roles and responsibilities
  • Builds a strong, cohesive team culture that reflects core KIPP MA values
  • Works in collaboration with the Chief Academic and Strategy Officer and the Managing Directors of Academics to create an inclusive academic leadership team that embodies the mission and beliefs of KIPP MA
  • Plans and implements professional development for the student support team
  • Plan and lead regular program team meetings and retreats
  • Supervises the student services in the creation and implementation of effective professional development opportunities for school staff
  • Develops systematic performance evaluation of student support team
  • Implements practices to appropriately recognize and reward excellence and effectively address poor performance
  • Oversee departmental expenditures against budget on a monthly basis
  • Oversees employee relations across the regional office and schools, ensuring cohesion and collaboration among KIPP MA staff

II. Educational Leadership, Academic, and Social Emotional Support

  • Ensure the consistent high-quality planning and implementation of specialized, inclusion, and multilingual programming across campuses
  • Serve as a thought leader in Student Services area for internal leaders and external audiences
  • Collaborate with other Managing Directors to lead, support, and grow academic programming and create cohesive plans to reach our shared long term goals
  • Provide regular reporting to the Board of Trustees and Family Advisory Councils
  • Maintain up-to-date field knowledge within the Student Services area 
  • Manage partnerships with external organizations for the Student Services department
  • Observe programming within Student Services across sites on a consistent basis
  • Strengthen internal operations and infrastructure for effective program delivery
  • Write or update any programmatic policies needed to ensure safe, ethical, and effective operation of specialized programming
  • Lead programmatic special projects and initiatives, as they arise

 III. KIPP MA Leadership

  • Attends and participates in meetings related to KIPP MA and the schools
  • Informs and advises KIPP MA leadership about the programs, practices, and challenges of the KIPP MA student support programming 
  • Ensures that the elementary, middle, and high schools are aligned with and integrated into all aspects of KIPP MA student support services
  • Recommends to the Chief Academic and Strategy Officer, system-wide goals, and monitors and reports back regularly, on the progress toward achieving the goals
  • Works with KIPP MA leadership to develop a vision and a comprehensive long-range plan as it relates to the actions of the schools
  • Works with KIPP MA Regional Office (RO) to ensure that all of the development, operations, technology, HR, and finance needs of the schools are met in regards to Multilingual learning, special education, and multi-tiered systems of support
  • Works with school principals to ensure that KIPP MA RO receives the information and materials needed to successfully support the staff and students
  • Liaises with external stakeholders, community agencies, donors, and other third party constituencies

 IV. General Management

  • Works with the Chief Academic and Strategy Officer to procure and approve any contracts that relate to student supports
  • Ensures schools have clearly articulated plans for daily operations and implementation of student services, including support services, discipline and management, and crisis intervention
  • Ensures there is a comprehensive plan for Special Education compliance and MLL compliance and has ways to monitor for progress and quality.
  • Ensures that our Social Emotional Counselors are in compliance, and proper supervision is being provided
  • Works with principals and regional leaders to create and implement a comprehensive and fiscally sustainable annual operating budget that ensures all student needs are met

Qualifications

Qualifications:

  • Experience within the student services area and leading educational programs with significant experience in supervising staff and working directly with students
  • Zest, perseverance, self-control, hope, love, social intelligence, gratitude, and a sense of humor
  • A passion for and understanding of the mission of KIPP MA
  • A proven track record of success managing high-performing directors to achieve ambitious goals
  • Previous experience supporting the full array of responsibilities and challenges faced by student support directors 
  • An unwavering commitment to equity, in deepening your personal understanding and in advancing our collective work
  • Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills with students, families and educators
  • Ability to work on multiple projects, adjust quickly to shifting priorities, meet deadlines, exercise good judgment and handle high-pressure situations
  • Deep commitment to improving the lives of kids from all communities; knowledge of and experience working with low-income communities
  • Outstanding leadership and management skills, particularly as it relates to building teams, getting people to share, managing conflict, goal setting, and holding people accountable
  • A demonstrated strong work ethic
  • The flexibility needed to accommodate the breadth and depth of responsibilities and priorities
  • Outstanding written, speaking, and organizational skills

At KIPP, we believe that an excellent staff member:

  • Believes that all of us can and will learn and creates a positive learning environment with high expectations for all students and staff throughout the school;
  • Thrives as part of a team-oriented, mission-driven culture;
  • Exudes joy and a love of learning every single day;
  • Demonstrates a growth mindset and a desire to continually improve through feedback, coaching, and professional development;
  • Constantly assesses progress, communicates results clearly, and uses data to inform decisions and set ambitious goals.
  • Has a strong work ethic and commits to doing whatever it takes for students to excel, including committing to an extended workday and remaining available to colleagues, students, and families outside of school hours

Regional Responsibilities

  • Embody KIPP MA’s Code of Conduct by acting with integrity, leading with humanity, centering self-awareness and critical consciousness, taking personal responsibility, and engaging productively

  • Participate and engage in regional professional development and community events as required

Our leaders maintain consistent school-wide systems and procedures - academic, behavioral, cultural, logistical - designed to permit teachers to do their best work. 

In addition to the responsibilities listed above, there will occasionally be other duties as assigned that teachers will engage in to help promote a positive and calm learning environment and culture.

Additional Information

Compensation

Compensation is commensurate with experience and includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Application process

If you do not currently work for the KIPP MA team, please visit our job board at https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/KIPP/massachusetts and complete an online application.

  1. The KIPP MA Recruitment Team will select candidates to move forward to the video/phone screen interview stage.
  2. Following the phone interview, the KIPP MA team will invite qualified candidates to interview with KIPP MA School or Regional Office Teams. 

KIPP MA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables all of our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. We hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

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