At KIPP Chicago, we are guided by a simple, yet powerful mission: Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Our campuses are located in the Austin, Englewood, North Lawndale, and West Humboldt Park neighborhoods. KIPP Chicago also advises over 2000 KIPP alumni currently in high school or college through our KIPP Forward program.  KIPP Chicago is the highest-performing network of schools in Chicago, as measured by our city’s school quality index.  We attract, develop, and retain a diverse and talented staff of educators. Our students and families choose our schools because our teachers are exceptional educators who work together as a collective to ensure students achieve and thrive.  For more data and information about our successes and vision for the future, visit www.kippchicago.org

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Principal in Residence (PIR) program is a two-year residency that prepares rising leaders to become a successor leader at an existing KIPP Chicago school. The residency combines on-the-job learning, professional development, and mentorship and coaching opportunities to prepare participants to create and lead excellent schools. Principals in Residence (PIR) are full-time members of their residency school leadership teams and will have daily opportunities to practice the skills and competencies required to lead high-performing schools.

A Principal in Residence (PIR) is an aspiring principal preparing to lead a KIPP Chicago school in 1-2 years. PIRs are committed to and actively contribute to the success of their placement school and KIPP Chicago’s ability to achieve our mission: together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

As a Principal in Residence, leaders will:

• Act as a member of the school leadership team and gradually transition to school leadership responsibilities: The PIR’s role mirrors that of an assistant principal for the majority of the development program, namely: coaching and developing teachers, teacher leaders and deans and contributing to the overall academic and cultural vision of the school.  Towards the end of their time as a PIR, the role mirrors more of a school leader, with clear responsibilities fully owned by the PIR at the school level.

• Actively develop School Leader leadership skills & competencies: In addition to their school-based performance goals, PIRs regularly engage in on-the-job opportunities to develop the leadership skills and competencies needed to thrive as school leaders, outlined in a development roadmap. 

• Benefit from on-the-job mentorship: PIRs are supported in their development by a mentor school leader who acts as the coach and model for exceptional school leadership.

• Receive ongoing one-on-one coaching: PIRs also receive regular coaching from their regional Director of Leadership Development to support them in developing the mindsets and dispositions of highly effective leaders

• Readiness Checkpoints: Readiness checkpoints provide an opportunity for the PIR and support team to reflect on progress towards becoming a school leader.

• Formal Professional Development: PIRs will receive formal professional development aligned to Chicago’s leadership competencies and targeting specific developmental needs 

• Build & Engage Lifelines: PIRs will engage in all learning alongside a cohort of peers who will lead our schools in the coming years.

Key Responsibilities

Model and support implementation of the school’s vision and goals

• Supports development of School Leader’s school-wide vision and takes an active role in investing and mobilizing teachers to achieve the collective goals of the school; owns the implementation of select school priorities in support of the school-wide vision
• With guidance from the School Leader, leads the planning and goal setting for the grades/departments that he/she coaches and ensures alignment with school-wide goals

Contribute to school-wide planning and prioritize time to accomplish goals

• Provides input into the strategic planning of the school, and identifies areas of ownership for self and direct reports
• Effectively plan to meet goals through prioritization and excellent time management and coach others to do the same

Develop teacher and emerging leaders with School Leader’s guidance 

• Leads grade level/department level collaboration and learning

• Effectively manages and develops teachers of a wide range of skill and experience level by defining responsibilities, setting goals and providing ongoing high-impact feedback and support

• Supports the School Leader in developing emerging teacher leaders through goal-setting, coaching and providing feedback

Model strong staff and student culture and manage school-wide behavioral systems 

• Manages parts of the daily school operations (e.g. arrival/dismissal, lunch/recess) 

• Acts as the first Leadership Team contact on student intervention and parent engagement and determines appropriate next steps

• Supports teachers in understanding process and roles in student support and intervention and develops systems and structures to execute on those roles

• Supports teachers in building an inclusive environment for all students

Collaborate with School Leader to hire and retain diverse, highly-effective staff

• Build own and team’s content knowledge

• Develops deep mastery over the academic standards, curriculum and assessments in the subjects/grades for which he/she/they coach 

• Engages in self-driven, ongoing learning regarding curriculum, pedagogy, coaching and school leadership

• Collaborates with content coaches to support teachers in instructing and assessing and connects teachers with relevant resources to improve their content knowledge and instruction

• Identifies gaps across grade level or department and develops and executes strategies to close gaps

Develop and coach teachers

• Leads data-driven instruction by analyzing homeroom specific and grade/department level data and developing and executing plans to address gaps and by helping teachers do the same thing for their classes

• Provides high-quality instructional coaching by accurately diagnosing classroom instruction and providing frequent feedback for teachers across skill level; intensively coach new and struggling teachers with a range of coaching techniques 

• Leads effective school-wide professional development

Model personal leadership traits

• Embody personal leadership traits by building trusting relationships, reflecting on own identity, practicing strong self-care practices, demonstrating a growth mindset and remaining calmly committed to KIPP Chicago’s mission and vision through difficult circumstances
   

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• At least two years of experience as an Assistant Principal or equivalent school-wide role (Required)

  • Applicants who do not yet meet the PIR criteria may be considered for and/or offered an Assistant Principal or equivalent role at KIPP Chicago.  

• A combination of five years of teaching and school-level instructional experience 

• Possesses a deep commitment to both racial and educational equity; supports the building of an organization that reflects the community KIPP serves; holds self and others on team accountable for centering equity 

• Demonstrated ability to drive student academic results directly and through others 

• Demonstrated leadership, management and coaching experience 

• Experience teaching core academic subjects with a track record of achievement results 

• Active Illinois Teaching License (PEL) or equivalent out of state teaching license (Preferred) 

• Cleared CPS background check and Faith's Law attestation before start of employment (Required)

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

KIPP Chicago Schools offers a competitive compensation and benefits package:

• Salaries based on experience
• Competitive rates for medical insurance and short-term disability insurance
• Dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance are offered at no cost
• 403(b) retirement account with match
• Robust professional development 

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

KIPP Chicago Public Schools is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment. KIPP Chicago does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic background. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.