Director of Student Experience - CT/RI

Team:Team Student Experience 

Based in: Connecticut, or Rhode Island (4 days per week on site)

Reports to: Associate Chief, Student Experience

Start Date: Immediate

Salary: $117,753

About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that currently supports 41 public charter schools in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Consistently rated as one of the top charter school networks in the country for almost 25 years, AF is committed to continuous improvement, programmatic evolution for enhanced student outcomes, and sustainable growth. The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families who will be the first in their families to graduate from college. AF currently employs more than 2,200 staff — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence, RI.

The mission of Achievement First is to deliver on the promise of equal educational opportunity for all of America’s children. AF knows that every child—regardless of race, zip code, or economic status—deserves access to great schools. At AF, students realize their potential and develop the skills they need to graduate from high school, succeed in college, thrive in a competitive world, and serve as the next generation of leaders in their communities. At AF, students and staff embark on a shared journey to fulfill their incredible potential.

Your Impact

Team Student Experience leads across all 41 schools to ensure that the student experience at Achievement First is exceptional - warm, supportive, consistent, whole-child centered and physically and psychological safe environments that set the conditions for rigorous learning to take place.  The team’s number one goal is for all of our AF students to feel known, loved, safe, and that they are learning.  Team Student Experience defines, refines, executes, and upholds a vision for an exceptional student experience that intentionally supports scholars' pathways to college, career, and beyond. The team develops strong resources & practices and provides training and on-the-ground support for leaders and teachers, including mindset work (how we live out our core values with scholars), relationship-building, trauma-informed practices, SEL work, core classroom environment techniques, student feedback systems, common pictures, Tier 2 and 3 interventions, rituals and traditions, and family engagement. Team Student Experience supports schools to lead for racial equity in ensuring we deliver on both parts of the equity equation -closing the achievement gap and ensuring an exceptional student experience.  The team currently comprises an Associate Chief, a Senior Director, a Senior Family Director, an Associate, and Student Experience Directors that support across K-12. 

Key Priorities for 23-24

• Ensure all Student Experience key indicator performance indicators are on track. Examples include:
• ≥ 85% favorable for K-4, 58% favorable for 5-8 and 56% favorable for 9-12 on Student Experience Survey (67th percent)
• All schools average proficient (3.0) on Belief and Belonging and Focused Learning rubric
• Set the vision for trauma-informed and resilience practices (which includes SEL, restorative practices, and developmentally appropriateness) and determine how trauma-informed and resilience practices will be scaled across our schools
• Continual development and growth of our talent capacity for Deans of Students and their culture teams with two foci on trauma-informed practices and building capacity in our culture teams and teachers

Reporting to the Associate Chief of Student Experience your responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Provide site-based training and support across regions and academies aligned to key skills and areas of need identified by the Assoc Chief, Regional Superintendent point person, and respective Principals

• Align with the Associate Chief, SE and Regional Supt to define desired outcomes (and how success will be measured) for the targeted schools that have been identified for site support 
• Observe at schools and provide feedback based on a clear vision of excellence
• Provide coaching and support to school leaders to drive excellence
• Leverage data to ensure the team is on track to meet annual goals
• When applicable, share best practices (from site support) 

Lead high quality training throughout the year for the Deans of School Culture, Behavior Interventionists, principals, other school leaders and teachers

• Design, rehearse & facilitate high quality professional development across a subset of student experience topics (SEL, Tier 1 Support, Tier 2 Support, Relationship building)
• Ensure strong Knowledge Management of all materials
• Use participant feedback to drive stronger results of future cohorts and trainings
• Oversee vision, revision, and execution of training for new teachers (“New Teacher Training”), new leaders (“New Leader Training”), returning leaders (“All Leader Training”), and returning teachers (“All Teacher Training”)

Clarify and codify definitions of Excellence, resources, and best practices with strong Knowledge Management (differentiated for the academy level) for the following:

• Tier 1 Culture 
• Core SEL Work
• Tier 2 & 3 Interventions
• Family Engagement
• Rituals & Traditions, including core sample calendar, Community Meeting, etc.

Model AF’s Core Values at all times, and in all interactions with school-based staff, network support staff, families and members of our communities 

• Courageously and authentically engage in critical learning and conversations about diversity and inclusiveness
• Plan for and professionally participate in critical conversations about the student experience
• Inspire and motivate others, through words and actions, to take significant and bold steps to improve the student experience at our schools
• Model flexible, creative thinking and demonstrate the ability to adapt to change and ambiguity 
• Demonstrate exceptional attention to detail, organized personal management systems and the ability to prioritize important tasks
• Meet all deadlines, at all times
• Communicate clearly, professionally and directly to network, school-based and external players
• Uphold team norms and commitments
• Model the AF Core Values and key mindsets

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree (B.A., B.S., B.S.N, etc.)
• Previous Experience:
• At least four years of highly effective K-12 experience demonstrating a strong track record of student achievement
• At least two of those years include K-12 school leadership experience (preferably Dean of Students/School Culture
• Knowledge:
• Experience in a school-setting (as a teacher or school leader)
• Deep knowledge of cultivating strong school culture 
• Knowledge of socio-emotional learning and trauma-informed best practices
• Knowledge of strong PD design and facilitation, People Leadership, Coaching/Managing
• Knowledge of systems leadership

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role.  The salary for this position is $117,753. In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay.  Additionally, Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus. You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about-us/diversity/