WHY U PREP SCHOOLS? 

Families send their children to UPREP, one of Detroit's oldestand most prestigious charter school systems, because they recognize educationis a tool in shaping and changing lives and value the culturally responsivecurriculum and learning environments that set our scholars on a path to collegeand meaningful careers, fulfillment, and becoming positive change agents intheir communities. The U Prep school district is home to ten K-12 schools withfocused paths of College Prep, Art & Design, and STEM. We are one of thelargest and longest public charter networks in Detroit – operating for over 20years. We have alumni making a difference in the city, region, and beyond. Ourmission is to prepare students for success in life. U Prep Schools is committedto making a difference in the life of scholars. We continually seek outtalented individuals to join the U Prep Crew and partner with us in supportingour educators and scholars as we all deliver on our mission. Read on if you are interested in being a part of this important work!  

SUMMARY

An Instructional Coach is responsible for ensuring highly effective teaching and learning within a designated grade band or content area at UPrep schools.  Coaches will work across campuses, grounding their work in day-to-day practice through observation and feedback cycles and professional learning communities.  Coaches will dig deep into the nuanced standards and content knowledge within their grade level/core content focus; they will use this understanding to guide teachers with focused action steps and deliver targeted professional development sessions to improve teachers’ overall practice. Instructional coaches are stewards of the network pillars and priorities; they work alongside teachers as well as school and network leaders to execute the strategic plan, continuously striving for improved outcomes for all students. 

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN

• CULTURE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS

  • PROJECT-BASED LEARNING:
    • Leverages and supplements the existing curricula to lead teachers in the creation and planning of project-based learning experiences for students
  • STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:
    • Works alongside members of the Curriculum & Instruction team to establish standards-based grading practices

     

  • LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:
    • Ensures that instructional coaching cycles invest teachers in driving educational equity
  • COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS:
    • Collaborates with Directors of Curriculum & Instruction and School Directors to ensure consistent delivery and implementation of standards-based curriculum
    • Uses student performance data on classroom, local, and national assessments to inform coaching cycles and develop professional learning experiences for teachers
    • Collaborates with members of the Student Development Team and Learning Specialists across buildings to tailor instruction to meet the needs of students with Individualized Education Plans

• CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING

  • TEACHER DEVELOPMENT:

    • Delivers feedback and navigates difficult, growth-oriented conversations with instructional staff
    • Conducts regular coaching cycles with teachers including planning, observation, feedback, and student work analysis

     

  • INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING MODEL:

    • Provides direct support to teachers and grade-level teams on module/unit and lesson planning through modeling and facilitation of effective planning practices
    • Utilizes student data, informal classroom observations, feedback, and coaching techniques to improve teaching and learning
    • Creates structures that enhance teacher collaboration across campuses

  • CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING PRACTICES:

    • Facilitates teacher and leader learning around culturally responsive and restorative instructional practices in service of students' intellectual safety, critical thinking skills and creativity
    • Uses research and practices from Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain (Zaretta Hammond) to inform coaching work and faster student independence

  • CURRICULUM:

    • Shares feedback and provides input on approach to teaching and learning, considering implications for students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the broader community
    • Deepens teacher practice around the ways that culturally responsive framework is embedded in the curriculum
    • Seeks and suggests ways to make the curriculum and instructional delivery more culturally responsive, particularly by amplifying the outstanding attributes, contributions, historical and critical context of African-American people currently and throughout time

• RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY

  • Establishes communication channels to share information with School Directors and the members of the network Teaching, Learning and Culture Crew
  • Promotes ways to help staff and students leverage crew structures to drive and celebrate student achievement

• SCIENCE COACH ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Coaches 9-12 science teachers across three campuses
  • Develops teacher capacity in:
    • Constructing and modifying a series of lessons that help students build knowledge in a coherent and cumulative manner.
    • Identifying a group of core science ideas that are fundamental to explanations most phenomena related to the topic that students will be studying
    • Selecting an anchoring event and essential question that will support sustained intellectual challenges for students over the course of the unit
    • Sequencing learning activities in a way that helps students build cumulative and coherent knowledge over time

• SKILLS AND MINDSETS:

  • Comprehensive understanding of the instructional shifts outlined by the NRC Framework for K-12 Science education specifically:
  • The three-dimensional nature of next generation science standards (NGSS) Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Cross Cutting Concepts (CCCs)  
  • The next generation science standards build coherently K-12.
  • Both Science and Engineering are focused on with next generation science standards

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred
• 4 or more years teaching expereince preferred
• Must maintain either a valid Michigan teaching certificate or a valid Michigan administrator certificate

EXPERIENCE

• Proven success at implementing exceptional instructional practices in the subject area or at the grade level assigned;
• Leadership ability and the capacity to galvanize and motivate others to move towards achieving a common goal
• Experience working with others to successfully complete multi-faceted projects
• Experience with leading major initiatives from concept to implementation

SKILLS AND MINDSETS

• Ability to distill essential findings from analysis, determine root causes, and suggest ways to improve current practices
• Strong communication skills, verbal and written
• Strong leadership skills
• Malleable and growth-oriented
• Committed to using coaching to push teacher practices and using data to drive change

DEMONSTRATES U PREP’S CORE VALUES

• We work well by ourselves and in teams
• We care about people
• Our actions have a purpose
• We think big and do
• Learning is exciting

SALARY

Compensation for this position depends on prior experience and is competitive.  

BENEFITS

• Medical coverage
• 401(k) - up to 6% matching
• Eight sick and four personal days
• Year round staff earn 10 vacation days
• Career development
• 50% - 80% Master’s program tuition scholarship through GVSU

Our mission is to prepare students for success in life. If you are dedicated to a pursuit of excellence both in yourself and our students; if you are self-motivated; if you are an innovator and if you want to play a key role in changing young lives --we are looking for U.

Detroit 9090 is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination of any kind. All employment decisions with Detroit 9090 are based on district needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regards to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sex, ancestry, citizenship status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, veteran status, or military status.