Instructional Coach

Our public school students need your expertise, passion and leadership.

We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central office employees. DCPS serves nearly 51,000 students in the nation's capital through the efforts of approximately 4,200 educators in 117 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest performing, best paid, most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central office staff whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and significant achievement gains for DCPS students

Position Overview

This fall, the Office of Equity will continue to implement LEAP (Learning together to Advance our Practice), a research based professional development model designed to foster collaboration between and for the development of teachers. The Instructional Coach, along with other school ­based LEAP Content Leaders (generally Assistant Principals and Teacher Leaders) will be the primary drivers of this professional development model in order to improve teacher practice and increase student achievement. At its core, LEAP is about creating content specific, school ­based learning teams that engage in a weekly cycle of lesson planning, content knowledge development, formative observations, and student work analysis. The LEAP cycle is grounded in DCPS curricular resources and facilitated by a content specific leader. This position is a safety ­sensitive position. As a result, throughout employment this position will be subject to the Employee Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy. The Instructional Coach will be evaluated by their Principal or Assistant Principal. This position is a safety-sensitive position. As a result, throughout employment this position will be subject to the Employee Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy.

The Instructional Coach will report to the Principal.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Leads content specific professional learning communities through LEAP (Learning together to Advance our Practice); depending on school placement, the Instructional Coach will serve as a LEAP Content Leader that will be responsible for leading cycles of lesson planning, content knowledge development, formative observations, and student work analysis tied to the DCPS curriculum.
• All Instructional Coaches at the Elementary and Middle School level will be responsible for serving as a LEAP Content Leader for one of the following content areas: Elementary Literacy, Elementary Math, Secondary Literacy, and Secondary Math.
• Depending on school placement, Instructional Coaches at the High School level may be responsible for serving as a LEAP Content Leader for one of the following content areas: Secondary Literacy and Secondary Math.
• Facilitates teachers’ understanding and implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the DCPS Teaching and Learning Framework by developing and executing LEAP Collaborative Learning Cycles, Observations and Feedback.
• Supports teachers’ achievement of goals, as needed, by effectively employing coaching strategies that gradually release responsibility for implementing instructional practices to the teacher (for example, co-planning, modeling, and observing).
• Analyzes teacher practice through ongoing classroom observations, data analysis, and examination of student work.
• Provides clear and direct feedback to teachers based on analysis of practice.
• Tracks student and teacher progress to assess the effectiveness of coaching.
• Develops teachers’ capacity to collect and analyze multiple sources of data to improve student learning.
• Articulates a clear instructional vision alongside the principal with a school-wide focus on teaching and learning that is data-driven, standards-aligned and rooted in a belief that all students can achieve at high levels.
• Fosters collaboration and teacher leadership.
• Participates actively on the school’s Academic Leadership Team and their content specific district LEAP team.
• Attends professional development meetings, trainings and all events led by the DCPS Office of Instructional Practice.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and least three years of successful teaching experience.
• Valid teaching license.
• Proven track record of student achievement.
• Strong organizational and strategic planning skills; ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
• Demonstrates proficiency in a specific content area of focus based on a content assessment administered by the LEAP Content Leader Selection Team.
• Demonstrates knowledge of how to use instruction to reach student achievement goals.
• Able to identify and describe effective instructional practices and how to provide feedback, coaching and professional development to teachers to improve the quality of instruction throughout the school.
• Demonstrates knowledge of educational theory and practices, including focus on standards-based instruction.
• Exemplary interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of adult learning theory.
• Experience facilitating professional learning communities and professional development sessions.

Personal Qualities of Top Candidates

• Commitment to Equity: Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.
• Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations.
• Focus on Data-Driven Results: Relentlessly pursues the improvement of central office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.
• Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.
• Adaptability: Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.
• Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others.
• Dependability: Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed workplans, and balancing of multiple priorities.
• Communication and Customer Service Skills: Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.