Chief Schools Officer

Job Description

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Execute Academic Strategy and Program

Executes the academic strategy and program with fidelity across all KIPP Columbus schools to achieve breakthrough student results, promotes a strong culture of teaching and learning excellence, and fosters educational equity for all students.

Effectively manages change to invest all teachers, school-based instructional staff, and leaders in the instructional vision

Ensures the academic achievement of all specialized learning groups, including students with IEPs, emergent bilingual and multilingual students

In partnership with the managing director and regional SST directors, develop, coach, and train school leadership teams with the on-the-ground coaching and instructional tools to implement the curriculum and instructional program with excellence

Use data effectively to drive instructional practice and, in collaboration with the academic team, improve and adjust the academic strategy and program

Maintain a cutting-edge awareness of the promising practices and innovations in programs and policies for teaching, learning, and school design that are emerging locally and nationwide

Build School Culture and Systems Grounded in Equity

Create and implement a unified KIPP Columbus vision for a joyful school culture, grounded in equity and inclusion.

Clearly define KIPP Columbus school culture through the specific school systems and routines that are joyful, culturally relevant, and rigorous

Manage discipline systems, including expulsion hearings, across KIPP Columbus schools

Engage with parents, families, and communities to listen, learn, and invest them in KIPP Columbus and the school communities

Invest and train all teachers, leaders, and school-based staff on the KIPP Columbus school culture norms, expectations, and practices for students and staff

Regularly audit and evaluate school culture to ensure it is in line with our values and allows us to progress on the path to becoming an anti-racist organization

Maintain a cutting-edge awareness of the promising practices and innovations in systems and routines amplifying our culture and values that are emerging locally and nationwide

Create proactive systems that garner feedback from stakeholders (C-suite, regional leaders, school leaders, staff, and community partners) to inform school support and school improvement strategy and practice

Senior Leadership

Be a senior leader who always models our mission, beliefs, and values

Make leadership decisions with students' and families' best interests and needs in mind and holds peers and staff accountable to do the same

Lead, develop, manage, and evaluate School Leadership Managers, and School Leaders

Work hand-in-hand with the Superintendent to achieve exceptional student results

Along with the key members of the Executive Team, serve as one of the most senior leaders in our organization, helping us achieve our goals and exercising strong judgment in making critical decisions about what we prioritize and how we operate

Leverage effective change management practices and strategies that are people- and relationship-centric

Model excellence as a manager, developing others, and modeling a KIPP Columbus work ethic for teams

Educational Equity

Establish and promote a clear vision of educational equity for all students as a guiding principle across all KIPP Columbus schools, and ensure it is reflected in schools, classrooms, school culture, instruction, and program offerings

Lead from an equity-centered approach, centering the most marginalized students in the creation of strategy and execution of the instructional vision

Conduct equity audits to ensure the school culture and instructional program is culturally responsive

Be a champion for equity in all regards, including doing the self-work necessary to help KIPP Columbus become an anti-racist organization

Manage External Partnerships (As Needed)

Serve as liaison to the KIPP Columbus Board for matters related to School Management

Assess and select partners and consultants when needed

Serve as primary academic liaison to any external partners, including KIPP Foundation

Ensure partners are engaged appropriately and adhere to project workplans

Compile reports that highlight achievement of objectives, summary of participants' experiences, and lessons learned for future research, design and innovation initiatives