Innovation Manager – Middle School Pilot SY2023-2024
Location: Districtwide
Type: Grant-funded position
About Salem Public Schools
Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public School educators are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. We seek individuals who are able to serve all of our students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. Salem Public Schools has a clear equity statement and core values that guide and drive our work as an anti-racist organization. Applicants who have experienced working in urban schools and have bilingual skills are strongly encouraged to apply.
Our Mission: Salem Public Schools is a diverse and welcoming community that promotes the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of each student through the equitable delivery of challenging, relevant, and joyful learning experiences. We empower all students to chart a personalized path to success that includes a commitment to the common good.
Middle School Learning Pilot:
Launched in August 2022, the Middle School Learning Pilot is an innovative program within Salem Public Schools that reflects the district’s commitment to reimagining the middle school experience for our students. The pilot is committed to creating connected, empowering, and unbounded learning for students, expanding on the lessons of the first year and continuing to co-design with students, families, and staff to evolve the model in year two. We measure the success of the pilot based on quantitative and qualitative student outcomes, including improved sense of agency and enjoyment of school and improved academic outcomes as measured by STAR and MCAS results.
In year two, the pilot is expanding to serve two homerooms each in grade 7 and grade 8 (for a total of ~90 students) with a staff of four core teachers, an inclusion teacher, two support team members (paraprofessionals), and shared resources with Collins Middle School including a multilingual learner educator and counselors. The pilot is led by the Dean of Innovation and seeks the support of its first Innovation Manager to enable the success of the pilot and the work to expand elements of programming at different times of the year to all students in Collins Middle School.
Innovation Manager:
As the Innovation Manager, you will be responsible for helping to bring the vision of the pilot to life in the day to day operations of the work. From ensuring the multiple field trips per week go smoothly to helping to ensure the success of new, school-wide programming in the 23-24 school year, you are excited by the opportunity to be part of a close-knit, fast-paced team determined to deliver outstanding middle school experiences for students.
What you bring:
- A passion for the mission of the pilot to reimagine what is possible for middle school students, including the desire to be deeply responsive to student and family voices in the design and iteration of our work
- Strategic thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit that maximize available resources and develop solid long-term outcomes
- Adaptability and comfort working in a complex, fast-paced environment that demands continuous learning and improvement
- Strong interpersonal and communications skills with a desire to build partnerships with internal and external partners, serving as the point of contact for logistics for field trips
- Excitement about working directly with students and staff to meet the goals of the pilot, from chaperoning field trips to on-the-ground support in the day-to-day life of the pilot
- Impeccable organizational skills and a detail-oriented mindset that focuses on driving excellent results
What you will do:
- Support the Dean of Innovation to ensure the day-to-day life of the pilot is successful
- Work in close collaboration with the Dean of Innovation to design and implement field learning immersions for students, including owning the logistics (scheduling, transportation, finances, and coordination) of all off-campus learning experiences
- Manage the implementation of the grant budget for the pilot and support all pilot logistics, including coordination for professional learning, external partners, and other opportunities as they arise
- Collaborate closely with pilot team members to identify and execute on operational support items:
- Draft and send communication with stakeholders (including students and families)
- Maintain the pilot calendar and provide internal coordination of spaces, times, and events with Collins Middle School
- Design and organize the pilot learning spaces
- Collaborate closely with our non-profit partners at the WPS Institute to support the design and implementation of the programming in the pilot and for all students in the middle school
- Support the Dean of Innovation in knowledge management and learning for the pilot in collaboration with WPS team members, including building and implementing strategic systems
- Support the day-to-day operations of the pilot, including direct work supporting students as applicable
- Ensure successful administrative management of the pilot:
- Ensure students and staff have access to needed technology
- Maintain a friendly, welcoming, helpful atmosphere for all who visit or contact the school
- Support the coordination of student testing
- Participate in weekly professional learning as part of the pilot team
- Other duties determined in collaboration with the Dean of Innovation
Impact:
As a result, the pilot will help Salem Public Schools:
- Co-create, iterate, and learn within a new model for middle school that can inform the district-wide approach
- Empower students with the skills, connections, and sense of agency that enables them to navigate and find personal success in high school and beyond
- Create a stronger relationship between the community of Salem and our students and schools
- Create a proof point of equitable opportunities for every student, embracing their individual pathways to us and into the future
- Facilitate the possibility of enabling more students to have access to lessons and learnings from the pilot by building strategic systems that can scale
Requirements:
- Current authorization to work in the United States
- A bachelor’s degree or 5 years of highly relevant experience or equivalent training in a school, early education or community agency setting which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform essential job functions
- Experience in Google suite (google docs, google sheets, and google slides) and comfort producing high quality work products independently
Preferred:
- Experience working in urban schools or with Salem students
- Bilingual or conversational in Spanish and/or Portuguese
- Connection to the city of Salem and our students
Work Year: Year round District staff with 15 vacation days in addition to federal/district holidays
FTE/Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (equivalent to 7:45am to 3:30pm with 30 minute lunch plus 1.25 hour weekly after school meeting dependent on middle school hours (current hours are 8:10am-3:10pm)); Ability to work nights/weekends with adjusted work schedules
Salary: $55,000-$70,000 dependent on prior experience
Reports to: Dean of Innovation
Equal Opportunity Employer
Salem Public School District is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.