Providence Public School District

Office of Innovation Zone

797 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903-4045
tel. 401.278.2099
fax 401.456.9252
www.ppsdinnovationzone.org

JORGE O. ELORZA

Mayor
SUSAN F. LUSI, PH.D
Superintendent

Student Support Counselor

Opportunity by Design (OBD) High School housed at Mount Pleasant HS Posting
Opportunity by Design (OBD) High School housed at Hope HS Posting

DESCRIPTION
Please note: This is a shared job between two new high schools opening in 2015-2016. This shared position is a 50/50
share between the two locations of OBD High Schools (Hope HS and Mt. Pleasant HS). The shared role will be in place
for one year; each school will grow and add faculty openings in this certification area in upcoming school years.
The OBD High School housed at Hope High School and the OBD High School housed at Mount Pleasant High School will open in
th
the 2015-2016 school year, each with an inaugural 9 grade class and continue to grow by one grade level each year. The
founding teams will build on the work developed by community, educator and student members of the initial design team to
drive the direction for a small, innovative high school with high expectations for collaboration, academic work, inclusiveness, and
civic involvement, all staff roles are complex and require tremendous individual and collective effort.
The founding teams of the OBD High Schools housed at Hope and Mt. Pleasant High Schools will work together to empower teacher
and student leadership to ensure that students are prepared to be successful in educational and professional experiences during and
after high school. Both schools instructional frameworks center on personalized, mastery-based approaches and flexible use of
time and resources, allowing students to both recoup and accelerate their learning.
Centered on the Carnegie Corporation of New Yorks School Design Principles, these schools will be unlike anything the district
has done before and have been designed with student, educator, family and community participation in the design process. The
school will follow PPSDs regular student calendar and co-located school (Hope high school) start/end times. More information
about the Carnegie School Design Principles is available here: http://ow.ly/L4Tnp

The Student Support Counselor will work in partnership with students, families and fellow faculty members from both
schools to promote student achievement and create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all
students.
To jumpstart the schools launch, all faculties will attend a grant-stipend 15 day summer planning institute (contingent
upon funding).
This institute will offer an essential opportunity for staff to be involved in pioneering the schools culture and
instructional program.

QUALIFICATIONS

Fully-certified as described in "RIDE requirements" by August 30, 2015 or willingness to become fully certified including
on an emergency basis if necessary (fully-certified strongly preferred).
Must demonstrate flexibility, a student-centered perspective, and the ability to cope with change quickly as the school
constantly innovates and changes in order to improve.
Applicants should be hard workers dedicated to youth growth and development, maintain a willingness to embrace and
initiate constant learning, and demonstrate an all hands on deck attitude to do whatever it takes to accelerate student
achievement regardless of role.
Must demonstrate experience and/or willingness to commit to both schools missions and become involved in all essential
aspects of school launch and development.

Belief that all students can succeed and be willing to provide a personalized learning experience that cultivates
students growth mindset.
Highly motivated to practice effective collaboration skills with diverse groups.
Ability to be a warm, caring team player.
Ability to quickly synthesize student learning data to continuously adjust instruction for students.
Experience in successfully facilitating positive youth development or integration of social-emotional learning in a
secondary setting.
Comfortable working in innovative setting, willing to test new ideas and adapt well to change.
Ability to use technology in creative ways and willing to take initiative to adapt technology to promote student learning
in innovative ways.
Specific technical skills, such as:
Familiarity with communication, presentation, and data management tools and applications in
desktop, web-based,
and mobile environments
o Willingness and ability to model information, communication, technology, and media literacy for students,
colleagues, parents, and community
o Willingness and ability to continuously learn, develop and evolve new skills and support colleagues in the
development of their skills in all Microsoft Office applications and relevant web applications (e.g., Google
Chrome, Internet Explorer, Outlook, Google Apps, Skyward, and online curricula/software)
o Communicating student achievement data with students, parents, and families through an online platform.
Bilingual Spanish preferred.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Must uploaded in PATS profile (see: http://www.providenceschools.org/pages/ProvidenceSchools/Teachers/ApplyForJobs)

Resume

Cover letter that includes acknowledgment of the candidates commitment to the conditions of the position and a
detailed description of how the candidate meets the job qualifications

Completed Hiring Exercise (see link here: http://ow.ly/LGHgZ)

Responsibilities
Because roles in small, innovative schools are complex and require tremendous individual and collective effort, applicants must
demonstrate experience and/or willingness to commit to both OBD High Schools missions and become involved in these
essential aspects:

Serve as an advisor to a group of students, including maintaining ongoing communication with parents/guardians and
supporting students with goal-setting around academic, social and emotional achievement and growth.
Plan, implement, and evaluate a developmental program of guidance, including counseling services.
Design and implement college and career curricula for guidance-related programming, including out of school activities
(e.g., college visits).
Collaborate with all learning facilitators and advisors to ensure that all students have graduation and post-secondary
plans.
Coordinate activities to educate the school staff, parents and community about the guidance and counseling services via
meetings, school newsletters, and presentations.
Provide workshops to parents on financial aid, college and careers, PSATs, SATs.
Assist students in searching, applying and registering for summer programs to enhance their educational experience.
Coordinate school-wide testing (e.g., PSAT, SAT, PARCC, etc.).
Design and implement counseling and individualized interventions for students based on their needs (e.g., attendance
support plan).
Provide crisis counseling as needed and follow up on administrative and teacher referrals.
Counsel small groups of students with other needs and concerns.
Participate in professional development such as instructional rounds, teacher common planning time, and collaborative
work with staff.
Work in a start-up organization with a focus on personalized, mastery-based learning and interdisciplinary projects.
Work within the confines of the OBD housed at Hope High School and OBD housed at Mount Pleasant school
calendars.
Promote opportunities for student contribution to the schools ongoing improvement and design evolution.
Use standards-based grading to diagnose, assess and track student mastery.

Design courses and learning content that include online, in-person and interdisciplinary components that are grounded
in the standards (CCSS, NGSS, etc.).
Regularly use data to create individualized student learning pathways and differentiate instruction by developing,
selecting and modifying instructional plans and materials to meet the needs of all students.
Promote/develop school-family and school-community partnerships in support of student learning.
Work carefully and thoughtfully to prepare students for transitions into high school and past graduation (college and
career).
Integrate school theme(s) into your content area and work across content areas.
Instruct students in academic subject matter as well as social, emotional, and behavioral skill areas.
Create a safe and supportive learning environment with routines and structures that align with schools values and
promote a school atmosphere and environment conducive to the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional
development of all students.
Monitor and evaluate student outcomes maintaining appropriate records and following all required procedures and
practices, and use that data to guide instructional planning.
Supervise students in a range of settings; protect and promote the safety and well-being of students, colleagues,
equipment, materials and facilities.
Communicate and interact effectively, appropriately and professionally with students, colleagues, parents and the
community.
Continuously develop and improve teaching practice and support colleagues in their development.
Support the Principal, building leadership team, and district leadership team.

Additionally, school faculty shall participate in:

at least two hours a week of posted office hours for students (scheduled at faculty convenience within a range of
options)

at least 15 hours of personalized professional development during the school year

student-led conferences with each student and his/her family during at least 2 out of 3 of trimesters

student exhibitions of learning during at least 1 out of 3 trimesters

weekly or biweekly individual meeting with school leader(s) for developmental coaching sessions based on weekly
informal observations

the development of course syllabi to be shared with students and families and individual/small group lesson plans
based on students needs and interests

weekly school-wide and departmental Common Planning Time meetings with school leader and colleagues
Highly encouraged activities include:

Participation and/or supervision of special events, including athletic programs, dances, family nights, open houses,
student recruitment meetings, etc.

At least one Saturday 3-hour tutoring session per trimester.

At least one in-house school committees and/or special programs.

Weekly 30 minute faculty meeting (to be scheduled based on faculty vote).