Jobs & Internships

BTR Program Associate 

The Program Associate is a full-time position who supports the operational departments within the Boston Teacher Residency, including Recruitment/Admissions, Data/Evaluation, AmeriCorps, and Administration. 

• Answer all incoming calls and emails to the general BTR phone line and email box. 
• Set up and run information sessions regularly.
• Create BTR information packets for career fairs, information sessions, etc.
• Register and request checks for recruiters’ travel
• Collect, track and file new resident paperwork

• Assist with and attend all Selection Days, including making copies, rater folders, finalist packets, signs, name tags, entering all Selection Day ratings into the database, and breakdown of all Selection Day materials after the event. 
• Prepare for Admissions Committee meeting for each admissions cycle
• Assist with entering data into Apply Yourself (AY) system, including transcripts
• Creating and keeping applicants files updated, including application, transcripts, MTEL scores, etc.

• Enter timesheet, MTEL (Mass. Test for Educator Licensure), and PPA (Pre-performance Assessment) data into ETO (Efforts to Outcomes) system
• Run reports requested by BTR staff
• Assist with creation of and administering surveys from KeySurvey
• File all AmeriCorps paperwork for residents
• Do other data entry as necessary

• Write weekly Resident Newsletters

• Assist with resident graduation, including mailing invitations and event set-up and take-down
• Add content to myBTR as necessary

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to make public presentations.
• Strong organizational skills to work efficiently and independently; ability to work independently and meet deadlines, as well as ability to work with team
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to manage multiple and competing priorities
• A customer service-based approach
• Ability to interact with a diverse population
• Experience in education/non-profit a plus
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access; proficiency with databases and online systems; comfort and experience with internet marking and social media; ability to effectively use and learn new technologies

• Willingness and flexibility to work evenings as required by recruitment activities
• Sense of humor a plus!

----

BTR Director of Student Learning

• Leads BTR’s investigation into the effects possible variables affecting teacher effectiveness, as measured both by student achievement gains and other tools
• Works with program staff to build a set of tools to articulate what is meant by effective teaching, and a set of supports to help teachers develop those skills
• Ensures that BTR is a leading contributor to the national conversation about effective teaching.

1. Ensuring the implementation of a reliable, valid and comprehensive system of student learning assessments across all BTR classrooms. 
2. Ensuring the implementation of a “growth” measurement system to enable BTR to ascertain student learning gains across Residents’, Mentors’ and graduates’ classes, and across content areas and grade levels.
3. Identifying and implementing a teacher effectiveness rubric consistent with the research base relating teacher actions to student learning gains.
4. Ensuring the development and adoption of exemplars for effective teaching measures.
5. Leading efforts to develop a student academic assessment data tracking system.
6. Investigating the connections between student achievement and observable teacher practices, program interventions and pre-existing characteristics of applicants.
7. Leading efforts to ensure that BTR is a primary participant in the national conversations about teacher effectiveness and teacher development.
8. Working closely with BTR program and recruitment teams to embed teacher effectiveness measures in all aspects of BTR’s work and to capture learnings from that work.
9. Publishing findings internally and externally regarding BTR’s process and outcomes towards making student achievement the focus of its work.

• Eight years relevant work experience
• Doctorate (preferred)
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to public education reform and educational equity with emphasis on efforts to support the learning of students who live in poverty, English Language Learners, and Students of Color
• Experience in quantitative and qualitative research and analysis as well as developing and maintaining data systems and or analytical tools
• Excellent qualitative and quantitative analytical skills
• Excellent oral communication skills and persuasive strategic communication skills
• Excellent project management skills – ability to manage large, long-term, complex projects
• Close attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to translate research into action that delivers desired outcomes
• Team player and provocateur
• Sense of humor

Instructional Design Specialist

• Understanding and analyzing data
• Communicating with data
• Using data to inform decisions about instruction, leadership and personal professionalism
• Communicating high expectations for all students and professionals in the community
• Supporting accountability for quality work

• Recognizing good instruction
• Understanding principles of adult learning
• Providing growth-oriented feedback on instruction
• Designing and implementing effective professional learning experiences
• Evaluating instructional resources

• Building and sustaining a collaborative professional culture and shared ownership
• Understanding systems and schools, managing change and supporting organizational learning
• Decision-making and consensus-building
• Promoting equitable schools and allocation of resources
• Collaborating with families and leveraging community partnerships

• Being professional (integrity, self-awareness, fairness, self-control, resilience)
• Communicating, organizing work and facilitating meetings efficiently
• Using and producing education research; staying current in professional knowledge & issues
• Reflecting on professional practice
• Advocating for students, schools, community, quality instruction and the profession

• Research the competencies that have been defined within each skill area
• Define accomplished practice of each competency
• Identify the knowledge required
• Make connections to related skills and dispositions
• Develop exercises or tasks that can help develop and practice the competency
• Define indicators for assessing competency
• Pilot these competency-development resources with cohorts of teacher leaders
• Incorporate technology tools and/or online learning resources

• Masters degree in education or related field
• Minimum five years teaching experience in an urban K-12 district
• Minimum three years of experience in a formal teacher leadership role
• Demonstrated expertise in the “core skills and competencies”
• Experience facilitating adult learning/ leading professional development sessions
• Experience teaching in an institution of higher education, preferred
• Experience working with a range of learners and learning styles
• Building, leading and sustaining strong and effective teams
• Very strong oral, written, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Strong computer skills, including all MS Office software and online collaboration tools
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment
• Experience managing large projects
• Sense of humor, a plus

----

Teacher Leadership Intern

August 2010 – June 2011

• Short modules that offer teachers targeted opportunities to address in a timely way the specific professional learning needs that they identify in their practice based on student data. 
• Sustained learning experiences around larger content topics and pedagogical fields of knowledge and skill, extending learning that may have been the focus of the short modules and building teachers’ expertise in key areas of professional knowledge.
• Training in the leadership skills that teachers need to lead inquiry-based professional learning work among their peers. 

• Making date/time/location arrangements
• Arranging for course supplies (copies, chart paper, post-its, etc.) as well as access to technology tools
• Arranging for fair use of copyrighted materials
• Creating and maintaining database of participating teacher leaders as well as a seminar enrollment system
• Collecting program data
• Communicating/marketing the courses 

• Demonstrated passion about and commitment to urban education
• Demonstrated oral, written, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Deadline-driven, detail-oriented, and able to multi-task
• Ability to follow through on assigned tasks with minimal supervision
• Strong computer skills, including all MS Office software

---

Chief Program Officer

The Boston Plan for Excellence (BPE) is the city’s local education foundation, a private non-profit whose mission is to improve the learning of students in the Boston Public Schools (BPS).  It tests new ideas that hold promise for accelerating improvements in schools and works with the district to examine policies and practices to ensure their effectiveness. BPE’s goal is to improve outcomes for every student, particularly those with the greatest challenges. BPE focuses on building and sustaining teacher and leadership effectiveness and creating school conditions that lead to higher student achievement. We collaborate with BPS so that successful efforts can be replicated district wide.
The Chief Program Officer (CPO) of the Boston Plan for Excellence serves as an architect of both school based inquiry and teacher effectiveness work for the organization.

Primary Job Functions
The CPO leads a staff of inquiry facilitators, program associates and assistants, and consultants who engage in supporting teams of teachers, principals, and other school staff.  S/he will be responsible for their growth and development through regular coaching and support as well as frequent feedback.  As part of the management of this staff, the CPO will build a high functioning team equipped to significantly increase school teams’ capacity to use data to improve teaching and student learning. In order to accomplish this result, the CPO must

• Use  resources (staff and time) in a way that ensures that they are integrated with and leverage each other
• Ensure that BPE’s learning opportunities for teachers and school leaders are of consistently high quality, incorporating best practices where they exist and developing them where they do not

The CPO, in collaboration with Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) Office of Teacher and Leadership Effectiveness (OTLE), will oversee the design and implementation of the teacher professional development system in which school based inquiry is embedded (Inquiry Support System), so that it is an integral part of the district’s strategies for increasing teacher effectiveness and teacher leadership opportunities.  Besides designing and planning in collaboration with the BPE’s Executive Director, s/he is responsible for leading and managing the work.

The CPO is also responsible for leading BPE’s work on teacher effectiveness in collaboration with the OTLE, either by working to influence district policy and/or piloting BPE’s work within a small group of schools. S/he will lead BPE’s efforts to design research-based tools to assess teacher effectiveness.

The CPO will work with the Director of BTR to ensure that the efforts of her team and those of BTR staff are valued-added and carried out with teachers and principals coherently and where appropriate, collaboratively. In addition, the CPO will work with BPE’s Senior Director of Strategic Relations to coordinate, support, and design work between school-based staff and directors on the Communications, Policy, and Research Team.

In conjunction with the Executive Director, the Chief Program Officer will manage and support the relationship with BPS leadership.  S/he is responsible, with other members of the Management Team, for identifying and responding to opportunities for collaboration with BPS, and developing creative responses to them. She and her team will support the Executive Director in grant fundraising and reporting related to their school-based work.

Finally, the incumbent of this position will be part of BPE’s Management Team which will include, in addition, the Senior Director Strategic Relations, Director of BTR, BTR Director of Operations and Administration, and the Managing and Executive Directors.  The Management Team, in consultation with school-based and research staff, will set the strategic direction of the organization and each member’s team will be responsible for implementing the strategy. 

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications and characteristics:

Experience
•    Classroom teaching and other urban school-based efforts that include working with teachers as well as school and district leadership 
•    Leading and managing professional staff to higher levels of performance
•    Building and sustaining strong and effective teams
•    Developing and managing program budgets
•    Communicating with and leading internal and external stakeholders with political sensitivity and savvy
•    Managing complex projects with focus on articulated goals and outcomes
•    Fundraising from foundations for programmatic work

Knowledge and Skills
•    Knowledge of research-based practices in curriculum, instruction, and assessment
•    Use of data and other information to track and measure impact of BPE’s school-based efforts
•    Highly effective oral and written communication skills

To Apply
If you are interested in this position, please go to link below and complete application form. 

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dG5VUFYwZ3pVMXJFMFJjV2xkX0FxTnc6MQ

Once you have done so:  Please write “Chief Program Officer” in the subject line and email your resume and cover letter to jobs@bpe.org or fax to 617-227-8446

You can also mail your resume and cover letter to: Boston Plan for Excellence, Attention: Chief Program Officer, 6 Beacon St., #615 Boston, MA  02108

 

 -------

• Analyze and synthesize existing BPE data sets (both quantitative and qualitative) to identify key findings that inform BPE’s program and strategy development
• Play a key role in developing  BPE’s research agenda, assuming responsibility for leading and directing its implementation over time.
• Conduct and coordinate short- and long-term research projects, including responding to periodic, ad-hoc requests. Lead all phases of research, including designing, planning, data collection, database development, data analyses (quantitative and qualitative), synthesis, and communicating results through reports or other methods.
• Take initiative for building and expanding BPE’s knowledge base across core reform areas described above (e.g., teacher effectiveness, leadership, etc.) in support of its school-based work and strategic relations agenda.
• Manage internal and external program evaluations, including selection and coordination of evaluation partners, external research advisors, and consultants.
• Assist the Director of Data Support in developing innovative data tools and analyses that support ongoing inquiry work in Boston schools.
• Effectively synthesize and summarize research and data analysis findings into reports, briefs, and presentations for BPE Management Team, BPE Board, school and district staff, policymakers, partners, and other internal and external audiences.
• Collaborate with members of the Data, Communications, Policy, and Research Team to develop and implement BPE’s strategic relations agenda.
• Share insights from research, evaluations, and data analyses to inform the improvement of BPE’s school-based work.
• Represent BPE at relevant meetings, conferences, and events and help develop strategic partnerships with local and national researchers and policymakers to leverage BPE’s work both locally and nationally.
• Manage daily, weekly, and monthly project needs, including staffing capacity, timelines, and accountability for results.
• Actively participate in team and BPE staff meetings, collaborative decision-making and projects.
• Develop and pursue a professional learning plan focused on key competencies required to be successful in this job.

• Master’s in education, public policy, or related field (PhD a plus)
• At least five years experience in educational or related research
• Knowledge of urban education reform
• Experience with program evaluation
• Knowledge of and experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Proficiency in using statistical software programs, including SPSS or STATA and Excel
• Excellent oral communication skills
• Ability to write clearly, succinctly, and accurately for multiple audiences
• Ability to take initiative and work independently, multi-tasking, without much supervision
• Ability to work collaboratively with others
• Comfortable with ambiguity and flexible work plans and goals that adapt based on changing conditions
• Commitment to urban public education

• Familiarity with the Boston Public School’s reform efforts
• Background in teaching or school-based work, particularly in urban education

 -------

Boston Teacher Residency Alumni/Placement Manager
 
The  Boston Teacher Residency Partnership (BTRP) Alumni and Placement Manager will be a new position supporting the work of a partnership of educational organizations, specifically Boston Public Schools (BPS), University of Massachusetts Boston (Teach Next Year program - TNY); Wheelock College, and the Boston Teacher Residency  (BTR). This position will be a joint placement within BPS and BTR. 

The Alumni and Placement Manager is a full-time position which provides an ideal opportunity for someone who is passionate about public education, has developed and sustained programs, and has experience working for an urban school district.

Responsibilities

Alumni Program
Develop alumni program for current and future graduates of BTR and TNY.  Create alumni programming centered around four main areas: internal community-building, professional development, “Friends of BTR”,  and advocacy for education and school improvements.
o    Internal community building – host bi-monthly social events, manage on-line community (intranet, Facebook),  and create regular alumni newsletter
o    Friends of BTR – cultivate interest and active participation in recruitment, admissions committee, mentoring, and course instruction
o    Professional development –develop and manage an advisory committee for induction professional development courses, seminars, content and/or grade-level support groups; launch annual BTR symposium
o    Advocacy – develop and run alumni advisory board; organize regular advocacy roundtables with alumni and key political, educational, and district stakeholders

Licensure and Hiring
Manage the licensure and placement efforts of BTR and TNY grads each hiring season.  The licensure process includes:
•    Develop streamlined licensure process that is internally well-planned and communicated to all staff and graduating residents
•    Manage licensure endorsement applications for all residents for the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education

The hiring process includes resident support and outreach. 
•    Resident support consists of providing information and resources to graduating residents to successfully prepare them for the BPS hiring process.  Activities include hosting resume workshops, support around portfolio creation, interview practice workshops, and general BPS hiring information sessions. 
•    Outreach efforts are geared towards marketing graduating residents to potential employers (principals and headmasters of Boston’s public schools).  Activities include creation of bio and resume booklets, planning hiring fairs, and meetings with principals and headmasters. 

Qualifications / skills
•    Very strong oral, written, interpersonal, and communication skills
•    Strong relationship building skills
•    Event planning skills
•    Experience with  job training, placement, and career services
•    Marketing and communications experience (design and publication)
•    Computer skills required, including all MS Office software
•    Comfort with on-line technology, including social networking and knowledge sharing communities
•    Knowledge of hiring practices within urban school districts preferred
•    Experience teaching a plus
•    Sense of humor a must!

To Apply
Deadline to apply is September 15, 2010. If you are interested in this position, please go to the link below to submit an application form.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dG5VUFYwZ3pVMXJFMFJjV2xkX0FxTnc6MQ

Once you have completed the survey, please write “Alumni/Placement Manager” in the subject line and email your resume and cover letter to jobs@bpe.org or fax to 617-227-8446.

You can also mail your resume and a thoughtful cover letter to: Boston Plan for Excellence, Alumni/Placement Manager, 6 Beacon St., #615 Boston, MA 02108


-----

Competitive salary and benefits

Boston Plan for Excellence/Boston Teacher Residency

is an equal opportunity employer.

People of color are encouraged to apply

BTR Program Associate

• Answer all incoming calls and emails to the general BTR phone line and email box. 
• Set up and run information sessions regularly.
• Create BTR information packets for career fairs, information sessions, etc.
• Register and request checks for recruiters’ travel
• Collect, track and file new resident paperwork

• Assist with and attend all Selection Days, including making copies, rater folders, finalist packets, signs, name tags, entering all Selection Day ratings into the database, and breakdown of all Selection Day materials after the event. 
• Prepare for Admissions Committee meeting for each admissions cycle
• Assist with entering data into Apply Yourself (AY) system, including transcripts
• Creating and keeping applicants files updated, including application, transcripts, MTEL scores, etc.

• Enter timesheet, MTEL (Mass. Test for Educator Licensure), and PPA (Pre-performance Assessment) data into ETO (Efforts to Outcomes) system
• Run reports requested by BTR staff
• Assist with creation of and administering surveys from KeySurvey
• File all AmeriCorps paperwork for residents
• Do other data entry as necessary

• Write weekly Resident Newsletters

• Assist with resident graduation, including mailing invitations and event set-up and take-down
• Add content to myBTR as necessary

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to make public presentations.
• Strong organizational skills to work efficiently and independently; ability to work independently and meet deadlines, as well as ability to work with team
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to manage multiple and competing priorities
• A customer service-based approach
• Ability to interact with a diverse population
• Experience in education/non-profit a plus
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access; proficiency with databases and online systems; comfort and experience with internet marking and social media; ability to effectively use and learn new technologies

• Willingness and flexibility to work evenings as required by recruitment activities
• Sense of humor a plus!