Chief Schools Officer

Attuned builds the capacity of PK-12 organizations to drive educational equity and excellence for underserved students.  Our team of practitioners partners with school systems to prioritize, tailor, and implement a diverse set of proven practices. We blend rigor and empathy, planning and implementation, district and charter expertise, and aspirations of quality and scale.

Position Overview

The Chief Schools Officer (CSO) develops the capacity of founding and current school leaders and school system leaders to create and implement an equitable and excellent school design grounded in a research-based academic strategy.  The position reports to Alyssa Whitehead-Bust, Partner.  Attuned is a virtual organization with some travel expected.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

  1. Support improved academic outcomes for historically underserved students by providing pre- and post-launch support to approximately eight school leadership teams.
    • Deliver regular, on-site, and rigorous observation, coaching, and feedback for instructional leaders and leadership teams.
    • Build the pedagogical content knowledge and the range of leadership competencies needed to lead high-performing schools and school systems.
    • Provide implementation support to establish strong, replicable foundations at a flagship site with an eye towards scaling across additional site(s).
    • Lead structured capacity building opportunities on a range of topics, including lesson design and delivery, lesson and unit internalization, data driven instruction (DDI) cycles, observation and feedback, and PD delivery.
    • Lead ongoing school-based walkthroughs and feedback sessions to ensure that curriculum and instructional systems are being implemented with fidelity.
    • Facilitate on-site quarterly step backs to assess progress.
    • Facilitate instructional planning that ensures organizations identify and focus on the highest-leverage instructional materials and practices to improve teaching and learning and drive student outcomes.
  2. Support the creation and implementation of foundational systems through review, observation, and feedback on key practices and deliverables.
    • Develop/adopt/refine and implement curriculum, instructional approaches, and assessments.
    • Develop/adopt/refine and implement systems for data driven instruction (DDI), observation and feedback, lesson and content internalization, and high-quality adult learning systems.
    • Develop/adopt/refine and implement strong student culture systems, including social emotional learning supports.
    • Develop/adopt/refine and implement strong adult culture systems.
    • Develop/adopt/refine and implement tools and processes for coaching of principals grounded in instructional walkthroughs.
    • Develop/adopt/refine approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  3. Partner with a team of other Chief Schools Officers and the rest of the Academics Team to develop and implement trainings and tools needed to support Attuned’s partners.
    • Develop and deliver trainings to support Attuned’s partners on a range of topics, including DDI cycles, observation and feedback, lesson design and delivery, lesson and content internalization, and PD delivery.
    • Analyze and codify high-quality practices and resources from schools who range in their ideological and pedagogical approach.
    • Create user-friendly tools to support implementation of key systems aligned to Attuned’s Essential Practices Framework.
  4. Support the organization’s school site review services.
    • Lead school reviews and leverage instructional expertise through the analysis of artifacts of school practice and observations of classroom instruction and school culture.
    • Participate in a manageable number of school reviews and refine written feedback and proposed action steps provided to schools.
    • Continually improve the school review process.
  5. Support the growth and development of Attuned.
    • Manage partners with independence, including strong preparation and follow-up.
    • Manage associates and contractors to deliver excellent work.
    • Share evolving education trends and best practices with the team.
    • Analyze school and system practices to support Attuned’s ability to create resources useful to the broader field.
    • Identify and help build new lines of work as the opportunity arises.
    • Work in close collaboration with colleagues to develop and deliver best-in-class services to schools and school systems.
    • Serve as a thought partner to colleagues, help solve a variety of day-to-day challenges, and generate creative solutions for internal and external improvements.

Qualifications

  • Passionate commitment to the mission of dramatically improving PK-12 education for underserved children
  • Demonstrated track record of leading with a commitment to diversity equity, inclusivity and anti-racism
  • Proven track record realizing equitable and excellent outcomes for kids
  • Experience teaching and leading in K-12 schools, ideally including experience as a founding or turnaround leader of a high-performing school and/or school system
  • Significant experience as a principal coach or supervisor supporting school leaders
  • Deep knowledge of curriculum and instruction, assessments, student culture, and adult development
  • Evidence of deep content knowledge in one or more content areas
  • Experience leading high-performing teams and managing staff
  • Experience with innovative school design and start-up
  • Ability to coach, support and influence adults towards improvement
  • Outstanding project management skills – ability to see the big picture, create organizational systems, and manage details
  • Demonstrated ability to manage change and to discern and navigate complex system dynamics, including those that are politically charged
  • Demonstrated ability to be self-directed, take initiative, and display tenacious follow-through
  • Strong written and oral communications skills
  • Demonstrated ability to learn quickly and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial start-up environment
  • Learner stance, humility, and growth mindset
  • Positive demeanor

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $170,000 – $210,000. We offer health care coverage and access to 401(k) plans with a matching contribution policy.

To Apply

If you are passionate about improving educational opportunities for underserved children, please send to careers@attunedpartners.com your resume and a brief (no more than 500 words) written description of your most significant impact on students and how you have promoted equity and excellence in schools and school systems. 

Attuned is committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable organization. The broad range of experiences, ideas, and practices that our team members bring allows us to serve with excellence the diverse organizations with whom we partner. Attuned is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, color, disability, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or veteran status