Academic Program Manager of Elementary STEM

Aspire Public Schools operates a network of high-performing, college preparatory charter schools serving scholars in communities across California. Founded in 1998—in an effort to transform the inequitable racial, social, and gender outcomes that our communities persist through—Aspire is one of the largest and most forward-thinking open-enrollment public charter school systems in the nation.

Our purpose is to prepare our scholars for success in college, career, and life. At Aspire, we set a foundation for our scholars to gain knowledge, skills, and power to access and make choices for their families and post-secondary lives. Every day, our community of students, families, teachers and staff comes together to learn, work, and play in an environment grounded in our values of Bienestar (Well-Being), Culture of Belonging, Community Partnership, Agency & Self-Determination, and Joy.

GENERAL SUMMARY:   

The Academic Program Manager of Elementary Mathematics is an essential member of the Aspire Public Schools and will focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) and regional support for schools. This person plays a key role in the development and delivery of STEAM PD and coaching for teachers. The Academic Program Manager will drive the highest quality STEAM pedagogy, curriculum and assessment in Elementary schools through the following responsibilities:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Spends approximately 70% of time supporting the region through delivery of STEAM PDs and on-the-ground STEAM coaching and support to teachers.
• Coaching work supports TK-8 science, technology, engineering, art, and math coherence through reference to ASLF, the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core Standards, and use of approved instructional tools (Instructional guidelines, pacing guides, etc.).
• In alignment with Aspire’s equity beliefs, works with the Superintendent of Equitable Instruction and/or Sr. Dir. of Culturally Responsive Leadership Development to provide additional resources and or support to Tier 2 and 3 schools. 
• Analyzes site-level science data in multiple content areas to identify region-wide goals and trends.  In collaboration with the Superintendent of Equitable Instruction and/or Sr. Dir. of Culturally Responsive Leadership Development, co-creates region-wide action plans to address gaps, creating opportunities to implement pedagogy and curriculum that reflect data-supported best practices from inside and outside of  the organization, in support of an Region-wide coherent model.  
• Builds capacity by training strong teachers to provide impactful coaching.
• Support and develop teachers leaders to have an inquiry-based and student-centered learning approach in STEAM
• In collaboration with the Regional Instructional Leadership Team,  support instructional leaders to lead professional development for school leaders, teachers and ed specialists that is aligned to the Elementary STEAM vision. Ensures explicit connections between coaching and professional development with the Transformational Leadership Framework (TLF) and Aspire Students Learning Framework (ASLF).
• Contribute to development of Principal, Supporting Administrator, Teacher training scope and sequence, and developing Elementary STEAM content and assessment knowledge.

• 30% of time is dedicated to org-wide R&D on science pedagogy, curriculum development, and aligned ASPIRE programming.
• Pedagogy and curriculum reflect data-supported best practices from both inside and outside of the organization and the Next Generation Science Standards. 
• Collaborates across the region to create a rigorous, developmentally appropriate elementary  STEAM program that prepares scholars for high school and beyond
• Collaborate on an evolving vision for Elementary STEAM that is rigorous, standards aligned and equity based. Collaborate with Aspire colleagues to determine an approach to drive educational equity in Elementary STEAM and recommend how we allocate resources and programs accordingly. Ensure that vision and program are guided by Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies. 
• Drive Elementary STEAM assessment cycles at the regional level including establishing timelines, writing and/or providing feedback on assessments and supporting documents, communicating school scheduling and providing support in scoring/norming.  
• Analyze data on Elementary STEAM assessments to identify goals and trends.