STEM Program Support Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 300,000 students in 500 schools and employing over 45,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

Located within the Office of Teaching and Learning, the Department of Advanced Learning and Specialty Programs (ALSP) serves as a catalyst to empower learners to be successful and positive contributors in their school community, post-secondary pathways, and life. Through programmatic support and collaborative partnerships, ALSP provides equitable access to high-quality, student-centered programs (Advanced Placement, Gifted, International Baccalaureate, Magnet, and Personalized Learning) that develop the interests, strengths, and talents of our learners.

The Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) is a grant that was awarded to support inclusive and whole-school integrated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) programming across select schools. It is our commitment that every day, in every STEAM classroom at CPS, all students will actively make sense of and construct solutions to complex questions; productively contribute to the learning community to support a culture of collaboration, risk-taking, and innovation; and regularly reflect on and communicate their understanding of disciplinary ideas. Through these experiences and purposeful opportunities to face transdisciplinary challenges, students will graduate from CPS with advanced STEM literacies prepared to make the world a better place.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the MSAP Program Manager, the STEM Program Support Specialist, STEAM will ensure that the support provided by the Office of Teaching and Learning improves both the school-level conditions and the student experience and outcomes aligned to the CPS Instructional Core Vision through the lens of the programmatic focus area. The STEM Program Support Specialist, will collaborate closely with other Program Support Specialists to ensure a coherent vision for STEAM teaching and learning is scaled throughout our MSAP grantee schools. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The STEM Program Support Specialist, STEAM will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

Collaborate with classroom teachers, school-based instructional teams, school leaders, and external partners to design and execute a school-based vision, CIWP, and a robust plan for implementing the school’s program model.

• Monitor fidelity of school-wide implementation of program focus model

• Consult with school leaders on problem-solving, change management, and the design of school-wide systems and structures that enable the adoption of the school’s specialty program

• Identify trends and common needs across schools in order to inform the district-wide strategy for the specialty program’s support and adoption

• Assist teachers and school leaders in aligning their school’s program model with the instructional core and other district-wide priorities

• Support schools in preparation for successfully completing their respective certification processes

• Design and facilitate professional learning for a variety of internal and external stakeholders that deepens their understanding of the CPS Instructional Core and program-specific practices to support it

• Ensure that professional learning programs for teachers and teacher-leaders support them in effectively contributing to their schools’ Instructional Leadership Teams and build their capacity for leading their colleagues in program-specific learning and reflection grounded in student learning

• Support the professional learning content for CPS Network Chiefs/Deputies, Instructional Support Leaders (ISLs), school leaders, central office instructional leaders, external partners, school-based staff, and other educators to successfully achieve the following:

  • Development, implementation, and refined program-specific professional learning plans that ensure district-wide learning is prioritized and supported within each programmatic focus area

  • Improved capacity for supporting school leaders and teacher leaders with program-specific learning

  • Preparedness to lead school-based learning through coaching, team meetings, workshops, etc.

• Contribute to program-specific guidance, resources, and policy to ensure a consistent instructional vision is promoted within and across all schools within the programmatic focus area

• Collaborate with other Program Support Specialists to support shared initiatives

• Maintain program area expertise by staying abreast of current research, practices, and innovation in the field

• Other duties as assigned
  

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the STEM Program Support Specialist, STEAM must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study from an accredited college or university, required

• Valid teaching certificate issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with appropriate grade level and content level endorsement is required

• LBSI, ESL, or Bilingual Endorsement, preferred

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study preferred

Experience Required:

• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience, including the following, is required:

  • Minimum of five (5) years of classroom teaching experience, including STEAM instruction. Three (3) years of teaching experience will be considered in combination with two (2) years of experience in a comparable content or program specialist role.

  • Minimum of three (3) years of teacher leadership experience, such as leading school teams in the development of curriculum and assessments, analyzing student performance data, etc.

  • Minimum of three (3) years working with adult learners, including creating, organizing, and facilitating professional learning experiences to meet the needs of participants.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Expertise in planning, designing, facilitating, and evaluating professional learning

• Deep knowledge and understanding of K-8 STEAM instructional best practices

• Exceptional organizational skills; ability to effectively manage several workstreams simultaneously

• Capable of building and sustaining positive, productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders

• Exceptional communication skills (written and verbal); Ability to communicate and collaborate with diverse audiences

• Commitment to the CPS Instructional Core Vision

• Ability to build consensus and leverage expertise with educators across the district

• Excellent technology skills including Google Suite

Benefits:

Health & Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

Medical Plan Options

Pharmacy

Dental

Vision

Behavioral Health & EAP

Employee Wellness Program

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement and savings options:

Basic Life Insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Pension Plans

Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life

CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:

Paid Leave

Sick Leave

Vacation Days

Parental Leaves

Short-Term Disability

Religious Holidays

Leaves

Reference the Chicago Public Schools: A Comprehensive Benefits Overview or the benefits handbook for comprehensive details.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.