Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 330,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 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. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.
District-run CPS schools are organized into 17 networks. The Office of Network Support provides administrative support, strategic direction, and leadership development to the schools within each network while also driving critical support that helps to boost student learning.
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Chief of Elementary Schools, the The Deputy Chief of Elementary Schools Network will support the Chief of Schools in overseeing principals within the assigned network, who are directly responsible for leveraging high quality teaching in every classroom. This role provides oversight, planning, and management for CPS’ elementary schools with the assigned network. This candidate will also monitor and assess elementary school strategy design and implementation to ensure high-quality teaching and learning in every classroom and student achievement in their schools.
The Deputy Chief of Elementary Schools will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:
- Manage the transformation of schools and network support staff resulting in a dramatic increase in student achievement;
- Partner with Chief of Schools to identify, recruit and a strong pool of highly skilled principal candidates that are committed to a standard of excellence and desired results;
- Collaborate with the Chief of Schools to assess principal leadership capacity and develop, and support execution of individualized Leadership Development Plans (“LDPs”), which includes providing weekly coaching support and conducting regular formal and informal evaluations to support the achievement of their performance scorecards and goals of the LDP.
- Manage and develop Instructional Support Leaders (ISL); allocate ISL resources;
- Design and deliver Network-wide principal and assistant principal PD planning and development focused on building and sustaining instructional leadership capacity;
- Manage administration and operations teams, ensuring that all team members are held accountable for meeting expectations as outlined in principal scorecards;
- Serve as liaison to Support Centers; monitor schools’ operational performance and compliance, resolve open issues, and ensure principal time can be focused on instructional leadership;
- Provide ad-hoc operational support to Principals and Network (escalated inquiries, emergencies, etc.);
- Work collaboratively with fellow colleagues to support a seamless PreK-12 learning community, implementing a strategic plan to dramatically increase college and career readiness throughout the collaborative.
- Build collaborative relationships with a wide variety of constituent groups, including external partnerships, to ensure the entire system operates in the most effective manner possible to support school and principal needs.
In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Deputy Chief of Elementary Schools must possess the following qualifications:
Education Required:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required
- Master’s degree in Education is preferred
- Required Licensure: Valid Type 75 administrative licensure issued by the Illinois State Board of Education or (out-of-state equivalent).
Experience Required:
- A minimum of three (3) years of experience teaching Pre K - 12
- A minimum of four (4) complete school years of experience as a school principal or at least three (3) complete school years and at least one (1) year of experience in a district administration role
- A minimum of three (3) years of experience coaching and mentoring educators preferred
- Professional work experience in an urban setting preferred
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to collaborate with the Chief of Schools in articulating a vision, sets high standards, and effectively guides schools and principals to commit to high expectations for all students by setting actionable, measurable goals and seeing them through to completion.
- Expertise in leadership development and instructional leadership. Able to coach principals to excellence, build capacity of instructional leadership teams, and develop meaningful and high impact professional development for school leaders.
- Strong communication skills (Oral, Written, Listening, Presentation)
- Project planning and strategic planning capabilities, including the ability to establish long-term vision and goals, and to align and manage activities toward execution of identified goals.
- Strong leadership and team building skills; Ability to develop high performing teams united around a clear vision for serving schools and achieving student success.
- Knowledgeable of instructional and leadership best practices, operations, management and organizational design.
- High level of moral imperative to work in the best interest of children. High level of instructional expertise, integrity, honesty, credibility, and courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions is critically important.
- Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps.
- Possess a track record of success as demonstrated by superior academic and professional achievement.
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.
Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. “Up-to-date” on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.
