Special Projects Associate – Lawrence Public Schools – Lawrence, MA

About Lawrence Public Schools:

In Lawrence, we believe that individual schools are the unit of change, and that the role of central office is to support them on their path to improvement. We are transforming our central office into a lean, flexible organization that provides high-quality, differentiated support to schools, and drives strategic improvements to the district as a whole.

In 2011, LPS was designated as chronically underperforming. The Commissioner of Education appointed a receiver, who has the power of both the superintendent and the school committee. The receiver was charged with meaningfully improving—and sustaining—academic achievement in his schools. In 2012, we began a turnaround in which educators used increased autonomy to lead their schools to success. The central office redesigned itself to work in service of the schools, rather than in management of the schools. That change paved the way for increased test scores and graduation rates each of the last two years.

Lawrence Public Schools is an urban district serving more than 13,900 students, the majority of whom do not speak English as their first language. More than 90% of our students qualify for free/reduced-price lunch. We are committed to ensuring that our students, who have for too long been underserved, are provided with a high-quality, free, public education at their local, district schools.

About this position:

The Special Projects Associate will serve as a key member of the LPS central office, helping to coordinate the Sontag Prize in Urban Education—an award given to top teachers from LPS, the Commonwealth, and the nation—as well as the Acceleration Academies, a district-wide academic intervention program for students. The Special Projects Associate will also help support recruitment efforts for Lawrence Public schools, helping to develop messages, relationships, and processes in order to build the teaching talent pipeline into Lawrence Public Schools. This individual will be a vital member of the Educator Initiatives team and will also work closely with other central office leaders to support their work.

Responsibilities may include:

Coordinating the recruitment, application, and selection process for the Sontag Prize in Urban Education
Significant professional development and event planning responsibilities related to the Sontag Prize in Urban Education, Teacher Leader Cabinet, and Advanced and Master Educators programs
Developing and disseminating student-level data, materials, and curriculum for Acceleration Academies
Managing the budget and purchasing for Acceleration Academies
Coordinating Acceleration Academy student selection, teacher selection, and attendance processes with principals
Communicating regularly with Acceleration Academy participants and tracking successful completion of program requirements
Maintaining accurate and updated records for Acceleration Academies and the Sontag Prize in Urban Education
Coordinating travel and lodging for Acceleration Academy participants
Collaborating with central office staff from multiple departments on Acceleration Academies
Contributing to developing a strategy to recruit top teaching talent from around the country to Lawrence

Skills, Characteristics, Educational Background, and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
At least 2 years of experience; teaching experience strongly preferred
Exceptional project management and organizational skills; must be willing to organize tasks efficiently and manage multiple workstreams, deadlines, and priorities at once
Exceptional communication, presentation, and writing skills; must be willing to serve as the “public face” of projects to principals, external partners, and educators
Demonstrated ability to plan events and/or professional development sessions
Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work well with a variety of stakeholders and navigate a complex stakeholder environment
Fluency with data analysis in Excel, including functions such as pivot tables and V-lookup
Skilled proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
Ability to problem-solve and succeed in a fast-paced professional environment while remaining calm and focused when faced with unexpected challenges

Work Year: 52 Weeks (Year-Round)

Salary: Commensurate with experience

How to apply

Please apply for this position by emailing a resume and cover letter to Sara D’Alessandro at Sara.D’Alessandro@lawrence.k12.ma.us

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