Gifted Program Support Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 320,000 students in 500 schools and employing over 44,000 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.

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.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Senior Program Manager, the Gifted Program Support Specialist will collaborate closely with other Program Support Specialists to ensure a coherent vision for PreK-12 teaching and learning is scaled throughout all program focus schools. The primary objective of the Gifted Program Support Specialist is to 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 Department of Advanced Learning & Specialty Programs challenges gifted and talented students through either whole-school models or programs and services within existing schools. Students may apply and test into selective enrollment elementary schools. The Gifted Program Support Specialist will be charged with supporting district gifted schools (e.g., Regional Gifted Centers, Regional Gifted Centers for English Learners, Classical Schools, Academic Centers) as well as schools that provide services in neighborhood gifted programs, in the implementation of their respective programs, including Comprehensive Gifted Programs and the Specific Aptitude Program. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Gifted Program Support Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Design and facilitate professional learning for a variety of internal and external stakeholders that deepens their understanding of CPS Instructional Core and program-specific practices to support it
• Ensure that professional learning content for CPS Network Chiefs/Deputies, Instructional Support Leaders (ISLs), school leaders, central office instructional leaders, external partners, and other educators successfully achieves the following:
• Leads educators in developing, implementing, and refining network-specific professional learning plans that ensure district-wide learning is prioritized and supported within each programmatic focus area
• Builds their capacity in supporting school leaders and teacher leaders with program-specific learning
• Prepares them to lead school-based learning through coaching, team meetings, workshops, etc.
• Ensure that professional learning for Teachers and Teacher Leaders fulfills the following:
• Supports them in effectively contributing to their schools’ Instructional Leadership Teams
• Builds their capacity for leading their colleagues in program-specific learning and reflection grounded in student learning
• 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 the fidelity of school-wide implementation of the 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 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
• 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 through staying abreast of current research, practices, and innovations in the field

• Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Gifted Program Support Specialist 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/Professional Educator’s License (PEL) issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with appropriate content and/or grade level endorsement(s) 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. Three (3) years as a classroom teacher will be considered in combination with two (2) years in a similar program support specialist-level position.
• 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 Gifted Program instructional best practices
• Exceptional organizational skills; ability to effectively manage several work streams simultaneously
• Capable of building and sustaining positive, productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable collaborating and communicating across a diverse range of audiences, including network terms, principals, teachers, and support staff
• Comfort collaborating and communicating across a diverse range of audiences, including network teams, principals, teachers, and support staff
• Commitment to CPS Instructional Core Vision
• Ability to build consensus and leverage expertise with educators across the district
• Excellent technology skills (Google Suite)

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.

• Medical Plan Options
• Pharmacy
• Dental
• Vision
• Behavioral Health & EAP
• Employee Wellness Program

• Basic Life Insurance
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Pension Plans
• Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Spot Pet Insurance

• Paid Leave
• Sick Leave
• Vacation Days
• Parental Leaves
• Short-Term Disability
• Religious Holidays
• Leaves