Student Voice & Leadership Specialist

Student Voice & Leadership Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 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. The Chicago Public School's Instructional Core Vision centers identity, community, and relationships, which is called the "Inner Core."

Located within the Office of Teaching and Learning, the Department of Student Voice & Engagement (DSVE) leads the district's inclusive and responsive education strategy that aims to ensure all aspects of schooling in CPS are inclusive of and responsive to the lived experiences of students, and includes young people as key stakeholders in making decisions that impact them.

Job Summary:

The primary objective of the Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will be to support the strategic expansion and improvement of Student Voice Committees in CPS. The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will work directly with adult stakeholders advancing the Student Voice Committee program at their schools as a coach and professional learning provider. The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will also support the district's student voice infrastructure initiative, and help identify and advance opportunities for expanding youth-adult partnerships in decision-making across CPS.

In order to ensure a coherent vision for a student voice infrastructure scaled throughout CPS, this role will be responsible for training teachers, principals, as well as youth in nurturing productive relationships that foster inclusive youth adult partnerships. The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will report to the Manager of Student Voice & Leadership and will collaborate closely with colleagues within the department as well as across central office to support strategic efforts to strengthen student voice and decision making.

This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis. The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Supervise and support Student Voice Committees (SVCs) across CPS
• Expand opportunities for Student Voice Committees across schools
• Co-design and facilitate varied professional learning opportunities for SVC students, facilitators, and administrators that provide technical, curricular, and consulting support that strengthens the quality of SVC programming and inclusive youth adult partnerships
• Lead continuous improvement in SVC strategy, ensuring SVCs are well supported and have the guidance and parameters conducive to a productive and trusting school community

Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Student Voice and Leadership 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 issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is preferred.
• Master's degree in a relevant field of study preferred
• Experience
  
  Required:
  
  Minimum of four (4) years of relevant professional experience, including the following, is required:
• Minimum of three (3) years working with educators and students in a school setting
• Minimum of three (3) years working with youth in school improvement and/or civic engagement contexts
• Minimum of three (3) years of education or youth leadership experience.
• Minimum of three (3) years working with adult learners including creating, organizing, and facilitating professional learning experiences to meet the needs of participants.
• Experience working with or within Chicago Public Schools, and/or working with schools and community groups on Chicago's south and west sides, preferred.
• Experience working within school improvement systems and structures in CPS such as CIWP, preferred
• Spanish language proficiency preferred
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Knowledge of anti-bias, anti-racist, and anti-adultist pedagogy; commitment to providing an educational environment free of discrimination and bias that uplifts Black and Brown students, celebrating their impact on our communities and world
• Capable of creating high-quality opportunities for teachers and students in youth voice, civic education, and democratic learning
• Act…