Job Description – Culture Coordinator

About CANO

Community Academies of New Orleans (“CANO”) is a new charter school management organization created to bring together Esperanza Charter School, Foundation Prep Charter School, and Lafayette Academy Charter School with the ultimate goal of strengthening all three schools. The nonprofit boards that governed Foundation Prep and Choice Foundation voted to establish this partnership in 2019 to benefit from the organizations’ shared values, similar programming, and strong leadership, and set operations of CANO to launch ahead of the 2022-2023 academic year.

CANO’s vision is to build a system of exemplary schools, deeply influenced by our students, families, and communities, with graduates who are committed to being community advocates and leaders. Its mission is to cultivate schools that nurture students’ character and critical thinking ability in responsive learning environments, thereby equipping them to be impactful community leaders. CANO will strive for high academic performance at all our schools while securing partnerships and programming that use community assets to support our schools and students. In doing this, CANO brings a fresh, yet grounded, vision to the New Orleans charter landscape and forges a new path ahead for students, families, and communities alike.

CANO’s Values are:

• INTEGRITY. We always do the right thing.
• TEAMWORK. We work and grow together.
• PASSION. We love our students; our community; our work.
• DIGNITY. We value and respect every member of our community.

• COURAGE. We approach challenges with optimism and confidence.

About the Role

The Culture Coordinator is a strategic leader who works to create/enhance a culture of respect and instructional achievement where high expectations and a positive school climate are the norm. Our Culture Coordinators are responsible for demonstrating significant and measurable gains, each year, with all students. The Culture Coordinator is a member of the school leadership team.

The actions of our Culture Coordinator must always be aligned with our mission, vision, core values and education program. The Culture Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the consistent implementation of a positive behavior intervention system across the school, ensuring a culture is created in which each and every student can be successful; actively supporting staff and teachers in addressing student mistakes and challenges in conduct; observing & coaching teachers; providing classroom management & instructional support to teachers to maximize academic performance. The individual in this role reports directly to the Principal and Director of Culture of CANO.

Responsibilities:

• Foster strong relationships with families and staff to collaborate on family events

• Build relationships with community organizations to form partnerships

• Consult with other professional staff, outside agencies and other organizations in order to improve school culture and climate

• Assist leadership team with staff and student recruitment

• Collaborate with school leadership team to create and manage a safe and welcoming learning environment

• Design & implement systematic approaches to managing and intervening on student discipline issues using restorative practices

• Working closely with the school social worker/school counselor to support implementation of Social Emotional Learning program across the campus

• Develop Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports that integrate data, systems, and practices to encourage positive student behavioral outcomes

• Coordinate positive programs for students during and after-school (example: student council, peer mediators)

• Research and implement new school culture initiatives to further develop the school culture

• Ability to lead, instruct, advise small and large groups of students in various settings (classroom, assemblies, recess, lunch etc.)

• Ability to support/co-support students with challenging behaviors in a self-contained setting

• Build a culture of achievement and respect with families, students and school/ network staff

• Plan and lead staff learning experiences through professional development and grade level meetings

• Observe in classrooms and provide feedback on classroom and behavior management to improve instruction

• Provide coaching and professional development on classroom management, classroom culture, and behavior interventions

• Directly manage and coach members of the culture team ( Assistant Culture Coordinator, Behavior Interventionist, In-School Suspension Coordinator etc.)

• Build a collaborative culture and individual relationships with teachers, school staff, and school leadership

• Ability to plan and facilitate parent meetings to discuss: behavior/academic/attendance support plan, transition back to school meetings, restorative conference etc.

• Track and report behavioral data to monitor the social-emotional development of students

• Proficiently use technology that supports the program to input and track data

• Analyze behavior data frequently to guide and support the creation of interventions through Multi Tiered Systems of Supports

• Collaborate with school leadership team and MTSS team to write and monitor the school-wide Culture of Achievement Plan

• Collaborate with colleagues (leadership and school-wide meetings, professional development days, the professional development institute) to continuously improve personal practice, instruction, assessment, and student achievement, as well as the overall goals and mission of the school and the network.

• Access meaningful learning experiences (current theory, research, and developments in relevant academic disciplines, professional development opportunities, and ideas from colleagues and supervisors) and exercise judgment in accepting findings as valid for application in leadership and teacher improvement.

• Reflect critically upon leadership experience, identify areas for further professional development as part of a professional development plan that is linked to school and network goals, access meaningful learning experiences, and listen thoughtfully to other viewpoints and respond constructively to suggestions and criticisms.

• Attends and engages in all PD for school culture team, leadership team, and school-wide

• Use feedback to develop and turnkey action steps in an effort to improve

• Fulfill all outlined and related functions professionally, timely and thoroughly

• Model professionalism at all times and upholding the CANO values

Required Trainings:

• Fully trained in CPI and able to facilitate practices on campus when necessary. Able to intervene to de-escalate a student in crisis and/or function on a team to intervene with a team approach.

• Implementation of Restorative Practices & Restorative Conferences in response to student misbehavior.
• Understands the importance of Social Emotional Learning and can facilitate/co-facilitate lessons and circles.

• Strong knowledge of Trauma Informed Practices and able to facilitate staff PD and support school-wide practices.

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (required)

• Master’s degree (preferred)

• Certified in Restorative Practices (required to stay in position)

• Minimum of 3 years of school leadership of teacher-leadership experience

• Experience in analyzing student data and using data to inform decision making

• A strong desire to work towards equity within education

• Growth mindset and a desire to learn and grow through consistent coaching and feedback

• Belief that all students are capable of success and deserve to be pushed to a rigorous academic and behavioral bar

• Willingness to do whatever it takes and go above and beyond to serve all students, faculty, and parents

• Able to occasionally move about inside the school building to monitor students productivity and behavior daily.

• Occasionally ascend stairs to migrate throughout the workspace

• Occasionally lifting 35 lbs or less

EEO Statement
CANO believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building a talented team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. "We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Community Academies of New Orleans is an EEO employer and prohibits discrimination, harassment or retaliation in accordance with federal, state and local laws."

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Signature Date