Academic Coach

Please consider the following job responsibilities in the areas of Leadership, Accountability, Support and Communication when contemplating candidates for an Academic Coach. An effective Academic Coach will spend 50-60% of their time on classroom coaching with teachers (planning, demonstration, observation, co-teaching and study of lessons) while the other 40-50% of their time will be spent on coaching responsibilities (own training, professional development for staff, data review and conversations, staff development coordination with principal, record keeping/logs). Furthermore, an effective Academic Coach should be a full-time, supplemental, teacher-focused resource that is utilized in the following capacities.

I. Leadership

• Assist in the structure and design for high-quality, school- and team-based professional learning that supports teacher and student learning
• Acts as a catalyst to support continuous academic improvement
• Articulates the intended results of professional learning on teacher practice and student achievement
• Models use of effective collaboration skills

II. Accountability

• Facilitates the analysis of student achievement and teacher professional development data to determine the impact on student learning and teacher practice
• Increases teachers’ capacity to analyze research to make instructional decisions
• Advances teachers’ understanding and use of various strategies to assess student progress toward established goals and to improve teaching practice

III. Support

• Acts as a resource to support job-embedded professional learning and improved academic achievement in the school
• Engages teachers in data analysis and interpretation of data from multiple sources to determine student and teacher needs
• Facilitates a variety of in-depth, sustained professional learning experience aligned with the school improvement goals for student achievement
• Advances teacher’s deep understanding and use of content knowledge and research-based instructional strategies to help students meet rigorous academic standards
• Provides classroom-based support for implementation of new and/or refined instructional practices

IV. Communication

• Creates structures and processes for collaborative work that promote collegiality and shared responsibility
• Assures that time available for professional learning and collaboration is used to enhance quality teaching and student learning
• Keeps school leader, school board and other stakeholder aware of activities, progress, obstacles and successes in student achievement and improved teacher practice