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KIPP School Leader Fellowships

KIPP School Leadership Programs have two fellowships for opening a new KIPP school: a yearlong Fisher Fellowship and a two-year Miles Family Fellowship.

Fisher Fellowship

Miles Family Fellowship

FISHER FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW

KIPP seeks exemplary candidates who are interested in serving as founding principals for its newest elementary, middle, and high schools. Each prospective founding KIPP principal must be accepted into and successfully complete the Fisher Fellowship (a component of the KIPP School Leadership Programs), a one-year paid fellowship which prepares Fellows through development and coaching to open KIPP schools. 

The Fisher Fellowship prepares fellows to found and lead a new KIPP school in urban and rural communities where they are needed most. The fellowship includes an intensive Summer Institute in Chicago, residencies at KIPP schools nationwide, and individualized coaching from experienced KIPP school leaders. The fellowship programming is designed to provide in-depth support and insight into the processes and best practices involved in school leadership—including topics as varied as charter authorization, facilities improvement, student and teacher recruitment, curriculum development, and community outreach. The program culminates in August 2014, when the Fisher Fellows will open their schools to their first cohorts of students.

Fisher Fellowship Responsibilities
As part of the Fisher Fellowship, fellows are expected to actively participate in the year-long developmental process and proactively pursue their own development through engagement and commitment to the learning process.  The fellowship year will be comprised of the following mandatory components:

• Orientation: Three day extensive overview of the program year, held in May.
• Summer Institute: Five weeks of intensive coursework in a university setting led by instructional experts and KIPP staff. This establishes the foundation for the knowledge, skills, and confidence fellows need in order to begin crafting their detailed School Design Plan. See below for additional details.
• Residencies: A total of ten weeks of residencies at KIPP and non-KIPP schools nationwide allow fellows to fully immerse in school culture and decision-making processes through interactions with students, parents, teachers, and school leaders.
• Intersessions: Three professional development conferences of one to two weeks for continued coursework.
• School Design Plan: Ongoing feedback on the fellows’ comprehensive business plan from school leadership coaches and regional KIPP leaders.
• Individualized Coaching and Support: Ongoing feedback on leadership skills and development with bi-weekly individualized leadership coaching.
• Evaluation: Three formal evaluations based on a competency-aligned Individualized Leadership Plan.

The Summer Institute is a five week intensive leadership development experience hosted at the University of Chicago. The Institute curriculum will cover:

• Understanding Cultural Contexts in our Educational Practices
• Self-awareness and Our Own Leadership Styles, Strengths, and Weaknesses
• Leadership and Organizational Alignment
• Instructional Vision and Strategic Plan
• Operational Management
• Tying it Together: Leadership, Instruction, and Culture

View applicant frequently asked questions >

MILES FAMILY FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW

Miles Family Fellows work as employees of a specific KIPP school and region, and though their specific roles can vary considerably, most Miles Family Fellows typically serve as grade level chairs, department chairs, or lead teachers. In addition to the school-based responsibilities associated with their role, they are afforded the opportunity to take part in intensive leadership development programming throughout the one-year fellowship. As part of the Miles Family Fellowship, fellows are expected to actively participate in the year-long developmental process and proactively pursue their own development through engagement and commitment to the learning process. The fellowship year will be comprised of the following mandatory components:

• A four day orientation in late June/early July in Chicago
• Regional and remote leadership development events with other Miles Family Fellows, including three weekend retreats
• Monthly professional development calls with the fellowship cohort to share ideas and discuss topics of instruction and leadership
• Various opportunities to dialogue with noted education experts
• Monthly check-ins with your host school leader to address your Individualized Leadership Plan (ILP)
• Ongoing coaching and evaluation by a KIPP Foundation leadership coach to address your Individualized Leadership Plan
• Two visits to KIPP schools throughout the KIPP Network
• The Miles Family Fellowship culminates in the spring, with an end-of-year evaluation by your host school leader and leadership coach that helps determine your preparedness to apply for the Fisher Fellowship.

Miles Family Fellowship Responsibilities and Supports
Miles Family Fellows have the following responsibilities:

• Develop an ILP (Individual Learning Plan) that will guide your development over the course of your Miles Family Fellowship year
• Participate in all professional development sessions associated with the Miles Family Fellowship Program, including three conferences with the Miles Family Fellowship cohort
• Hold weekly check-in meetings and successfully complete all teaching and leadership responsibilities as defined by your school leader or designee
• Maintain a journal with weekly entries detailing your development in specific leadership competencies
• Read and engage with specific assigned instructional leadership literature
• Engage in monthly competency-based professional development phone conferences with the KIPP School Leadership Programs team

Miles Family Fellows will receive the following supports:

Your school leader or designee will:

• Coach and develop you toward reaching your goals, as established in your ILP
• Assess your growth and development throughout the school year against the KIPP Leadership Competency Model and selection rubric
• Provide you with leadership responsibilities which enable you to develop adult management skills and have meaningful interactions with KIPP parents
• Structure teaching responsibilities with you so that you provide instruction in core content areas
• Take part in weekly check-in meetings to discuss all aspects of your leadership development 
• Engage in monthly phone conferences with you and your KIPP Foundation liaison
• Release you to attend all Miles Family Fellowship-related Professional Development sessions

The manager of the Miles Family Fellowship will also actively participate in your development and will:

• Help develop and facilitate your ILP
• Assess your growth and development throughout the school year against the KIPP Leadership Competency Mode
• Provide relevant ongoing feedback on your leadership development through regularly scheduled check in call
• Engage in monthly phone conferences with you and your school leader or designee
• Job-shadow you for at least one day at your host school to provide feedback.

View applicant frequently asked questions >

Learn more about the application process >
For more information, email apply@kipp.org.