Upper School - Equity & Inclusion Coordinator

Description

Upper School - Equity & Inclusion Coordinator

We are seeking applicants who represent the full diversity of our community in the Bay Area. Our ideal candidate will possess a deep appreciation for the diverse socioeconomic, racial, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, academic, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. In joining our team at Nueva, you will become a part of an inclusive, iterative and equity-minded community that recognizes that equity and social justice is a lens with which we examine all aspects of our school community in order to ensure an educational experience where all students and colleagues can thrive.

As a key member of the faculty and staff, the Upper School Equity & Inclusion (E&I) coordinator leads the programmatic and student-centered E&I efforts in the Upper School, as well as partnering with corresponding lower and middle school E&I positions to create a unified and equitable PreK-12 experience. Reporting to the Director of Equity & Inclusion and working closely with the US team, the Upper School Equity & Inclusion Coordinator is an integral member of both the E&I and Upper School teams.

The Coordinator will work with the Director and Nueva’s upper school administration to review and develop policies, programming, and pedagogy to foster inclusivity, diversity, and equity for our 9-12th grade students. Specifically, they will lead or co-lead half or full day whole division programming around the school’s E&I initiatives, such as a beloved community day with a large assembly, selected speakers, as well as small group programming around more focused E&I initiatives.  In conjunction with the wellness team, they will work both proactively and responsively support individual students as well. Specifically, a core facet of this work involves managing our 9-12 Thrive program– an equity-oriented student-centered advocacy program for historically underrepresented groups within independent schools.

Broadly, they will support the work of the Director in driving PreK-12 systems-change across our two campuses. As a member of the E&I team, the Coordinator will be responsible for collaborating with their lower and middle school counterparts around programmatic implementation, student programming, and support services. As a member of the US faculty, the Coordinator will teach one course each semester, to be designed in conjunction with the Director and the Upper School Assistant Head. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Nueva, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with Nueva’s Mission, Vision, and Values. 

Primary Responsibilities 

• Support the Director of Equity & Inclusion in strategic visioning, policy and protocol development, and implementation of school-wide E&I initiatives. 

• Play an integral role in student support and oversight including but not limited to, leading values-based responses to bias incidents, coordinating student support/case management, liaising with the upper school counselors, and facilitating external speaker planning. 

• Proactive contact and engagement with all students.

• Collaborate with US leadership to develop a more inclusive and welcoming environment for students and families through event programming e.g. assemblies, advisory lessons, cultural heritage activities. .

• Maintain the student lounge space (“Vibe Check”)

• Support the social and emotional well-being of historically marginalized students through dedicated programs (such as Thrive) and individualized support. 

• Manage and support Nueva’s upper school affinity group program and manage the related budget, host community affinity group events for Nueva students, families, and employees, and support student-led conferences and programming. 

• Expand anti-bias and anti-racist training opportunities for students and colleagues.  

• Being a member of the US leadership teams: Wellness, academic council and/or dean’s group. 

• Manage Nueva’s Thrive program to include case management, student support, weekly lunches, collaborations with teachers/advisors, coordinating translation services, liaising with families, facilitating Thrive Summer, and coordinating with E&I team to build continuity and community across the three divisions. 

• Establish and maintain partnerships with the community based organizations (CBO’s) which support our Thrive program and students.

• Work with College Counseling to provide information sessions and support for Thrive families related to the college admissions process and financial assistance.

• Be an active thought partner with and resource for upper school faculty in crafting more inclusive curricula and pedagogical practices. 

• Organize, lead, and chaperone the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC), and other relevant student-focused conferences.

• Collaborate with the admissions office around recruitment events, student/family interviews, and file-reading. 

• Serve as a part of curricular committees. 

• Teach an elective 9th/10th grade course focused on leadership and fostering belonging and developing the skills to engage in complex and difficult conversations.

• Fierce advocacy for students and their needs

Qualifications

• Ability to lead and facilitate difficult conversations with students and colleagues, with a strong commitment to listening for understanding

• An understanding of your own power and positionality as well as the ability to support others in seeing their own

• Ability to hold multiple truths and a commitment to valuing and including diverse perspectives and approaches

• A willingness to lean into discomfort and create trusting environments where others seek to do so as well

• Ability to foster social and emotional acuity and to manage emotions as well as understand and empathize with the emotions of others

• The ability to nurture and encourage a lifelong love of learning through joyful, authentic, and rich learning experiences 

• A profound openness to feedback and improvement, modeling lifelong learning of practice

• Comfort with strategic thinking and divergent problem solving 

• The ability to manage projects that involve multiple deadlines and stakeholders

• Demonstrated experience in the above skill-sets and in navigating and leading equity & inclusion work within an organizational setting

• Demonstrated mastery in area of study and ability to teach within and across academic disciplines

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• A desire to integrate curriculum with other subjects and to teach collaboratively

• Bachelor's degree

• Minimum of three years’ teaching experience or related industry experience

Compensation and Benefits

The full-time equivalent salary range for this position is $77,000 - $141,800. The starting salary is based upon, but not limited to, several factors that include type and years of experience, education level, and expertise.

We offer a compensation and benefits package that includes fully paid medical, dental, vision, life insurance for employees, employer contribution toward dependent insurance premium, a generous match on our 403(b) retirement plan, long-term disability insurance, flexible spending account, and free lunch. Eligibility rules must be met.

To Apply

Please send your application information (cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three references) to the Nueva Employment Website.  To address specific questions, please email Shawn Taylor, at sdtaylor@nuevaschool.org  

The Nueva School is an Equal Opportunity Employer – we do not discriminate against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability or sex. We welcome applications from people of color and those with experience outside the education field. 

About The Nueva School

The Nueva School, an internationally-recognized, nonprofit, independent day school, has served gifted and talented students since 1967. Today, Nueva serves nearly 1000 students PK-12. Nueva is located in the neighboring towns of Hillsborough and San Mateo, equidistant between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, serving six different counties throughout the Bay Area of Northern California.

A constructivist school, Nueva is known for its distinctive inquiry-based interdisciplinary studies, project-based learning, and pioneering work in social-emotional learning and design thinking. The Nueva community instills a passion for lifelong learning, fosters social and emotional acuity, and develops the imaginative mind. Our school has received the US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Award, the US Department of Education National Green Ribbon Award, and the American Institute of Architects Award for School Design and Sustainability; has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished Program and appointed an Ashoka Changemaker School; co-founded the Common Ground Speaker Series; hosts the biennial Innovative Learning Conference, and was highlighted by the Pulitzer Prize–winning and New York Times best-selling author Thomas Friedman in his book That Used to Be Us in the chapter “Average Is Over.”

For more information about The Nueva School, visit our website: www.nuevaschool.org

Salary : $77,000 - $141,800