(The following was written by Central Falls Schools Superintendent Victor Capellan and shared on his Facebook page yesterday morning.)
So what’s the BIG idea? The Central Falls School District will work to end substitute teachers as we know them today and as we have known them over time. I am sure you remember your days as a student and what happens when a sub came to your classroom. Well no more…not in CF. Although there are many good subs out there, the way subbing is set up today is not working. So we are changing the role of the traditional sub, we are instead moving towards Youth Development/Teaching Fellow professionals and we are creating 15 new jobs in Central Falls.
I give you The Central Falls Warrior Teaching Fellowship.
Warrior Teaching Fellows will be a one year commitment of service to the city and the District to collaborate with school principals, teachers and students in providing a variety of academic and growth mindset supports in and out of the classroom so that our students and their families have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be successful active members of society.
The Warrior Fellowship will require passionate leaders to serve as education and social justice advocates and mentors in all six Central Falls schools while at the same time helping to bridge the gap between the academic and social-emotional support our students and families need in their schools and community.
The Fellows will be responsible for developing, facilitating and implementing various best practice strategies and concepts focused on one or more of the following pillars of the Central Falls Equity Blueprint for Success: Student-Centered Learning and Teaching, Enrichment, Social-Emotional Development, and Cultural Pride and Cultural Responsiveness. Think of a sub doing this? I didn’t think so….
During the school day, Fellows will work closely with and learn from teachers and will serve as classroom substitutes in their assigned school when necessary and build strong mentoring relationships with students. Outside of school time, Fellows will help to organize and participate in various afterschool programs and activities. The Fellows must have the courage and passion to inspire change in our schools, influence the lives of our students, and become advocates for the city of Central Falls.
The fellows will receive pre-service training, attend conferences and training seminars supported by the District, participate in weekly meetings, once a month Saturday workshops, and two retreats (fall and spring).
Interested? Know someone who is interested? Bachelor’s degree required. We are looking for individuals fully committed to the paid 10-month fellowship (August 2016 training; September 2016 – June 2017 school year).
There is a Phase II coming soon about how fellows will be able to pursue their own next steps beyond the fellowship. We are looking for game-changing ideas. A BIG thanks to Jay Midwood, Edda Cambio Carmadello and all the CFSD staff members and BOT members for supporting this idea. #GameChangers
Given teacher absenteeism rates, I’m not sure this program is the “end of substitutes as we know them.” I give CF credit for coming up with a back channel way of bringing in FT staff outside the union constraints (I’m assuming this are not union positions) and giving them responsibilities (mentoring, etc) that normally you have to pay even more money for union teachers to do, but you know that it takes about the length of time of the program just to start getting the feel for a school – let alone being spread all over the school.
I do applaud them for thinking creatively – of course, it’s a bit easier when the rest of the state pays your bills..maybe phase II would be rotations to other schools to share what tactics work.