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Frequently Asked Questions Application and Selection Process What are you looking for in the leaders you are selecting? We are looking for tenacious, self-reflective, and data-driven leaders who drive rigor and joy every day. The ideal Fellow is passionate about closing the achievement gap and inspires everyone around him or her to work relentlessly to achieve that mission. Everything from our rigorous selection process to our Fellowship curriculum is aligned to the competencies we believe make our leaders successful. For instructional leaders, we look for a minimum of three years direct instruction with demonstrated results for student achievement. The ideal candidate demonstrates these competencies:
For operational leaders, we look for 2+ years of related work experience in Operations, which could include consulting, management, military, school district, charter, or other nonprofit experience. The ideal candidate demonstrates these competencies:
Does a Fellow get assigned a specific school when hired? How does a Fellow get assigned to a school and manager? At the time of an offer, a Fellow will be guaranteed leadership in a region at a minimum – Brooklyn, Newark, or Upstate NY. The Fellow will discuss with his/ her Managing Director which school he or she is slated for but, given the nature of the charter application process and openings at current schools at the time one goes through the Fellowship, this may be subject to change. Can a Fellow get an offer from more than one school? For both Operations and Instructional candidates, we will strive to make one offer from Uncommon Schools based on one’s preferences and the needs of Uncommon as evaluated by the Managing Directors. In rare cases, we might make multiple offers after review and discussion by Managing Directors when it is in the best interest of Uncommon and the individual candidate. Does a Fellow get to choose his/ her partner? A Fellow will work with the Managing Director for his/ her region to try and find the best possible partnership. Wherever possible, potential partners will meet during the selection process to determine fit, alignment, and chemistry. Wherever this is not possible, Managing Directors will work with Fellows to determine partnerships. The Managing Directors at Uncommon Schools have a strong, proven history of creating successful partnerships within school leadership teams and will work to find the best partnership possible. If there are immediate needs open now, can one interview for those as well? How do you decide whether an individual would be admitted into the Fellowship or hired for the immediate need? If one takes an immediate position, can s/he participate in the Fellowship training? There are a lot of exciting needs at Uncommon Schools right now. Individuals may be considered for both open needs and future Fellowship needs. The competencies we are looking for are the same and, wherever possible, individuals who take immediate positions can be involved in the Fellowship training sessions. What happens if a candidate does not seem ready for the Fellowship yet? If a candidate shows strong potential but may not be ready for the Fellowship, Uncommon would be thrilled to consider the candidate for other roles within the organization that could best prepare them for applying for the Fellowship in future years.
Fellowship Program
How much of the Fellowship is pre-determined for everyone and how much is designed for individual needs? The curriculum and institutes for the Fellowship will be pre-determined based on the leadership competency model for Uncommon school leaders. However, the direct coaching and assignments given throughout the Fellowship will be suited to individual needs. Each Fellow will have an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that highlights the specific development goals for his or her Fellowship period and beyond. A Fellow’s Managing Director, Host School Leader, and the Uncommon Director of Leadership Development will partner with the Fellow to build his/ her IDP. A Fellow will be get on-on-one tailored feedback to his/ her personal development consistently from his/ her Managing Director How do you assess for individual needs? There will be several ways this occurs. Initially, the selection process is designed to highlight leadership competency areas that need development. Once the Fellowship begins, there will be self reflection with the Fellowship team (Fellow, Managing Director, Director of Leadership, Fellowship School Hosts) combined with concrete, direct feedback on Fellowship deliverables and performance in the Fellowship. What does the Fellowship year look like? The Fellowship will consist of an immersion at an Uncommon school for the fall during which the Fellow will complete designated deliverables designed to build competencies and expose him or her to specific scenarios. Additionally,the Fellow will spend the fall helping in instruction or operations doing a variety of specific work for the school that could include taking on a role coaching and mentoring a teacher or developing a critical system for Operations. During the spring, the Fellow will be housed at an Uncommon school for the majority of his or her time, but the focus of work will shift to start-up tasks required to launch his or her own school. Throughout the year, the Fellow will attend professional development sessions, school visits, and reading/discussion groups aligned to the leadership competencies. For more detailed information, refer to the Fellowship informational materials on our website or contact us at lead@uncommonschools.org. What is the start date?
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