For the past few months, I’ve had the good fortune of working with the folks at Houston A+ to develop an idea for a small, progressive, learner centered new school in the museum district in Houston. My role has been pretty minimal, mostly as a sounding board for the core working group of which Stephanie Sandifer, one of my network connections from way back, is a member. They’ve come up with what I think is a great vision for a school that really focuses on students as learners with technology, yet is grounded in the rich resources that only local community spaces can offer.
The plan is to open this fall as an independent school for 40 or so 6th graders and then move to a public charter next year. We’re targeting kids in and around the city who are currently wait-listed for high performing charters, trying to offer them a better option. Students will have a 1-1 environment to stay connected, collaborate, and create many of their own learning experiences, and they will travel to and learn from many of the professionals who work in the museums and the Houston Zoo. There’s much more to the plan, but suffice to say the emphasis is on developing students as truly self-directed, passionate learners who can solve problems, communicate effectively, and work with others in amazing ways.
What we’re looking for now are a couple of great candidates to fill the two teacher/learning coach positions. These are openings that will offer a great deal of autonomy and innovation to those who fill them, and they pay pretty well to boot. We’re looking for people who are “Innovative, creative, imaginative, entrepreneurial, and eager to own the creation of non-traditional and effective learning environments.”
I know that’s just a tease, but I really think this is a rare opportunity to be a part of something meaningful not just in terms of its service to kids but in helping stretch the thinking around what schools and an education could look like. If you’re interested, you can read through the complete description here. please contact Mukta Pandit as soon as possible for all the details and for information on the hiring process. Interviews will start in a couple of weeks.
Also, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions that you think I can help with.