Call for letters of interest for School Design Fellowship

The NISN School Design Fellowship (SDF) seeks to co-develop pre-K–12 Indigenous schools over the course of a three-year paid fellowship program. The schools are developed with Independent and Charter School frameworks in mind.

SDF fellows will receive guidance, best practices, and mentorship from NISN staff to:

• Develop community schools anchored in the four big ideas (Community-led, Academics, Holistic Wellness, Cultural Identity development);

• Receive successful authorization;

• Are ready to operationalize their community-led mission and vision and;

• Prepared to implement their own Mission Driven Story Cycle;

• A salary of $70,000 with benefits paid for by NISN for the length of participation in the three-year fellowship program

Who is eligible?

Communities ready to establish community-led, public charter, or Independent schools or convert their existing school from a BIE school to a tribally controlled school.

What to include in your letter of interest: (10 page maximum)

Tell us about the context of your community and the relationship with local schools/districts, internal and external partnerships, and support from tribal departments and other entities.

Tell us about the vision of education for your future community members:

Community Outreach: Does the community want a community-led school? If so, what are the early conversations, and how might this provide shape or structure for the school?

Community Readiness: Is there buy-in for a community-led school? Are parents willing to send their children to a community-led school? Is your community ready to challenge the norms of westernized education by rethinking school discipline, conflict resolution, implementing Indigenous language and culturally relevant curriculum?

Charter School Viability: Is there charter school legislation in your state? If so, who are the authorizers and what is the framework of the process? If not, what route towards Independent school frameworks exist? Are there partnerships that can be formed to support operational funding? What other financial resources exist to support the work?

Asset Mapping: A community school will need support in governance, administrative leadership, operations prowess, instructional expertise, curriculum development, and a deep knowledge of the cultural and linguistic nuances of the community. How can your community school elevate your community's gifts and talents?

Community-led Mission: Based on Community Outreach and the community's cultural needs, core elements of a Community-Led mission may begin to emerge. What do the sketches of this look like?

In your wildest dreams, what does a community school mean for the future generations of your community?

Selection of Fellows: There is space for two fellows to be paid by the NISN. Fellows will need to possess administrative credentials, social and cultural capital in the community, operational know-how, and a commitment to development of curriculum aligned to the needs of the community. Ideally, both fellows will be able to tell the story of their community and school as a part of engaging in the politics of school development and the philanthropic world.

SHARE YOUR LETTER WITH US!

Please upload your letter as a Word Document or PDF.

If you have any questions or need additional information,

please email derrick@nacainspiredschoolsnetwork.org.

What should you seek out in a Fellow to represent your community?

Your community should be looking to identify individuals who can meaningfully gather members of your community to uplift community cultural strengths. The core competencies of a strong candidate are a visionary and entrepreneurial mindset, social and cultural capital, and experience in education administration and/or community organizing. Finally, to ensure the sustainability of the school's mission and vision, Fellows should be willing to commit at least 3-5 years of service once the school is opened (beyond the three-year fellowship).

What are the requirements of Fellows?

• Can meet NISN employment requirements;

• Can establish a school design team to whom they report progress on a regular basis;

• Demonstrate an authentic commitment to community-led school design, including excellence and relevance in Indigenous Education;

• Possess strong organizational skills, verbal skills, critical thinking skills, and writing skills;

• Has a solid understanding of data used to inform decision-making and instruction;

• Willing to travel frequently to Albuquerque, NM, and visit other model schools throughout the U.S.  for required training and events.