TOSA-Gifted - Talented Advocate (School Year 2024 - 2025)

Overall Purpose : The Gifted & Talented Advocate (GTA) is provided to schools to accelerate student growth in the academic content areas, support social and emotional needs, and to support a positive school climate and culture regarding gifted services.

The GTA collaborates with principals and teacher leaders to assess, develop, and implement school-wide structures and initiatives in relation to the school specific GT Program Plan to address and support students and align the district’s Gifted & Talented Program Framework.

The GTA provides professional learning in evidence based GT best practices and engages in coaching with teachers. The GTA works side-by-side with teachers and principals through planning, modeling, co-teaching, reflecting, and providing feedback.

The GTA provides GT focused support to teachers and targeted SEL, enrichment, and extension opportunities for students in the GT Program.

Responsibilities : Each school allocation supports student growth and well-being by building the capacity of a school to address the academic and social and emotional needs of gifted learners through a targeted GT Program Plan.

The largest portion of time must be allocated to teaching and learning for the purpose of building a school wide GT Program.

GTAs must have a deep understanding of all aspects that comprise and contribute to a gifted learner, evidence based instructional best practices for GT, and be able to transfer and support the knowledge, understanding, and processes throughout the school system.

These hours include attendance at AAGS and select district professional learning.

GT Specialist : Program Plan development and implementation

• Oversee the components of the building GT Program Plan (identification, ALPS, programming, etc.) and collaborate with the school GT Coordinator if applicable
• Collaborate with school leaders, instructional coaches, SELS, counselors, MTSS team, and other staff to support the school with the GT Program Plan
• Liaise between AAGS, building staff, families, and GT Parent Liaison
• Provide GT focused support to teachers and targeted SEL, enrichment, and extension opportunities for students in the GT Program
• Support students and collaborate with teachers with ALP development, creating meaningful and manageable ALPs and supports that align with a student’s body of evidence and / or post-secondary goals

Coaching : For the purposes of impacting teacher effectiveness

• GTAs are expected to observe, model, co-plan, and reflect with teachers to improve upon gifted best practices, instruction and student learning in the classroom.
• Lead the planning and implementation of the school’s GT Program Plan in relation to the Gifted & Talented Program Framework (including identification, ALPS, programming, etc.).
• Collaborate with teachers to integrate the framework into their classroom practices and problem solve for learners in the gifted program.
• Promote professional conversation and reflective thinking to increase teacher effectiveness.
• Provide strong, timely support to new teachers and teachers with GT learners in their classrooms.

Leadership and Professional Development

• Thought partner with principal and teachers to advance school change initiatives that focus on educator and student success.
• Provide instructional leadership to promote integrated thinking and intentional decision making connected to the school and district UIP and the school’s specific GT Program Plan.
• Keep current with Gifted & Talented evidenced based practices, this includes differentiation strategies, tiered interventions, and social and emotional learning.
• Apply facilitation skills, knowledge and experience to support adult learners’ development.
• Collaboratively develop / coordinate / facilitate school-based professional learning.
• Collaboratively ensure a rigorous standards based education for all students.

Education and Related Work Experience :

• At least 5 years of successful classroom teaching experience
• Experience in school leadership positions over the past three years, Gifted & Talented leadership experience preferred
• Completion of in-district advanced ELD training or equivalent coursework

Preferred Additional Qualifications :

• GT Metro Certificate or other advanced coursework related to GT certification
• Experience coaching / supporting classroom teachers
• Experience teaching Gifted & Talented learners

Licenses, Registrations or Certifications :

Possess or ability to obtain valid / appropriate Colorado Educator License. Gifted and Talented endorsement preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Background :

• Willingness to contribute to cultural diversity for educational enrichment.
• Willingness to participate in advanced coursework / professional learning focused on GT best practices for educators who do not currently possess an endorsement or a GT Metro Certificate.
• Effective communication and collaboration and interpersonal skills
• Ability to structure own time and manage multiple priorities
• Knowledge and understanding of current GT Best Practices - effective instructional and differentiation strategies for gifted and advanced learners
• Knowledge of neurodiverse learners, specifically those identified as Gifted & Talented
• Knowledge of adult learning, coaching, and facilitation skills
• Evidence of continued participation in professional development
• Basic knowledge of computing skills, technology integration and supporting software programs

SALARY INFORMATION (FOR EXTERNAL CANDIDATES) :

• Salary placement on our is dependent on the employees’ education and / or work experience
• Certified / licensed employees will be granted one (1) year for each full year of contractual and / or work experience up to a maximum of ten (10) years, which includes in-district and out-of-district contractual teaching and / or work experience.

Responsibility for verification of outside experience shall rest with the individual employee.

For further explanation of salary placement please refer to our Agreement that can be found on our district website.

BENEFITS INFORMATION :

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is committed to providing an environment that promotes a healthy employee population able to serve our students at the highest level.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision and life insurance as well as other programs for benefit eligible employees.

The employee assistance program, voluntary life insurance through PERA, and 401(k), 403(b) & 457(b) plans are available to all employees regardless of hours worked and are available immediately (upon hire date).