Talent Pathways
Grow Your Career at KIPP Nashville
KIPP Nashville Talent Pathways
Our leadership development pathways work and provide opportunities for internal candidates to grow in the next step of their careers. In the 2022-2023 school year, all three of our principal vacancies were filled by leaders who participated in and completed our Principal in Residence program and 68% of school-based leadership roles were filled by internal candidates.
Kayla’s Career Journey
“When I joined KIPP Nashville in 2019, I was asked multiple times by my manager where I saw myself in the next three to five years. I am grateful that she asked this question because it pushed me to think about my career trajectory and what I truly wanted for myself. When I eventually named for her that I wanted to be a Principal, she made every intentional move to develop me as a leader and ensure that the skills that I gained were aligned to my long-term goals. KIPP Nashville is intentional. Development is a priority. That’s the secret sauce!”
Career path
- 2019 – Director of Operations in Residence
- 2020 – Director of Operations and Principal in Residence
- 2021 – Principal in Residence
- 2022 – Principal at KIPP Academy Nashville
Matt’s Career Journey
“My career trajectory is the result of working with coaches and managers who supported me in pursuing my own aspirations. Picture where you want to be in your career in a year. Five years. Ten. That can happen here, and we’ll help you get there.”
Career path
- 2015 – Physics teacher & Assistant Men’s Varsity Basketball Coach
- 2016 – Physics teacher, Instructional Coach, Assistant Men’s Varsity Basketball Coach
- 2017 – Physics teacher and 9th Grade Level Chair
- 2018 – Physics Teacher, Instructional Coach, Science Department Chair, and Co-Head Women’s Varsity Basketball Coach
- 2019 – Physics Teacher, Instructional Coach, Science Department Chair, and Head Women’s Varsity Basketball Coach
- 2020 – Assistant Principal – STEM
- 2021 – Principal in Residence, Year 1
- 2022 – Principal in Residence, Year 2
Tasia’s Career Journey
“I feel like I’ve been afforded the opportunity to live my purpose here at KIPP Nashville. I’ve enjoyed always being able to be my authentic self and have benefited from great leaders who have trusted me to use my unique skills and talents to do what’s best for children and families. Throughout my years at KNCP, I have been able to grow and develop and most importantly, given the opportunity to meet the needs of our school community. If you are someone who wants to grow, thrives off of feedback and hard work and wants to take initiative, KIPP is definitely the place to pursue your career.”
Career path
- 2014 – School Counselor
- 2019 – Dean of Students
Elizabeth’s Career Journey
“I never expected to stay in education for this long, more or less the same school where I began my teaching career. However, I grew to love my school community and am glad that I have stayed. I think that the skills I learned in a previous year really helped prepare me for the skills I would need the following year whether, instruction, content, or culture related. KIPP Nashville has allowed the space for me to grow and learn in a variety of ways over the years. I have been able to help lead new efforts around diversity and inclusion as well as literacy instruction. Beyond that, I have made a number of lifelong friends along the way.”
Career path
- 2015-2017 – Kindergarten Teacher
- 2017-2020 – Third Grade Teacher
- 2020-2022 – Interventionist and Instructional Coach for Kindergarten and First Grade Associate Teachers
- 2022 – Assistant Principal
Teacher Residency Programs
The mission of the Associate Teacher Pathway is to multiply student learning and growth in KIPP Nashville schools. We offer a one-year on-ramp for aspiring teachers to have the classroom and school experience they need to become excellent Lead Teachers and disrupt inequity in Music City.
As Associate Teachers Grow…So Do Students
Licensure & Master’s
In partnership with the Relay Graduate School of Education, the Associate Teacher Pathway offers aspiring teachers a unique opportunity to receive high-quality training at a KIPP Nashville school while pursuing teacher licensure and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT). Tuition is fully subsidized by KIPP Nashville over the course of three years.
One Year On-Ramp
Each Associate Teacher is paired with a high-performing KIPP teacher who serves as a mentor and advisor for the year. Using an intentional gradual release model, Associate Teachers gradually take on more responsibility over the course of the year. This allows Associate Teachers to get daily practice in small and whole group settings in a highly supportive environment.
Developing YOU
Associate Teachers receive weekly, individualized coaching. KIPP Nashville fully commits to the growth and development of Associate Teachers with the explicit goal that, upon successful completion of the initial year, each will move into a Lead Teaching role at KIPP Nashville.
Master Teacher Recognition Program
The KIPP Nashville Master Teacher Program is designed to identify, reward, and learn from KIPP Nashville’s most impactful teachers. Through this program, we aim to expand opportunities for exceptional educators to stay in the classroom and be rewarded rather than needing to leave the classroom for advancement and recognition, and deepen a shared vision of exceptional teaching across the KIPP Nashville region to raise our collective impact on our KIPPsters.
Master Teachers at KIPP Nashville have demonstrated exceptional results with students at our schools, demonstrate strong overall mastery of the Instructional Excellence Rubric, uphold the core values of Growth, Team, and Shine and enthusiastically open their doors to colleagues from across the region, allowing others to learn from the best of the best.
Principal Residency
The KIPP Nashville Principal in Residence program is a one or two-year, regionally-operated residency to prepare aspiring principals in the adaptive, technical, and managerial skills to lead a KIPP Nashville school as either a Successor or a Founder. Those in the one-year program are on an accelerated track to become a Successor at the school at which they are placed or a Founder at a school in the community they will found in. Those in the two-year program are placed in schools with Mentor School Leaders.
PIRs are full-time members of their residency school leadership teams and will have daily opportunities to practice the skills and competencies required to lead high-performing schools.
Director of Operations Residency
The KIPP Nashville Director of Operations Residency program is a one or two-year pathway to readiness program for a Director of Operations role. Candidates will be coached and mentored by senior operations leaders on a monthly basis and directly managed and coached by a Director of Operations. Moreover, it includes monthly and quarterly regional development sessions with operations teammates centered around skill development, resource sharing, and networking.
Attending the program grants access to numerous hands-on leadership opportunities for those looking to grow their career at KIPP.