Nicholas Gaines Email & Phone Number

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Area

Leader of an elementary school serving 430 students in grades Kindergarten through five representing 11 different languages and the following demographics: 51% White, 25% Black, 9% Asian, 6% Hispanic, 10% two or more races, 51% low income, 12% with disability including a district Functional Life Skills programCommitment to goals focused on equity that have led to the following percentages of targeted subgroups meeting or exceeding projected growth on NWEA MAP:55% of African American students in reading (third highest in the district)62% of African American students in math (highest in the district)67% of students receiving special education services (highest in the district)Served on the District Administration PD Planning Team that creates and facilitates professional development for all district administratorsConsistent focus on social justice and culturally relevant education practices that have led to significant decreases in disproportionate discipline outcomes between black and white students, including a 64% reduction in the number of referrals received by black students from the year prior to my administration to the 2014-2015 school yearInfluential on the introduction of NWEA MAP interim assessment and recognized by district leadership and principal colleagues as a key thought partner in using assessment to measure student growthSelected to serve on the district Student Growth (PERA) pre-committeeInitiated and executed an effort to secure $29,000 in fundraising and $15,000 of grant funding to purchase and implement ST Math software in my first semester as principal, paving the way for two more district elementary schools to implement the software the following yearCreation of the district’s first Enrichment for All program to address historical inequities in enrichment program representation

Chicago, Il

Co-conceptualized and led the development of the Teacher as Architect Digital Resource Library–an on-demand professional development repository built to support 21st century instructional design and deliveryCreated professional development kits, designed to be utilized by instructional leaders, addressing: Common Core Standards; 21st century rigor; pedagogy and lesson design; curriculum mapping and unit planning; assessment and data analysis; and storing, managing and presenting with digital mediaTrained leaders and teachers across the country to leverage the Teacher as Architect collection to maximize teaching effectiveness in the digital world, utilizing 21st century instructional design and delivery

Chicago, Il

Led a traditional neighborhood school serving 250 students in grades Head Start through eight representing the following demographics: 100% African American, 98% low income, and 10.9% special educationIn partnership with the Achievement Network executed a full installation of a reading interim assessment model for grades three through eightMember of the Chief Education Officer Advisory Council, where I provided direct consultation to top district leadership in key decision makingIncreased percentage of students who met or exceeded state standards in Math by 11.2%, leading all of Area 13 in improvement in my first yearIn year two, 60% of students met or exceeded average growth in reading and math, as measured by NWEA MAP adaptive assessment Implemented the Additional Learning Opportunities pilot program which added 90 additional minutes of technology-based learning for every student, every day Increased student access to technology by quadrupling the number of student laptops from 30 to 120 at no cost to the schoolImproved compliance and practices in special education, resulting in the removal of inherited state monitoring and sanctionsLed school culture change that resulted in a 60% reduction in major behavioral referrals from year one to year two, along with a 40% reduction in student suspensionsSelected as an exemplar school for the CPS Positive Behavior Supports Expo, which highlighted Burke’s school culture leadership and improvements

Chicago, Il

Resident Principal at Lindblom Math & Science Academy and Barton School

Elgin, Il

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Area

(In Progress) Doctor Of Education - Edd, Educational Policy Organization And Leadership - Superintendency

Master Of Education - Med, Education Administration

Activities and Societies: New Leaders for New Schools Principal Residency - Cohort 9

Teacher Certification, Special Education

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Political Science And Government