Nakimia Hicks-Foster

Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship Academy

• Lead the first and only Dallas ISD Personalized learning High school, a school that is committed to strengthening and enriching student learning through innovative teaching methods that put the student and his or her own goals for the future at the center of all learning experiences, and empower students to identify and solve problems, bridge content across traditional “subject” domains, and develop an unshakable growth mindset.
• Support and develop the innovative mindset in teachers and students using design processes, modeling teaching practices that challenge traditional norms and assumptions using new strategies and/or iteration or remix of existing strategies.
• Provide inspiration and support for faculty and students in developing and implementing new innovative learning opportunities. Connect with teachers individually to support each teacher’s innovation growth from their own starting point and at their own pace. Publicly celebrate attempts, successes, and failures in new endeavors.
• Support development of a community-wide common language around innovation, including faculty, students, families, and local community. Reach out to “outside” community to collaborate and form partnerships.
• Create safe physical and emotional spaces for teachers to explore and develop innovative learning opportunities. Support a cultural shift towards more collaboration and less competition among faculty.
• Collect data and track innovation growth throughout the school to support connections, monitor patterns, and provide example cases to others. Data might consist of qualitative project examples and specific feedback from teachers, students, and families, as well as quantitative numbers of students served and events held.
• Developed Outcomes Based Portrait of Graduate to identify outcomes expected for graduates of IDEA that include 21st century skills, character traits and social emotional competencies.
• Create a program that supports the whole student focused on three priorities: Personalized Learning | Social Emotional Learning | Social Entrepreneurship
• Provide programs that support college and readiness: Pre-AP | Advanced Placement | Concurrent Enrollment with UT Austin | Dual Credit with El Centro | Industry Certifications | Internship Program | Mentoring Program
• Established instructional practices driven by statistical performance data.

Highlights

• Through Restorative Practices, Community Circles, Daytime School Clubs, and Advisory training supporting teachers in the improvement of student perception based on favorable survey data in my first year as Principal :
• Classroom Environment 92% (+11) | Expectations and Rigor 90% (+13) | Pedagogical Effectiveness 89% (+14) | Supportive Relationships 86% (+19) | Student Engagement 80% (+23) | http://bit.ly/2PaQ5Lb (Press Release)
• Based on Dallas ISD School Performance Framework in first year moved campus from C-Competing to a B-Breakthrough Campus.
• Texas Education Agency Rating: B | Improving in Student Achievement and Closing Achievement Gaps in Year 1.
• Improved organizational health | Beliefs and Priorities (96% Positive) | Culture of Feedback and Support (95% Positive)
• Awarded 100K from Sam's for Makerspace. | http://bit.ly/SAMSGrant (Press Release)
• Highlighted and featured in Texas Learning Exchange : New Learning Models Library 2021 | https://bit.ly/3qZf5TC
• Awarded Prestigious National Academy Foundation (NAF) Achievement Designation of Distinguished for our Academy of Finance.
• Planned, Created and opened the Academy of Information Technology with existing Teaching Team. Set to be distinguished after 1 year in existence.
• Awarded Revamped Finance Academy and was awarded Distinguished National Academy
• School mentioned (2021) in Forbes article for our learning model | http://bit.ly/Forbes21IDEA
• Facilitate Educator Tours to help other practitioners begin the journey to Personalized Learning. | http://bit.ly/3aXDtzx (Press Release)
• Dallas ISD Request for Proposal Committee: College Access Programs 2019
• Raise Your Hand Texas Blended Learning Grant Principal Committee for Dallas ISD - 2020
• Design Team for Innovation Rubric - Office of Transformation and Innovation 2020
• 2019 AVID Leadership Award - Dallas ISD AVID
• Birdville ISD: 12 Days of Innovation Presenter discussing Personalized Learning during a Pandemic | http://bit.ly/BISD12Days
• College Success Gold Award Finalist 2021| From Great schools :which celebrates schools that have a multiyear track record of preparing students to succeed in college, based on college enrollment, persistence, and remediation data.
• Designated an Amazon Future Engineer School in 2019.
• Implemented School Travel Program with EF Tours. Students have traveled to Rome, Paris, and China for Service Learning Projects.

Thomas Jefferson High School

• Supervised and evaluated teaching and support staff through instructional leadership and professional development.
• Served as an instructional leader by monitoring implementation of professional development in classrooms and grade level/content area meeting in accordance to the school improvement plan.
• Implemented and monitor school-wide behavioral expectations and policies including monitoring attendance trends and overseeing truancy interventions; address safety and welfare issues by holding meetings with parents, investigating incidents, documenting findings, contacting proper authorities and conforming to legal requirements and regulations.
• Created partnerships with parents and community.
• Supervised employees including serving as an instructional leader assigning and directing work, interviewing, evaluating performance, disciplining and resolving issues.
• Implemented instructional and assessment strategies by attending meetings, facilitating discussions amongst teachers and staff and working with the Principal and District & Campus Instructional Coaches to plan professional development.
• Addressed building management concerns by working with the custodial staff, office staff, teachers and District staff including implementing school-wide safety and emergency protocols.
• Collected and analyze student assessment data.
• Collaborated and develop master schedule.
• Planned, scheduled and coordinated school projects
• Coordinated special education compliance, assists in the design development and delivery of special programs and services appropriate for 9-12 students with disabilities including ARD/IEP Meetings.
• Resolved student issues by meeting with students, parents, teachers and other school staff and designing a plan of action.
• Supervised the Community Based Instruction/18+program pilot program to support transition of students who receive Special Education services.
• Developed campus based PD for improvement of support to Special Education students in Self Contained and Mainstream.
• Supervised athletic events by attending events, monitoring student behavior, providing officials with necessary information.
• Collaborated, Developed, and Approved campus testing plans with Testing coordinator and process for STAAR, TELPAS, ACT, SAT, ASVAB, and TSI.

Additional Assignments:

• Assisted in creation of flexible Master schedule system and restructured school lunch schedule to accommodate increased enrollment with benefit of improved student behavior.
• Assisted in the scheduling of ELL, ELI students including interventions such as Fast Forward and Achieve 3000.
• Assisted in development of school wide Advisory Program that fostered College and Career readiness, STAAR EOC remediation, and Guidance Lessons.
• Developed Attendance for Credit process for grades 9-12 including monitoring of credit denial and restoration that improved campus attendance data.
• Developed campus Truancy process to monitor Truancy for Level 1, 2, 3, and 4 which includes monitoring reports in SAMS.
• Monitored and developed campus RTI, SST and 504 processes including attending meetings.
• Developed Return from Village Fair/ DAEP process to monitor campus recidivism and support at-risk students
• Administrator
• Monitor and Evaluate the Counselors, and the counseling program using ICES and weekly collaborative meetings
• Monitor and evaluate Registrars and Data Controllers.
• Consult with and monitor Communities in School Program, Academic Success Program (ASP) and Upward Bound Program.
• Lead the College and Career Committee including Scholarships, FAFSA, FAFSA, and Apply Texas rate.
• Collaborate with lead counselor in IGC initiatives to improve graduation rate.
• Monitor, Evaluate & Supervise the campus CTE programs: Academy of Hospitality Tourism, Culinary Program, Academy of Finance, and Academy of Engineering.
• Develop innovative course sequences to provide students with opportunities to earn industry certifications.

Highlights

• Dallas ISD Leadership Development Fellows Academy (AP Fellow) 2014-2015
• Grant recipient for the Marcellus STAAR intervention and financial literacy program for students that received special education service.
• Led intervention initiative for EL's using a Personalized Learning Tutoring Program FEV Tutor.
• Created, planned, and opened the Academy of Engineering in 2015 through the National Academy Foundation.
• Developed and led advisory board and steering committees for our various academies.
• Developed various partnerships for the campus: Marriott Hotels- Courtyard | Marriott, Southwest Airlines | Junior Achievement | Chase Bank | Wells Fargo Bank | CA Pone | Texas Instruments |
• Developed programs and monitoring systems that improved achievement data in Special Education and EL students.

George H.W. Bush Elementary School

• Facilitate the intellectual and processional development of teachers with the goal of expanding proficiency, creating classroom instructional excellence and improving the overall performance of students PK-5 in General Education, Special Education, One Way and Two Way dual bilingual programs for all content teachers and grade levels.
• Create positive relationships with teachers and administrators.
• Communicate and demonstrate research-based instructional practices that result in increased student performance and improved classroom environment.
• Communicate effectively with all members of the school district and community.
• Encourage professional growth and provide organized, individual and/or group learning opportunities for teachers.
• Assist teachers with designing instructional decisions based on assessment data and culturally responsive practices.
• Assist teachers in creating materials that are in alignment with curriculum.
• Instruct and support teachers with curriculum software products, and classroom/curriculum related technologies.
• Provide support in analyzing student assessment data.
• Support, implement and assess various instructional programs and program effects on student achievement. Participates in goal/plan setting and evaluation.
• Developed campus professional development calendar
• Facilitated data meetings
• Vertical and horizontal instructional planning support
• Monitored intervention programs such as Reasoning Mind, Think through Math and iStation.
• Instructional Coaching, Model Teaching/Demo Lessons and Feedback
• Individual discussions (Formal and Informal)
• Prepare materials such as common assessments, anchor charts, classroom environment checklist.
• Assist teachers with specific classroom activities when requested.
• Provide support for classroom motivation and management strategies.
• Collaborates with building principals and Title 1 staff to conduct needs assessment and plan for and monitor Title 1 programs.
• Provide assistance in researching instructional and/or curriculum issues.
• Attend workshops/conferences to learn about new innovative instructional strategies.

Dallas ISD | Central Staff

• Provide technical assistance and training to district Vocational Compliance Teachers and Special Education teachers requiring support for curriculum and instruction implementation.
• Work collaboratively with transition and vocational services staff to identify instructional needs and staff development guidelines for transition and vocational programs
• Research and develop processes and tools to support transition and vocational services for students with disabilities
• Create and review transition/vocational goals and objectives for students with disabilities and provide transition planning services for students served at magnet schools and residential facilities
• Participate in vocational/transition curriculum development, instructional methodology and training initiatives
• Serve as a curriculum and instruction resource person to special education and general education teachers
• Conduct campus visits to observe students in their educational setting and complete required classroom visit documentation
• Develop and implement professional development initiatives geared toward improvement of identified areas such as transition assessment, vocational assessment, and IEP development
• Network with local adult service providers and agencies to facilitate viable postsecondary support and services for students receiving special education services

Highlights

• 2012-2013 Dallas ISD Special Education Director Administrative Intern
• Dallas ISD Special Education Transition Curriculum Developer 2013
• Created the district transition training for Indicator 13 used from 2013-2018 in Dallas ISD
• Created Specialized units Course Sequence Flow Chart used from 2013-2017 in Dallas ISD
• Provided Transition support for magnet schools, residential facilities and Hospital Homebound
• Attended Texas Education Agency Conservator Meetings for Indicator 13 and 14
• Led Transition Clinics and Workshops to support Indicator 13 compliance

Boude Storey Middle School

• Delivered effective and differentiated classroom instruction to range of neurodiverse students.
• Modified general education curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and technologies.
• Incorporated home activities to supplement classroom lessons.
• Coordinated special education students and teacher assistant schedules with master schedule.
• Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support (PBS).
• Collaborated with students with multiple degrees of special needs to accomplish various tasks.
• Worked in self-contained |FL, inclusion, and resource environments to teach students variety of skills.
• Collaborate with students, parents, and other members of staff to develop IEP through the ARD Committee process for each student assigned.
• Implement an instructional, therapeutic, or skill development program for assigned students and show written evidence of preparation as required.
• Plan and use appropriate instructional and learning strategies, activities, materials, and equipment that reflect understanding of the learning styles and needs of students assigned.
• Work cooperatively with classroom teachers to modify regular curricula as needed and assist special education students in regular classes with assignments.
• Conduct assessment of student learning styles and use results to plan for instructional activities.
• Present subject matter according to guidelines established by IEP.
• Employ a variety of instructional techniques and media to meet the needs and capabilities of each student assigned.
• Plan and supervise assignments for teacher aide(s) and volunteer(s).
• Use technology in teaching/learning process
• Conduct ongoing assessments of student achievement through formal and informal testing.
• Provide or supervise personal care, medical care, and feeding of students as stated in IEP.

Highlights

• Served 5 years as a teacher and duties included participating in the Campus Instructional Leadership Team (CILT) for 4 years.
• Supervised Credit Recovery program for students that were behind to assist with grade promotion.
• Served as Special Education department chair and member of the Principal's Executive Leadership team which focused on improvement of campus instruction, Special Education Services and Attendance Truancy.
• Member of the BOC and FSAC committees for 3 years.
• Taught in Centralized unit for 3 years all content with various levels of students providing differentiated instruction based on students preferences, interests, needs, and strengths.
• Taught 2 years as Inclusion Teacher in Math and English Language Arts.
• Developed Youth in Court program and Student Hallway Patrol to assist in discipline and recidivism.
• Collaborated with CILT to develop and implement a plan that improved 2011-2012 SPED Math and Reading Scores and resulted in removal from AYP in those areas for Special Education. | Math Scores 47% Increase | Reading Scores 31% Increase

Career Design and Development Services (CDDS)

• Supervised program that provided community integration opportunities for adult consumers with intellectual disabilities to choose careers and community life styles.
• Prepared the coordination and direction of the Home and Community Based Services (HCS) and Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) Service Coordination unit, including operational and administrative responsibilities; service coordinators, and continuity of care, in accordance with operational standards and Texas Administrative Code (TAC).
• Performed general tasks of providing effective clinical and managerial leadership.

• Worked with adults with intellectual disabilities to help with understanding and overcoming personal, social or behavioral problems affecting educational or vocational situations.
• Prepared adults with intellectual disabilities for later educational experiences by encouraging exploration of learning opportunities and perseverance through challenging tasks.
• Planned and promoted career and employment-related programs and events such as career planning presentations, work experience programs and career workshops.
• Instructed individuals in career development techniques, such as job search and application strategies, resume writing and interview skills.
• Managed quality assurance program, including on-site evaluations, internal audits and customer surveys.
• Created individual work plans for each clients.
• Performed duties in accordance with all applicable standards, policies and regulatory guidelines to promote safe working environment.

• Utilized exemplary negotiation skills to obtain manufacturing service agreements and assure quality standards.
• Created highly researched and articulate legal paperwork such as pleadings, contracts and briefs.
• Assisted with client interviews took meticulous notes for inclusion in reports.
• Answered client calls to respond to inquiries, using open-ended questioning skills to attain applicable information.
• Maintained ongoing communication with opposing parties from discovery to trial phase to facilitate expeditious litigation.
• Communicated with outside vendors on behalf of attorneys and legal departments.
• Managed billable hour tracking, payroll, client invoicing and schedules for attorney office.
• Developed polished legal documents, including motions and briefs, to support litigation processes and court proceedings.
• Assisted counsel in preparing answers, providing documentation and information for discovery request.
• Directed and coordinated law office activities, including service of subpoenas and scheduling of depositions.
• Conferred with clients and other involved parties to gather and track case information.
• Negotiated settlements on behalf of firm clients with Insurance agencies and other parties bringing offers to the attorneys and client for approval or denial.