NeQuai Watson
Newark,DE
Summary
Diligent Assistant Principal with proven track record in educational leadership and student development. Successfully implemented programs that enhanced student performance and supported teacher growth. Demonstrated ability to foster a collaborative environment and effectively manage administrative tasks. Seeking a challenging leadership position that would allow the utilization and advancement of my current skill set while providing exposure to my primary interest of district leadership. I hold a strong interest in leadership, specifically content instruction and school system management. I am goal-oriented, in addition to being a hard-working team player with great communication and problem-solving skills.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Academic Director/Assistant Principal
Empower Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
10.2018 - 01.2026
- Manages & supervises approximately 12 teachers across content areas, including regular coaching cycles, setting and reflecting on termly teacher development goals, the teacher evaluation, and, when necessary, the performance improvement process
- Coaches teachers through observation, feedback, co-teaching, real-time coaching, and lesson planning review
- Collaborates with the leadership team to identify academic priorities, set measurable goals to achieve priorities, and monitor progress towards goals
- Plans and leads PLCs, grade level, and/or content teams focused on intellectual preparation of standards-aligned content, reviewing student work and data to inform teaching, and identifying instruction, culture, and operations needs
- Collaborates with the network and cross-network colleagues to lead programmatic and curricular implementation at your school and to support network-wide professional development days
- Leads instructional initiatives as designated by the principal by providing academic support to students and small groups, including direct instruction as needed
- Collaborates with the culture team to provide support and training to teachers around behavioral systems and culturally relevant practices and with special populations leader to ensure all support services, related services and intervention needs of students are being met, including, but not limited to family communication, MTSS/RTI coordination and teacher oversight
- Oversees teacher-family connections, ensuring that direct reports are communicating, and being responsive to, families around academic and behavioral priorities
- Analyze school-wide and grade level data regularly in order to design responsive student interventions
Academic Coordinator
Empower Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
07.2023 - 12.2024
- Management & supervision of teachers and grade level teams, including the teacher evaluation and performance improvement process
- Provided school-wide, grade level, and individual professional development as needed
- Coordinated and lead meetings with grade level teams & coordinators to identify needs around instruction, culture, and operations and to execute on next steps
- Reviewed & supported lesson planning, ensuring ELA, Spanish and physical education team members have all materials necessary to provide quality instruction
- Supported with instructional initiatives as designated by the principal by providing academic support to students and small groups, including direct instruction as needed
- Provided support and training to teachers around behavioral systems and culture-relevant practices
- Ensured all support services, related services and intervention needs of students are being met, including, but not limited to family communication, revision of IEPs, CST coordination and teacher oversight
- Planned and supported instructional, non-classroom, initiatives such as family events/meetings, tutoring, after school clubs and field trips
Academic Manager
Empower Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
07.2022 - 06.2023
- Collaborated with the leadership team to identify academic priorities, set measurable goals to achieve priorities and monitor progress towards goals
- Made decisions that are strategic, intentional, and grounded in data
- Ensured that the science and physical education teacher’s professional development goals are being met through direct, targeted weekly coaching and observations
- Collaborated with the instructional leadership team to continually assess the development of instructional team members and execute on a differentiated approach to meet their needs
- Oversaw the systems, practices, and cycles of assessment and the constant use of data to drive student performance
- Carried out the school-wide annual priority plan and collaborated with fellow leaders to execute on the instructional vision and to set instructional expectations for teams
- Participated in the recruitment, selection and retention of staff
Excellence in Teaching Designee (Master Teacher)
Empower Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
08.2020 - 08.2022
- ETDs lead/contributed to school-based project designed in collaboration with the school principal (coaching teachers)
- Served as a model classroom for internal observations and video library
- Served as a classroom for piloting instructional practices
- Served as a spokesperson for instructional initiatives
- Served as a project lead for school-based initiatives
Science Content lead (Content coach)
Empower Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
05.2021 - 06.2022
- Conducted weekly observations and provide real-time feedback to teachers (two) during instruction
- Held teachers’ termly “reflections and goal setting meetings” with the support of the principal
- Facilitated assessment cycles including quality assurance of assessment materials with the support of school leadership
- Conducted deep analysis of data to lead effective data analysis meetings with teachers/content areas
- Monitored content area progress (across 6th, 7th, & 8th grades) against the school’s assessment cycle benchmarks
8th Grade Science (Living Environment) Teacher
Empower Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
10.2018 - 06.2022
- Ensured academic achievement and student character development.
- Lead taught, graded, prepared science materials for labs and managed the classroom.
- Created a positive, achievement-oriented and structured learning environment with a high “joy-factor”.
- Supported individual students through one-on-one conferencing or small group instruction.
7th Grade Team Leader
Empower Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
08.2019 - 06.2021
- Supported in the planning and implementation of school and team vision
- Facilitated and supported professional development- team oriented and school wide
- Facilitated cross team collaboration
8th Grade Science Teacher
Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
01.2017 - 06.2018
- Successfully hired as a Teaching Fellow and was promoted to Lead Teacher within six months.
- Effectively prepared engaging and inquiry-based lesson plans on NYS Living Environment and Next Generation Science Standards.
- Used differentiated instruction, to ensure that 90% of scholars were proficient on assessments.
- Served as transition lead for the grade level team to ensure urgent and efficient transitions.
7th Grade Math Teacher
Hairston Middle School (Teach for America)
Greensboro, NC
08.2016 - 12.2016
- Customized lesson plans through connecting objectives.
- Completed backwards planning and individual academic analysis aligned to the CCSS for three general education sections and one inclusion section.
- Served scholars with special learning needs.
- Served as an advisor for cohort of students to track academic progress, achievements and needs of improvement.
Education
Master of Science - Educational Leadership: SBL/SDL
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY12-2023
Master of Arts - Teaching, Dual Certification in Special education
Relay Graduate School of Education
Manhattan, NY05-2020
Bachelor of Science - Health Behavior Science, Minor in Disability Studies
University of Delaware
Newark05-2016
Skills
- Collaborative partnerships
- Teaching excellence
- Instructional leadership
- Faculty management
- Leadership development
- Project management
Certification
- Professional Certificate - Generalist in Middle Childhood Education, (Grades 5-9), NYSED
- Professional Certificate - Students with Disabilities (Grades 7-12), Generalist, NYSED
- Initial Certificate - School Building Leader, NYSED
Timeline
Academic Coordinator
Empower Charter School
07.2023 - 12.2024
Academic Manager
Empower Charter School
07.2022 - 06.2023
Science Content lead (Content coach)
Empower Charter School
05.2021 - 06.2022
Excellence in Teaching Designee (Master Teacher)
Empower Charter School
08.2020 - 08.2022
7th Grade Team Leader
Empower Charter School
08.2019 - 06.2021
Academic Director/Assistant Principal
Empower Charter School
10.2018 - 01.2026
8th Grade Science (Living Environment) Teacher
Empower Charter School
10.2018 - 06.2022
8th Grade Science Teacher
Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School
01.2017 - 06.2018
7th Grade Math Teacher
Hairston Middle School (Teach for America)
08.2016 - 12.2016
Master of Science - Educational Leadership: SBL/SDL
Brooklyn College
Master of Arts - Teaching, Dual Certification in Special education
Relay Graduate School of Education
Bachelor of Science - Health Behavior Science, Minor in Disability Studies
University of Delaware