Nick Gesualdi

As the Director of Operations, I serve on the leadership team and support the management of the two buildings that comprise the Eliot.

• Test Coordinator for PARCC computer assessments (both EOY and PBA)
• Co-created innovative school schedule, piloting "E-Cycles" where students have targeted, intensive opportunities to work on particular subject areas
• Managed the interviewing and hiring of thirteen new teachers
• Coordinated the NAEYC accreditation process at our school
• Managed the Friends of the Eliot 501(c)3 non-profit foundation that supports teaching and learning at the Eliot

I worked closely with the leadership team of Lincoln K-8 School in Evansville, IN. Lincoln is a chronically underperforming turnaround school. I also participated and wrote school readiness reports for several other underperforming schools in the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Schools.

• Led the school improvement planning process, provided strategic input and support around whole school professional development sessions and direction
• Developed individual teacher coaching strategies at Lincoln School
• Built capacity through administrative team coaching and creation of school improvement tools/systems to facilitate school growth

When I arrived in 2010, Orchard Gardens was a chronically performing Level 4 turnaround school; when I left in 2013, it was a Level 1 school. I taught 6th and 8th grade social studies to a 100% minority and 100% free-lunch population. I also served as the Director of Partnerships where I managed Citizen Schools and other key partners in support of our work.

• Orchard Gardens had the highest middle school academic growth in Massachusetts during my tenure (2010-2013)
• Personally features as a teacher on NBC Nightly News, NPR, and Teach.gov
• Facilitated a transition to Google Apps services (@orchardgardensk8.org) to support data collection and dissemination amongst staff
• Built a new website for the school

KIPP Houston High School was rated by US News & World Report as the 16th ranked public school in the US (2007)

Public, Title I charter high school (90% free/reduced lunch and 98% minority population)

2008-9 - Exit Level Social Studies TAKS Mean – 2403 (Commended score was 2400); 100% of individual students passed (52% commended)

2009-10 - Exit Level Social Studies TAKS Mean – 2413 (Commended score was 2400); 100% of individual students passed (63% commended)

AP US History passage rate better than national average for minority students (17%)

Varsity Boys Baseball Coach (2009, 2010), Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball Coach (2010)

Teach For America (AmeriCorps) 2008 Houston Corps Member

Was responsible for the pedagogical development, training and management of eleven new Corps Member at the Philadelphia Summer Institute

• Led professional development sessions on instruction, behavior management, lesson planning, and assessment creation
• Routinely completed observation and coaching cycles with each Corps Member (minimally once per week) and created tailored development plans based on data analysis

Reviewed Promise Neighborhood Planning Grant proposals

Recipient of the Teach for America Scholarship and the Murray-Cunningham Scholarship