About The Mind Trust

The Mind Trust was founded in 2006 to address the need for more high-quality public schools in Indianapolis, Indiana. Since then, The Mind Trust has developed four nonprofit and school launch initiatives that have received over 4,000 applications from entrepreneurs across 48 states and 36 countries. Through these incubators, The Mind Trust has successfully supported the launch of 15 education nonprofit organizations and more than 50 public charter and innovation network schools in Indianapolis that will serve more than 22,000 students at scale. Learn more at themindtrust.org/north-star-fellowship.

About the North Star Fellowship

To meet the need for more high-quality public school options, the North Star Fellowship was established in 2024. Programming is based on The Mind Trust's fellowship and investment tracks, which have supported the launch of more than 50 public charter and innovation network schools in Indiana. To ensure the fellowship builds on the strong work of the education sector in Connecticut and meets the needs of local students and families, The Mind Trust team works with Leaders for Educational Advocacy and Diversity (LEAD), a Connecticut-based education advocacy organization, and has included stakeholder engagement as an important and ongoing activity since the inception of the program.

"The North Star Fellowship gives school leaders the runway, the coaching, and the community connections to turn a bold vision into a thriving public charter school," says Georgia Lieber, Partner, North Star Fellowship at The Mind Trust.

North Star fellows are paid one or two full years of a competitive salary with healthcare and benefits. Additionally, fellows access a wide variety of supports, including:

• Personalized coaching and support from a network of educational and executive leaders.

• Collaboration with a cohort of education leaders who care deeply about community, possess similar goals, and come from diverse backgrounds.

• Opportunities to travel and engage with leaders at some of the nation’s most innovative schools.

• Access to expertise and feedback on the school development, Connecticut charter approval, launch, and local community engagement processes.

• Opportunities for ongoing support once the school is launched.

NORTH STAR FELLOWSHIP QUALIFICATIONS

A strong candidate for the North Star Fellowship will possess these qualities:

• Experience launching or leading a school, team, or project, including coaching adults to achieve outstanding results for students.

• A clear vision for a school that solves a real problem for students, grounded in evidence or firsthand classroom experience.

• An unwavering belief that all students and communities deserve the opportunity to thrive.

• An entrepreneurial drive that uses resilience, fortitude, and visionary solutions to overcome challenges.

• The ability to work in Connecticut by the start of the fellowship in late summer 2027.

Candidates who meet several but not necessarily all of these qualifications are still encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Stage 1:

Letter of Intent (LOI)

Letter of Intent Priority Deadline - November 30, 2026

Letter of Intent Regular Deadline - January 4, 2026

Stage 2:

Full Application (by invitation following LOI) - Deadline January 25, 2027

Stage 3:

Panel Interviews - TBA

Stage 4:

Final Selection Committee for Recommendations - TBA

Stage 5:

Offers to Selected Fellows - Spring 2027

Interested candidates are encouraged to complete their Letter of Intent early, allowing time for candidacy review and for submitting their Full Application ahead of the deadline. Candidates who successfully pass the initial Letter of Intent stage will be invited to submit a full application in late fall 2026 or early 2027. The Director of Talent Programs will share additional information as each phase progresses.

The Letter of Intent (LOI) serves as an opportunity for the selection committee to get to know candidates as individuals and their capacity to lead complex projects with a focus on school leadership, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. This is also a candidates first opportunity to introduce the selection committee to the school model and vision they have for their new school. Guidance on use of AI in The Mind Trust’s North Star Fellowship application process: AI can be a helpful tool, but we’re looking to deeply understand you, your perspective, and your unique experiences. Please make sure your responses reflect who you are. Submissions that read as generic or overly AI-generated will not be competitive.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions, which might include but are not limited to, remaining stationary for extended periods, occasional movement throughout the department, and occasional transport of objects weighing less than twenty pounds. This position requires the ability to communicate to exchange accurate information with others.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Mind Trust is committed to equal employment principles and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws and regulations. The terms and conditions of the employment relationship with all worksite employees are to be nondiscriminatory – without regard to age, race, physical characteristics historically associated with race, color, national origin or immigration status, citizenship, work authorization status or the period of such a status, ancestry, sex, gender, reproductive health decision making, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religious creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, HIV testing status, status as a victim of a crime or violence, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, or any other protected category or class that may be applicable to a candidate or employee.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.