Ember Charter School

New Hire Onboarding Journal • Days 1–4

DAY 1: Immersion & Purpose

Core Lens: Critical Thinking & Socratic Inquiry

Instructions: Complete your classroom walkthrough observations live. Ensure your Anchor Inquiry paragraph reflections are written completely before your afternoon Micro-Conference.

Part 1: Campus Walkthrough Observations

Classroom / Setting Observations & Notes	Questions Surfaced

Part 2: Ecosystem Driving Questions

Required Element: Author one unique live driving inquiry question for each row/domain you shadow today instead of following a script.

Domain 1 Question:

Domain 2 Question:

DAY 1: Anchor Inquiries & Purpose Alignment

Question 1: What is our organizational purpose? (Answer against Ember's Mission & Vision)

Question 2: Where today did you see the vision—a school that is fun, holistic, college-successful, career-ready, community-centered, culturally rich and relevant—actually show up?

Question 3: Which specific phrase in Ember's mission lands most personally for you, and why?

Part 4: Purpose-Driven Inquiry Loop

Self-Reflection & Curiosity: Based on today's focus on Purpose, craft 1–2 lingering questions that explore your personal alignment, curiosity, or gaps in understanding regarding Ember's mission and vision.

DAY 2: Embedded Practice & Identity

Core Lens: Mindfulness, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), & Economically Relevant Pedagogy (ERP)

Part 1: Track-Menu Rotation & Help-Seeking Log

Rotation Domain Observations (Note ambiguous or under-scripted elements)	Help-Seeking Tracker (Who did you ask, when, and why?)

Part 2: Day 2 Anchor Inquiries

Core Anchor: What are the characteristics and attributes of the social entrepreneurs, engineers, and global leaders we seek to cultivate?

Companion 1: Which three attributes did you personally witness in a student, family member, or colleague today?

Companion 2: Which leadership attribute do you feel you most need to grow in yourself to model it for others?

Part 3: Identity-Driven Inquiry Loop

Self-Reflection & Curiosity: Grounded in today's focus on internal identity, craft 1–2 questions exploring how your individual capabilities or future growth areas intersect with Ember's organizational purpose.

DAY 3: Embedded Practice & Frameworks

Core Lens: Neuropedagogy, Choice & Agency, & Visualizing & Verbalizing (V&V)

Part 1: Domain Rotation & Executive Functioning Notes

Focus: Record how executive functioning, agency, or communication needs surface in your assigned rotation settings today.

Logged Domain & Interaction Notes	Buddy Check-in Notes

Part 2: Day 3 Anchor Inquiries

Core Anchor: What knowledge, skills, mindsets, and practices are most efficacious in nurturing the "becoming" of the people who best embody and live these key attributes?