Hello from the new HM

Hello, everyone! As you probably heard by now, our beloved Seraphol has stepped down as Headmaster, and I have been selected to take up the charge of the Shadow Academy. I’m grateful for the opportunity and thankful to Sera for all the work he did as HM, for putting up with me as his Praetor, and for his encouragement to pursue this opportunity. I’m also excited to get started and to continue to work with the amazing group of professors and docents that make the SA actually happen to bring our members the best experience we can.

I'll have more details on those plans in my first "official" report, but first - I need help!

Our current Magistrates have done an excellent job helping to complete the audit, revising and writing some of the new courses you’ve seen recently, and even stepping in to temporarily fill a Professor role during the transition between HMs. Unfortunately, Xantros' term has ended and Aeternus has decided to step down due to time constraints.

In light of the fact that the Shadow Academy is in need of a full staff and a new professor (that’s four open spots!), I wanted to get this pre-but-not-at-all-brief report out quickly to say hello and begin the hiring process.

Hiring

I’ll be looking for some different things in each role to help achieve some of the exciting things we have planned for the future of the Academy, so be sure to read the job descriptions carefully as they are not your standard grading positions. Also feel free to contact me on Telegram with questions about any of the roles.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to learn a little more about how the Shadow Academy operates or to put your hand to some different projects to help better the club and improve the member experience (and earn some shinies along the way), I encourage you to apply!

Note that none of these positions will be on a time-based rotation, but I will look to rotate staff as major projects get completed to bring in new members, ideas and skill sets.

All applications should clearly identify the position(s) you’re interested in and be in my inbox by Saturday, May 23.

Job Openings

• Praetor
  
• Magistrate A: New Member Focus
  
• Magistrate B: Star Wars Lore Focus
  
• Professor of Combat & Gaming
  

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Praetor

For the Praetor position, I’m looking for a strong right-hand (wo)man to assist in my duties as Headmistress and to help implement some major projects planned for the future of the Shadow Academy. You’ll work with our Magistrates and Professors to keep projects moving and communication lines flowing, but you’ll also have your own projects, which may include: course writing, assisting with the fictional development of the Shadow Academy and its society and helping to identify and assist “experts” in and outside the SA-staff to develop some new offerings for our members (more on that later!).

Primary Focus: Course, Degree & Fictional Development

Requirements:

• Strong writing, proofing and editing skills with an eye for quality and readability
  
• Understanding or willingness to quickly learn Wiki and Markdown (we have courses for that!)
  
• Leadership experience and strong project and team management skills
  
• 24-hour or better turnaround time on all communication
  
• Brilliant ideas
  

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Magistrates

While the Shadow Academy Magistrates will do some of the same work (to include occasional grading of exams that pass the 24-hour turnaround mark) and are encouraged to collaborate on projects, I’m giving them each a different focus and am thus looking for different skill sets for each, so please let me know in your application if you’re applying only for a specific position or would like to be considered for both.

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Magistrate A

As part of the Shadow Academy’s role to welcome and develop new members, I will be hiring one Magistrate specifically dedicated to our new and returning members. So, if you’re a people person or someone who has recently joined the Brotherhood and walked through that process of learning to navigate our systems and you think you might have some insight to help others, this position could be a great fit for you.

Though there is no minimum rank, I will be looking for an applicant that has passed the majority of our Fundamentals courses.

Primary Focus: New Members

Unique Responsibilities:

• Monitor the auto-graded Fundamentals courses to proactively welcome and assist new or returning members.
  
• Assist in identifying exceptional new students and suggesting ways to celebrate their accomplishments.
  
• Track changes in Brotherhood systems that would require updates to our Fundamentals courses and assist in any necessary revisions.
  
• Contribute ideas and content as needed for new or revised Fundamental courses.
  

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Magistrate B

In the spirit of the Shadow Academy as a vast archive of knowledge, the focus of the second Magistrate will be on helping our members explore the thankfully growing world of Star Wars through various Shadow Academy-hosted activities. There will be some latitude in how this is approached, so I’m not only looking for a “true fan” with nerd-level knowledge of our fictional universe, but also someone with ideas on how to spread that hype.

Primary Focus: Star Wars Lore

Unique Responsibilities

• Keep tabs on updates to Star Wars lore and help keep Professors aware of changes that might benefit or require changes to existing courses or departments
  
• Help create and run competitions designed to introduce or explore interesting Star Wars lore through fiction, trivia, art or gaming
  

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Professor of Gaming & Combat

The Department of Gaming & Combat has a number of courses that are due for rewriting. It is also a department that will see some evolution in terms of its purpose and organization. So, in addition to the standard job description and requirements for Professors, I’m looking to hire an applicant with the following qualifications:

• A strong interest and/or knowledge about the course topics, which include (canon) Star Wars weapons, armors, starships, vehicles and general combat and warfare
  
• Ideas to help update the department, including integration with relevant DB systems like character sheet skills and possessions
  
• A willingness to engage with students to provide helpful feedback and to help identify and recognize any exceptional work submitted through the exams
  

Note that you will not be required to rewrite the courses that need it in your department if hired, but an ability and willingness to contribute to that effort would certainly be advantageous.

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A Note on Applications

Please don't let the prospect of writing an application deter you from applying if you think you may be a good fit! I'm looking for the best people for the job, not the best application writers. Just read the job description carefully and then let me how you think you meet those qualifications or expectations. I'm also happy to discuss applications via Telegram, so don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.

Darkness guide,

Ciara Tearnan Rothwell Tarentae
Headmistress of the Shadow Academy