Job Description

Description: Baystate Academy Charter Public School (BACPS) is a  college preparatory, expeditionary learning charter school in Springfield, MA, which opened its doors to students in the Fall of 2013. BACPS is providing rigorous academic standards and educational opportunities rooted in health sciences to students in grades 6 – 12. Through unique partnerships with Baystate Health, Springfield Technical Community College, and Expeditionary Learning, BACPS will prepare students to enter the world of higher education and health careers with scientific knowledge, ethics, integrity, and compassion.

BACPS is seeking dynamic, talented, and dedicated teachers in all subject areas to join the team. Teachers will serve as the primary teacher in a single subject area, collaborate with grade level teams to implement an inquiry-based, standards-based curriculum and serve as Crew Leaders to a crew (group of students.) Teachers will participate in continuous assessment of students including on-going targeted feedback, student-led conferences, and end-of-unit exhibitions. Teachers will collaborate with school principal, dean of students, and curriculum coach in designing project-based expeditions as well as family workshops and events, and be responsible for implementing and integrating new policies and services that support the school’s mission and instructional objectives.

Key responsibilities:
• Teaches subject area according to curriculum guidelines specified by the charter school
• Further develops and refines a high-level, challenging curriculum in subject area
• Maintains ongoing curriculum evaluation and development to meet the needs of students
• Collaborates with other faculty in delivery of appropriate instructional approaches and best practices, working to serve the various learning styles and needs of students
• Implements curriculum and instruction in a manner consistent with BACPS mission statement, including understanding, modeling, and fostering independent thinking skills, creative problem solving, and abstract reasoning
• Facilitates and mediates positive and restorative resolution of problems that might arise with students and/or parents
• Assesses student performance continuously and objectively
• Develops with parents and students a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and objectivity
• Holds parent/student/teacher conferences in a manner consistent with BACPS guidelines
• Participates in all professional development activities
• Participates in all staff meetings including school governance
• Demonstrates awareness of school/community needs and initiates activities to meet those identified needs
• May perform other projects and duties as directed by principal Administer diagnostic and state mandated assessments of English Language Learners.
• Evaluate, determine goals for and track progress of individual English language learners, and communicate with faculty, students and families.
• Maintain ELL records in accordance with DESE standards.

Support students:
• Provide direct ESL instruction to small groups of students and/or provide inclusion support for ELA classes containing ELL students, based on case load.
• Work specifically with ELL students during assigned periods of the day on helping to access general education curriculum and build ELA skills.
• Support student use of additional technology-enhanced learning tools to support ELL students’ language acquisition.
Support teachers:
• Advise teachers on modifying/accommodating curriculum for ELL students and share best practices to ensure high quality sheltered content instruction is provided.
• Be an active member of the Baystate State Academy Charter Public School community
• Demonstrate a relentless drive to improve the growth minds, characters & lives of students both in and out of school.
• Show unwavering commitment to urban youth achieving greatness.
• Create a positive, structured learning environment to ensure that students observe the school’s core values, high expectations, and strict code of conduct.
• Use assessment data to refine curriculum and inform instructional practices.
• Provide consistent rewards and/or consequences for student behavior to ensure that students observe the school’s core values, high expectations, and strict code of conduct.
• Share responsibility for grade-level and school-wide activities.
• Exhibit resilience to persevere and turn challenges into opportunities.
• Focus constantly on student learning, thinking critically and strategically to respond to student learning needs.
• Communicate effectively with students, families, and colleagues.
• Engage families in their children’s education.
• Commit to continual professional growth, participating actively in department meetings, faculty meetings, and other meetings.
• Participate in an annual two-week staff orientation and training.
• May perform other projects and duties as directed by principal

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree is required; Master’s degree is preferred.
• MA ESL certification is required. (Candidates who are in process of acquiring their license will be considered)
• Bilingual English/Spanish desirable
• El Education experience preferred
• Drive to improve the minds and lives of students in and out of the classroom.
• Evidence of self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.
• Belief in and alignment with Uncommon Schools’ core beliefs and educational philosophy.
• Proven ability to manage a classroom.
• Ferocious work ethic
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Commitment to self-reflection
• Intellectual curiosity.
• Proven ability to manage a classroom
• Minimum of two years teaching experience in an urban public school or charter school setting preferred.