Teacher Job Description

Epiphany Prep Charter School

Epiphany Prep Charter School (“Epiphany Prep”) seeks to hire an exceptional K-8 Teachers for a start date in January of 2015, to teach at a new high performing values-based charter school in southeast San Diego.

The Teacher shall establish a safe, highly effective, and well-organized educational environment that welcomes a close working relationship with all school-wide constituencies (ie. parents and guardians, families, students, faculty, administrators, advisors, trustees and strategic partners). In alignment with Epiphany Prep’s mission, goals, and standards, the Teacher’s general responsibilities include facilitating student developmental skills, proactive attitudes, and rigorous learning in an educational environment suitable for pupils in Kindergarten through grade Eight (K-8).

ORGANIZATION: Epiphany Prep is in the start-up phase of establishing a new urban K-8 college prep public charter school. It opened in September of 2013 with one track of students grades K-7. It grew to full enrollment to serve students in K-8 during the 2014-2105 school year. The core design principles of this charter school include an 8-hour school day school day, a 200 day school year (including a summer semester), a low teacher-to-student ratio, tutoring and mentoring, a blended digital and face-to-face learning model, expanded literacy and mathematics instructional periods, a Great Books integrated values focus, skills and concepts intervention and resiliency programs for students and their families.

TIMELINE: The position shall remain open until filled.

OUTCOMES: The following are major outcomes of this position:

• Team: Becomes an influential member of the curriculum design and instructional team that promotes student learning in an urban college-prep school;
• Vision: Displays a passion for advocacy, integrity and clear articulation of the founding principles of Epiphany Prep Charter’s educational program for students;
• Design: Demonstrates and welcomes accountability for displaying exceptional teaching abilities in integrating effective and best classroom practices observed in teaching staff in highly successful national programs incorporated in sustainable inner-city school models.

WORKS WITH: The Teacher shall report to Epiphany Prep’s Principal, but s/he will work closely with the faculty, students, parents and guardians, school partners and volunteers.

REQUIREMENTS: Below are the main requirements for this position:

• Experience: Has prior experience working with children in a chronically poor and marginalized demographic environments; Brings expertise in teaching mathematics across a span of selected grades K-8;
• Leadership: Displays leadership attributes that support effective teams, encourages collegial collaboration and manages conflict well;
• Entrepreneurial: Exhibits dynamic “out-of-the-box” thinking traits coupled with a passion for excellence;
• School: Presents impressive experiences working with students in a K-8 setting;
• Professional: Demonstrates skills in working in a professional and courteous manner;
• Curriculum: Willing to work with Master Teachers to integrate lessons across content areas and utilize project based learning experiences in the classroom;
• Critical-Thinking:  Utilizes project based learning experiences in the classroom to promote student critical thinking, communication, and collaboration;
• Instruction: Demonstrates outstanding abilities in curriculum design, lesson planning and organization of classroom learning; Embraces the opportunity to work with ethnically diverse and limited English proficient pupils;
• Writing: Shows that s/he has admirable communication skills, both written and verbal, and can demonstrate the variance of voice in writing to a variety of audiences; (Bi-literate skills are preferred);
• Innovative: Presents a strong desire to help shape an innovative, non-traditional school model;
• Servant: Is enthusiastic about the possibilities in building community partnerships and shares feedback and energies on being an integral part of these endeavors;
• Life-long Learner: Regularly seeks opportunities to learn and improve skills, talents, learning and abilities;
• Education: Meets the requirements of “No Child Left Behind” as a “Highly Qualified Teacher,” (Undergraduate degree, teaching credential, CLAD certificate required. B-CLAD, Multiple-Subject Credential, and Master’s Degree, preferred);
• Full Time: Ability to work effectively and efficiently in a full-time capacity;
• Diverse: Ability to work with an ethnically diverse and limited English proficient pupils;
• Language: Spanish speaking preferred.

COMPENSATION: Epiphany Prep provides an excellent competitive salary, benefit, and training package.

CONTACT: Please e-mail the following to Sarah Raskin at sraskin@epiphanyprep.org.

• a cover letter;
• a resume (Include reasons for leaving former employers/schools, a description of time unaccounted for, and details of how you increased student achievement in your classroom and official transcript(s) including grades in the last three colleges/universities attended.);
• official copies of credentials
• three references (include names, titles, companies/schools, contact phone, length you have known the reference, and how you know the reference (former employer, college professor, etc.);
• a brief writing sample (2-3 pages) sharing your educational philosophy, your desire to work with students from diverse backgrounds, and goals for student learners.
• a description (1-2 pages) of your expertise acquired in the content areas of mathematics or science and a summary of at least three instructional practices critical to teaching this subject area and the grade levels for which the description applies.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Below are the main duties for teachers at Epiphany Prep.

General: Epiphany Prep holds high expectations for its students, but these expectations are even more critical for the faculty and administrative staff. We expect the Teacher to come to Epiphany Prep with:

• A solid commitment to accelerating the academic achievement of students who are marginalized by poverty;
• A very strong desire to orient his/herself in the Epiphany Prep model, the mission of the school and the philosophy of “Transformative, Innovative, Entrepreneurial, and Whole-Child Education,” as well as to receive professional development in the following:
  • Critical Inquiry—Great Books;
  • Project Based Learning
  • Habits of Mind and Bloom’s Taxonomy and an understanding of how to integrate this information into lesson design and Service Learning;
  • Socratic Method.
  • A strong educational foundation, desire to learn about the core academic areas at the elementary and/or middle school level and specific expertise in the content area of mathematics;
  • A willingness to learn the technical and artistic talents of teaching with an ability to use a wide repertoire of instructional approaches such as:
    • Direct explicit instruction;
    • Solid classroom management skills;
    • Collaboration among students in cooperative learning structures;
    • Experiential and hands-on learning experiences;
    • Understanding of the ways teachers best motivate, engage and maintain a high level of intense, rigorous and relevant learning for students;
    • Meaningful and relevant technology integration in learning;
    • A classroom management system that is organized and demonstrates a love and understanding of student learning; The importance of instilling a values based education, recognizing student strengths, learning styles and the need for student responsibility and accountability;
    • An ability to collaborate with colleagues to create and design quality curriculum, plan lessons, analyze student performance and facilitate student learning and achievement.

Instructing and Motivating:

• Works with students, faculty, and families to develop a strong, positive school culture, one defined by respect, responsibility, collaboration and hard work;
• Initiates dialogue and implementation of strategic plans and best practices;
• Models values and a professional capacity associated with a high performing educational environment;
• Is available through a variety of contact venues to any and all members of the school community, as needed, for discussions pertaining to components of the school program, especially to parents and families regarding concerns about student learning and behavior;
• Meets daily with department faculty teams for instructional planning and data analysis. Establishes individualized learning plans for students;
• Teaches rigorous math lessons to pupils in which students must apply their learning and utilizes the course of study adopted by the Board of Education;
• Instructs pupils in citizenship, basic communication skills, and other general elements of the course of study specified in state law and administrative regulations and procedures of the school district;
• Provides planned learning experiences that motivates pupils and permits students to best utilize the available time and materials for learning;
• Develops lesson plans and uses instructional materials to provide individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each pupil;
• Establishes and maintains standards of pupil behavior and citizenship needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom;
• Evaluates pupils’ academic, behavioral and social growth, keeps appropriate records, prepares progress reports and communicates with parents on the individual pupil’s progress;
• Creates, with the assistance of pupils, a functional and attractive environment for learning through displays, bulletin boards, interest or learning centers;
• Maintains professional competence through participation in professional development activities provided by Epiphany Prep and the District, in-services and self-selected professional growth activities as desired;
• Performs basic attendance accounting and educational services as related to assignment;
• Participates in curriculum and/or other developmental programs within assignment at Epiphany Prep and/or on a District level;
• Creates dynamic learning cultures in the classrooms;
• Recognizes that students come to the classroom with varying learning modalities such as auditory, visual and kinesthetic styles;
• Engages students using various learning approaches;
• Performs other job related tasks as assigned.

Other Responsibilities:

• Implements school and district policy and federal and state law in emergency situations which occur or are discovered in the school setting;
• Takes all necessary precautions to protect the integrity and safety of students, equipment, materials, resources and facilities;
• Demonstrates and maintains an ongoing program of professional growth that satisfies any credentialing, school/district requirements, and personal expectations as a professional;
• Attends all regular staff and school-wide meetings and events to promote community, communication and mutual decision making among constituencies;
• Contributes to decisions made by the school regarding budget, facilities, curriculum, and personal well-being;
• Performs other duties as assigned.