| Description | POSITION SUMMARY
The Ewing Marion Kauffman School is a free, public charter school serving more than 1,200 students in 5th through 12th grades. Focused on student achievement and strong character, the school’s mission is summarized in three words: create college graduates. The school serves a student population of which 87% qualify for free and reduced lunch and 90% identify as students of color. Students are accepted by a lottery that prioritizes the six highest-need zip codes within the district. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, 100% of students in each graduating class earned at least one acceptance to a college or university – we believe this provides true choice and opportunity as students pursue post-secondary goals. More than 70% of our students identify as first in their families to attend college.
The Kauffman School seeks results-driven and culturally responsive educators to join its team – we anchor ourselves around four guiding principles about what it means to be culturally responsive educators and create a school with strong student and staff culture:
- Belief and Connection: We show belief in every student through setting and holding them to high expectations while building relationships. We build connections and relationships with each student side by side by providing excellent rigorous content in order to value the individual child. We do not allow differences in identity or our personal biases to cause us to lower expectations because we know that when supported, our students can achieve.
- Clear is Kind: We show care through direct and clear communication of our high expectations rather than allowing them to ‘slip through the cracks’ by assuming they will know how to meet our standards without telling them. We also know that one of our roles is preparing our children for a world as college students/graduates that might play by different “rules” than they have previously experienced and it is our job to help them understand how to navigate, challenge the norms of, and dismantle that world.
- Intent and Impact: All of our actions are executed with the purpose and intent to empower every student to reach their full potential. We also believe that as educators, we are called to assess the impact of our actions and adjust course if they are not meeting the intent. Positive intent cannot mean we ignore the impact of actions and we believe continually assessing and reassessing practices to ensure they are effective is a critical reflection process to ensure we are being culturally responsive.
- Cultural Context + Critical Thinking: We approach rigorous learning as an activity that is responsive to students’ cultural contexts and pushes them to think critically. We seek opportunities for them to engage with and respond to the world around them - both in their immediate lives and in their broader society - while being pushed intellectually at all times.
The Kauffman School is seeking a Para Educator to join its team – the Para Educator helps build the right environment by working with teachers to differentiate for all learning styles, providing individualized or small group instruction, and working closely with external service providers to ensure holistic, high quality services.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Works with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the general education teacher or special education teacher
- Administers, scores, and records such achievement and diagnostic tests as the teacher recommends for individual students
- Assists the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing material or skills based on a sympathetic understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities
- Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes
- Helps students master equipment or instructional materials assigned by the teacher
- Distributes and collects workbooks, papers, and other materials for instruction
- Guides independent study, enrichment work, and remedial work set up and assigned by the teacher
- Assists with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, and field trips
- Assists with such large group activities as drill work and read-alouds
- Reads to students, listens to students read, and participates in other forms of oral communication with students
- Checks notebooks, corrects papers, and supervises testing and make-up work, as assigned by the teacher
- Assist with the supervision of students
- Serves as a source of information and help to any substitute teacher assigned in the absence of the regular special education teacher
- May be assigned to a specific assignment such as study halls, cafeteria supervision, etc.
- Physically escorts students for the purpose of ensuring an efficient and safe arrival to and/or from a destination
- Monitors student’s daily schedule and care plan for the purpose of maintaining a safe and positive learning environment
Building School Culture
- Use your own authentic teacher persona to build strong relationships with students and engage students in deep learning
- Believe deeply in the mission of the Kauffman School and that all children can meet high academic expectations
- Discuss, celebrate, and reinforce the school’s PREP (Perseverance, Results, Empathy, Passion) values
- Work with a strong grade and building team to uphold consistent behavioral systems and student expectations
- Be accountable for student’s mastery of academic standards
- Embrace feedback and constructive criticism in the spirit of constant improvement
- Demonstrate maturity, humility, professionalism, confidence, and a strong work ethic inside and outside the classroom
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Ideal candidates will have experience as a teacher or leader in a top performing charter, district, or independent school. They will be deeply committed to meeting the urgent challenges posed by the achievement gap in American education.
- Certified by the state of Missouri or able to obtain certification within 90 days
- Minimum of 60 College hours (Bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution, preferred) or have passed the Paraprofessional or ParaPro Assessment (MEGA)
- At least three years of experience teaching low-income, minority, or historically underachieving students, with a record of exemplary results
- An ability to meet all state and federal guidelines in order to be fully licensed
- Commitment and complete belief in the Kauffman School’s mission and organizational success
- Personal qualities of maturity, humility, self-reflection, strong work ethic, and “whatever it takes” attitude
- Ability to take feedback well and implement changes immediately
- Acute attention to detail coupled with the ability to think and act strategically
- Entrepreneurial energy and ambition necessary for leading a startup
- Ability to maintain a calm, professional demeanor in the face of competing demands and external pressures
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The Kauffman School offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with relevant experience and anticipated duties and responsibilities, including comprehensive health benefits.
TO APPLY
Interested applicants should complete a formal application through the Kauffman School Careers page at http://www.kauffmanschool.org/.
The Kauffman School is an Equal Opportunity Employer, welcoming people to flourish in an open and inclusive work environment. A diverse pool of candidates is welcomed and encouraged. |