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 currently recruiting Building Substitute Teachers (BST). The BST is responsible for partnering with the classroom teacher to ensure that every student receives strong academic experience in the absence of the Lead Teacher. BSTs will also consistently uphold strong student culture in their classrooms to ensure students feel clear about expectations, and students are positively encouraged to make strong academic and character choices so that they ultimately demonstrate master of the lesson’s objective. Ideal BSTs will also seek to be part of the community, embrace the culture displayed at the Kauffman School, and engage in the organization’s mission of “creating college graduates.”
There are two options to work with us:
- Full-Time BST: Benefits-eligiable, salaried employee working on the Kauffman School team
- Contracted BST: Contracted to work at an hourly rate; commits to 1-3 days of subbing per week (ideal to have a consistent schedule with our team); not benefits eligiable
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Curriculum Instruction and Student Assessment
- Execute academically rigorous lessons; following rubrics and administering assessments
- Implement classroom management practices that are consistent with the culture of the school
- Develop an awareness of individual student’s progress and learning needs; relentless focus on helping students achieve educational greatness
- Willing to offer support to and receive constructive feedback from teachers and administration in order to create a professional working atmosphere that is conducive to change and improvement
- Help shape and develop a school-wide atmosphere that best suits the needs of our students, teachers, and families
- Communicate students’ progress toward realizing academic and character development goals with teachers
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 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.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required
- Active substitute certification through DESE
- Experience teaching or working with students in urban or public charter schools (student teaching, after school program, camp, etc.)
- 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
- Entrepreneurial energy and ambition necessary for working within a startup
- Ability to maintain a calm, professional demeanor in the face of competing demands and external pressures
This role requires the a bility to work at the location as assigned by the School (e.g., on-site or remote) and the ability to accept re-assignment to an alternative work location as determined by the School.
COMPENSATION
The Kauffman School offers a competitive daily rate for substitute teaching services. Rates will be discussed during the phone interview. If a BST is serving in a full-time role, they would be eligible for full salary and full 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.