Position:Jr. Kindergarten Instructional Aide (7 hour/10 month)

Morse School

The Morse School Community:

The Morse School serves children and families from every Cambridge neighborhood and from over 35 different countries. At the Morse School, we nurture not only our children’s curiosity and intellectual skills, but also their healthy social and emotional development. Morse School families, teachers and staff members work together to foster a sense of safety and belonging and to support students in developing a sense of civic responsibility and an appreciation for people with different origins, identities, beliefs and learning styles. We strive to promote a sense of community, where all adults and children feel respected and appreciated. The Morse School follows an inclusion model, with English learners and students with moderate disabilities learning alongside their general education peers with support from special educators, ESL teachers, related service providers, and interventionists. 

We are actively working towards becoming an antiracist school, and are taking steps towards identifying and dismantling racist structures, hearing and elevating underrepresented voices, and striving to achieve an equitable and just educational experience for all students.

The Opportunity:

We are seeking an innovative and collaborative Junior Kindergarten (Pre-K) instructional aide to help foster a safe and positive classroom environment in which students engage in rigorous and joyful learning experiences. This individual will assist the classroom teacher in implementing a curriculum based on children's individual developmental needs. Specifically, the instructional aide will be under the supervision of the classroom teacher and principal to create a learning environment where each child feels valued and is progressing at an optimal rate.

The duties of the paraprofessional will include (but not be limited to):

• planning for and teaching small and large groups;
• assisting in developing units of study with the assistance of the teacher;
• keeping track of student progress through assessment and record-keeping systems;
• preparing materials; and performing other tasks requested by the teacher;
• assisting the teacher in providing a safe and effective learning environment in which behaviors that interfere with learning are prevented and/or addressed; and,
• Any other tasks as directed by the classroom teacher, principal or assistant principal.

The Morse School serves children and families from a diverse range of racial, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. We recognize that young children benefit from seeing themselves reflected in the adults around them and we are eager to field applications from a range of candidates whose backgrounds mirror the diversity of the students we serve.

Your Skill Set:

As the incoming Instructional Aide, you will possess many, though perhaps not all, of the following characteristics and qualifications:

• Hold an earned Associate's Degree, or equivalent (e.g. 48 college credits).
• Massachusetts EEC Preschool Teacher Certification or Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education preferred.
• Previous successful experience working with young children in an urban, multicultural setting, preferably at the pre-K or elementary level.
• Demonstrated ability to respect diversity and help children develop a positive self-image as successful learners.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with teaching colleagues, specialists, instructional coaches, administrators and parents.
• A commitment to social justice and a willingness to collaborate with other members of the school community to understand and address the effects of implicit racial bias.
• Ability to speak Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Portuguese or Spanish a plus.

Cambridge Public Schools is committed to slowing and/or stopping the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, as a condition of employment with Cambridge Public Schools, all new hires onboarding after Monday, October 25th, 2021 will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 no later than their first day of work.

How to Join Our Team:

Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity. 

At the Cambridge Public Schools, we are committed to cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, acknowledging that a team reflecting diversity of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status allows us to serve our communities better. To that end, we welcome and encourage applicants to bring their authentic selves when considering employment opportunities within our school district.