Associate Teacher: Elementary

Emerald Academy (EA) is a free, independently-operated, K-8 college preparatory school. Emerald Academy is Knoxville’s first public charter school, and opened its doors in July 2015 to its first class of kindergartners and first graders. At full enrollment, the school will educate approximately 460 scholars. We are preparing urban scholars for the college of their choice and community leadership. Specifically, we aim to have all of our scholars reading on or above grade level by third grade, to have all of our scholars complete Algebra I in eighth grade, and to have our school rated among the top five percent of Tennessee public schools by our tenth year of operation. The faculty and staff at Emerald Academy are critical to the achievement of these goals, and each member of the staff carries responsibilities that help achieve these goals.

REPORTS TO: Grand Band Director/Director of Schools 

JOB SUMMARY: The Associate Teacher helps to prepare scholars for the college of their choice and community leadership. The Associate Teacher accomplishes this by helping the classroom teacher deliver instruction and manage the classroom in ways that maximize scholars’ academic engagement and outcomes. As such, the Associate Teacher is primarily a scholar-facing role. The Associate Teacher reports directly to the director of a grade band. Starting salary $35,000.00

JOB DUTIES:

• Support the classroom teacher in implementing lessons to achieve desired academic outcomes; document scholar strengths and areas of need in whole group and small group lessons.
• Support the classroom teacher in creating the desired classroom culture using schoolwide Teach Like a Champion (TLAC) techniques, as well as merits and demerits as defined in the Scholar & Family Handbook.
• Support the related arts teachers in creating the desired classroom culture.
• Assist with managing the NWEA MAP testing for the scholars in your classroom.
• Take responsibility for operating the classroom in a safe, orderly, and positive manner when the classroom teacher cannot be present. This includes:
  • Providing meaningful instruction according to the classroom teacher’s lesson plans and regular instructional strategies;
  • Implementing the classroom teacher’s regular routines, procedures, and classroom management strategies; and
  • Reporting all scholar injuries, accidents, and serious discipline issues to the director of the grade band as soon as possible.
• Lead Book Club for assigned grade level.
• Model EA’s values at all times.
• Persistently, insistently, and consistently reinforce EA’s high expectations for scholar behavior with all scholars all the time; always sweat the small stuff and never give up on a scholar.
• Build strong relationships with scholars to create investment in EA’s culture and expectations.
• Participate in biweekly, scheduled in advance, one-on-one meetings with the director of the grade band, to improve one’s professional practice.
• Participate in professional development sessions and staff meetings.
• Chaperone during lunch and recess, as requested by the director of the grade band.
• Serve bus duty before and after school, including accompanying scholars on the bus route, as requested by the director of the grade band or School Director.
• Support EA expectations to ensure smooth entry, dismissal, and hallway transitions.
• Refrain from discussing confidential school business and scholar records during and outside of school hours.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate’s or other college degree
• Enrollment in teacher education program preferred
• Experience in education; 1-2 years’ experience in urban education, especially in a high-performing urban charter school, preferred
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with scholars, parents, and colleagues
• Willingness to address concerns head-on and advance them through the chain of command if they are not resolved
• Ability to engage in critical conversations with respect, vision, and humility
• Ability to organize workload independently and set and adapt priorities as needed
• Ability to thrive in a high-pressure environment
• Team player, with maturity, humility, strong work ethic, follow-through, sense of humor, and “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude
• Regular reflection and receptiveness to feedback
• Stamina and the ability to set and achieve ambitious goals and handle the intensity required to bring your best self to an extended school day in a high-performing school environment
• Deep commitment to Emerald Academy’s mission and its values of high expectations, excellence, respect, teamwork, and commitment

• Physical demands of attending scholars- sitting, standing, moving, lifting, and moving with scholars appropriate for care, safety and ongoing monitoring
• Communication skills including the ability to verbalize, engage auditory and visual awareness and monitoring of scholars

START DATE: 2022/2023 School Year

THE ORGANIZATION:

Emerald Academy is Knoxville’s first college preparatory charter school. We are committed to the singular focus of growing all our scholars into leaders. We are a K-8 School of high expectations that creates the right learning culture for city students to thrive through our innovative use of time, personalized focus on each scholar and strong partnerships with scholar’s families and the community. 

We believe that all students should read at or above grade level by third grade. We are committed to have our students perform in the top 5% of the state within our first decade of existence. We will develop in our scholars the skills, habits and values for them to graduate from high school, enroll in college and succeed in life. 

Emerald Academy values its staff for their professional knowledge and abilities to foster student achievement. We will create an environment where teachers are empowered to make instructional decisions using the most current student evidence (data) and the team’s instructional expertise. 

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Emerald Academy is looking for an innovative, highly-motivated, and values-aligned leader to help grow scholars into leaders in urban Knoxville. EA is seeking individuals who are goal orientated and dedicated to the school’s mission, vision, and values. These leaders will have the unique opportunity to mold the next chapter of Emerald Academy by embracing the student-centered learning environment that every child will be college-bound and career ready. Emerald Academy believes that it is possible to change the trajectory for our city’s young people and that it can be done at scale. Faculty endeavor to work each day to help accomplish the school’s three goals. Every scholar will read at or above grade level, every scholar will be well prepared to attend a four-year college, and EA will be ranked in the top 5% of all schools in the state of Tennessee.