Family Life Academy Charter School (commonly called FLACS) is a nonprofit network of high-performing charter schools in the South Bronx. Family Life Academy Charter Schools, together with the Latino Pastoral Action Center and parents, create the conditions for self-empowerment for all its K-12 students to excel academically, take responsibility for their own learning, and affirm human values, today, in college, and beyond. We are guided by this mission and through it, we have revolutionized education for students from K-12.

Position Overview:

Under the supervision of the School Principal, the 7th grade English Language Arts Teacher engages students in mastering grade-level English language arts skills by nurturing critical thinking, centering diverse, relevant, and rigorous texts, prioritizing student voices and ideas to build agency, and centering writing as a tool for analysis. Using a shared FLACS Network English language arts curriculum aligned with the NYS Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards, the English Language ArtsTeacher will design daily lesson plans that are responsive to diverse learning needs of all students including general education, students with disabilities and English Language Learners, and hold all students to high academic expectations. The English Language Arts Teacher is primarily responsible for teaching one grade level, but may be required to teach additional preparations (i.e., an advisory course, elective course, or remedial support workshop).

Key Responsibilities:

• Creates academically rigorous, standards-based, culturally relevant lesson plans that foster critical thinking and problem-solving and prepare students for high school level coursework.
• Utilizes student-centered instructional strategies to engage students and differentiate teaching based on the diverse, individual needs of students including those with disabilities and ELLs.
• Implements units using common network curriculum resources, maps, frameworks, pacing documents and instructional philosophies to ensure alignment across our schools from kindergarten through high school graduation.
• Coplans and co-teaches with Special Education teachers and English as a New Language teachers, either as part of an ICT model or to support students through differentiation of materials.
• Analyzes data from ongoing formative and summative assessments to refine instructional practices and impact student achievement.
• Maintains strong classroom management and implements school wide policies and procedures to ensure a safe, caring and orderly school environment.
• Establishes a classroom culture of caring, respect and rapport which holds all students to high academic standards, promotes inclusion, fosters a love of learning, and builds positive relationships.
• Grades student work and provides students with actionable feedback, and returns work and enters these grades into online systems shared with students and families promptly.
• Seeks to actively know students’ strengths and challenge areas and communicates these effectively with families using online portals, report cards and other means.
• Participates in professional development, professional learning communities, grade-level activities and school wide functions.
• Shares best practices with colleagues by participating in professional learning communities, grade-level or content teams, and cross-school groups.

Professional Responsibilities:

• Upholds the FLACS mission, core beliefs, and educational philosophy.
• Is a lifelong learner who reflects on their practice, is receptive to critical feedback from leaders and colleagues, and strives to improve instructional effectiveness.
• Has high expectations for students and for themselves as an educator.
• Demonstrates self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree is required; a Master’s degree is preferred.
• New York State Teaching Certification in English Language Arts (grades 5-9), English Language Arts (grades 7-12), Literacy (grades 5-12), or Childhood Education (grades 1-6).
• Prior satisfactory teaching experience, especially in an urban school, is preferred.
• Dual certification in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or Students with Disabilities is a plus.
• NYS Department of Education fingerprint clearance.