Common Ground Is Seeking A Full-Time Learning Specialist, Mathematics

About Common Ground High School

Common Ground High School is the nation’s longest-running environmental charter high school, founded in 1997. Our 230 students form an inclusive, powerful community of learners and leaders. These students benefit from a unique learning environment: an urban farm and 20-acre site, home to state of the art school facilities, adjacent to West Rock Ridge State Park, and located in the City of New Haven. We strive to create a learning environment grounded in foundational building blocks: rigor, responsive relationships, relevance that’s rooted in the local community and environment, and real roles & rights. Common Ground’s graduation rate consistently surpasses the state average, and between 97 and 100% of our students are accepted to college each year.

Common Ground High School is part of a community nonprofit organization that also operates an urban farm and community environmental education center. As a whole, Common Ground is a center for learning and leadership, inviting people across ages and identities to connect to their urban environment, build community, grow into their full potential, and contribute to a just and sustainable world.We work toward this mission through active, authentic learning rooted in justice and our environment: a farm, in a forest, in a city.

We are seeking an experienced, data-driven, and reflective educator to join our team as a Learning Specialist in the Mathematics department. This position is a 1.0 FTE position for September 2024 through June 2025. Candidates should possess a CT Teacher License (029) prior to the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

This position is represented by our Collective Bargaining Agreement with UAW local 2110. Salary for this position is on Scale IV or V depending on qualifications. Placement on that salary scale will take prior, relevant work experience in consideration.

The Learning Specialist, Mathematics will:

• Provide support to individual classroom teachers by modeling, co-teaching, observing, and providing feedback.
• Support teachers to implement and modify a Common Core-aligned curriculum by developing, documenting, and implementing lesson plans, assignments, and rubrics in line with students’ IEPs;
• Review and provide feedback to teachers’ lesson plans;
• Teach 1 or 2 classes that serve as a model for subject-department teachers;
• Actively participate in, and lead some department-specific instructional meetings, collaborative planning, and professional development, including an annual summer institute;
• Track, monitor, and assume responsibility for academic progress of students;
• Model and support teachers in analyzing assessment data, including lesson-specific data such as exit tickets and Do Now's to inform instruction;
• Set and maintain high expectations by building meaningful relationships;
• Work with Student Culture Team to ensure individual behavior plans are developed and implemented for students, as needed;
• Support the development of a warm and inclusive classroom environment and abide by school-wide practices for classroom management;
• Work with grade teams to analyze data, revise practices, norm on team-wide initiatives, and discuss individual scholars with a solutions-oriented mindset;
• Establish and maintain strong relationships and regularly communicate scholars' progress towards goals and with families.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree required;
• At least five years of teaching experience with record of improving student achievement preferred;
• At least three years of coaching experience with record of improving teacher practice preferred;
• A desire to make a difference in the lives of our students, families and community;
• Desire and ability to receive and implement feedback;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with various audiences (including colleagues, students, families);
• A commitment to working with diverse populations of families and students;
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred;

We are also excited to consider candidates who have:

• TESOL Certification or Cross-Endorsement.

• Values and embraces collaboration, communication, and has capacity to work effectively within a team that includes multiple teachers and community partners.
• Experience working directly with racially, economically, academically diverse high school aged young people, and with low-income young people and people of color in particular. Knowledge about and passion for working for an organization that is committed to social justice, the dismantling of systems of oppression, and creating a just, equitable, and inclusive culture.

• Experience working with Google applications, online course management platforms, and other online learning tools.

We are looking for Math candidates who demonstrate some or all of the following:

• Demonstrated success in delivering effective and engaging instruction to middle or high school aged students.

• Ability to analyze student data to make informed recommendations for instruction.
• Demonstrated success of managing student behavior and classroom routines to maximize learning time and create a positive classroom environment.
• Prior experience and positive record of collaborating with school staff.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed instruction and possesses a belief that all students can learn and be successful.
• A passion for our social justice mission and commitment to equitable and sustainable change.

• Prior experience working with Special Education and ELL students.

Please send cover letter and resume to:

Please submit your cover letter and resume through our ADP online portalor email them to applications(a)commongroundct.org Please specify the job you are applying for in the subject line of your email.

Please specify the job you are applying for in the subject line of your email.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Affirmative Action EEO Policy