2026-2027 Kindergarten Teacher

Kindergarten Teacher
Hills Elementary | Santa Fe South Charter Schools
Oklahoma City, OK | 190–196 Day Contract (196 days for new teachers; 190 days for returning teachers)

About Santa Fe South & Hills Elementary

Santa Fe South Charter Schools (SFS) is a free public charter school district serving the south side of Oklahoma City for more than 20 years. Our mission is grounded in high expectations, strong relationships, and a deep belief that all students—regardless of background—deserve an excellent, joyful education that prepares them for long-term success.

Hills Elementary is one of Santa Fe South’s longest-standing elementary campuses, opening during the 2015–2016 school year as the network’s second elementary school. Located in a beautifully reimagined former department store in Crossroads Mall, Hills serves students in PreK through 5th grade and reflects the vibrancy, resilience, and strength of the surrounding southside community. Hills is a campus where rigorous academics and joyful classrooms go hand in hand, and where educators are deeply committed to continuous growth, collaboration, and collective responsibility for student success.

Position Summary

The Kindergarten Teacher at Hills Elementary is responsible for delivering high-quality, standards-aligned instruction across core content areas, with a strong emphasis on early literacy, foundational math skills, and social-emotional development. This role is ideal for an educator who understands the critical importance of kindergarten as a foundational year, values instructional coaching, and is committed to creating a joyful, structured, and academically rigorous classroom environment where all students thrive.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality, engaging instruction aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards across core subject areas, with particular focus on early literacy and numeracy
• Build strong foundational reading skills, including phonics, fluency, comprehension, and written expression, using evidence-based instructional practices
• Actively participate in Santa Fe South’s instructional coaching model by seeking, receiving, and implementing feedback to continuously strengthen practice
• Plan and internalize lessons with fidelity, including preparing materials, anticipating misconceptions, and rehearsing instructional strategies
• Collaborate closely with grade-level teammates, instructional coaches, and campus leadership to analyze student data and adjust instruction accordingly
• Use formative and summative assessments to provide targeted instruction, interventions, and enrichment
• Establish a structured, joyful, and inclusive classroom culture with clear academic and behavioral expectations
• Support students’ social-emotional growth and development through consistent routines, relationship-building, and responsive classroom practices
• Build strong, respectful relationships with students, families, and colleagues, and communicate student progress regularly with families
Contribute to campus-wide initiatives, professional learning communities, and the continued growth of Hills Elementary

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Strong alignment with Santa Fe South’s mission and commitment to serving the southside community

Preferred:

• Experience teaching early elementary grades (K–2), particularly kindergarten
• Strong understanding of evidence-based literacy instruction and early numeracy development
• Experience working in diverse or high-need school communities
• Demonstrated openness to feedback and a growth-oriented mindset
• Oklahoma teaching certification (or willingness/eligibility to obtain) in Early Childhood Education
Training in LETRS or other science of reading practices

Why Join Hills & Santa Fe South?

• A collaborative campus culture grounded in coaching, growth, and shared accountability
• Robust instructional coaching and professional development at every stage of your career
• A mission-driven school community that values both academic rigor and student joy
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact during one of the most critical years of a child’s educational journey in a long-standing, vibrant southside school community