Middle School Social Studies Teacher 2026-27

Job Description

SHAWNEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Job Title: Secondary Social Studies Teacher

Reports To: Principal

Site: Shawnee Middle School

Qualifications

Credentials: State Certificate to teach in specific position.

Education: Bachelor's degree in Secondary Educ. or a related field.

Training or Experience Required: Successful prior teaching experience for the appropriate grade levels preferred.

Job Summary: Performs skilled/professional level tasks under limited supervision to provide children/students with the proper teaching techniques/environment for learning. Establishes lesson plans, grades, and accomplishes curriculum objectives to enhance each student's self-esteem and increase personal growth. In addition, meets with parents and other staff to enhance learner outcomes. Utilizes discretion, ingenuity and independent judgment due to the variety of challenges of the job. Since there may be several ways to solve a problem, employee is free to choose the solution.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Communication Skills (oral, written, or business): Basic communication skills to exchange information, give/receive simple instructions and respond to inquiries.
• Includes filling out forms, instructions, and writing/printing legibly.
• Knowledge of grammatical structure, vocabulary for preparing correspondence from rough draft or proofing of completed material.
• Communicates in clear, grammatically correct English.
• Contact with Others: Has regular contact by telephone or in-person with the public to determine actual information needed.
• Job requires interpreting and translating facts and information, explaining situations and issues to persons and advising them of alternative courses of action.
• Required to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
  
  

Essential Job Functions (Performance Responsibilities)

• Develops lesson plans and instructional materials that meet the district's curriculum goals as well as the individual needs of each pupil.
• Translates lesson plans into learning experiences that effectively utilize the available time for instruction.
• Establishes and maintains standards of pupil behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom.
• Evaluates pupil's academic and social growth, keeps appropriate records, and prepares reports relating to pupil's progress.
• Communicates with parents through conferences and other means to discuss pupil's progress and interpret the school program.
• Identifies pupil needs and cooperates with other professional staff members in assessing and helping pupils solve health, attitude, and learning problems.
• Creates an effective environment for learning through functional and attractive displays, bulletin boards, and interest centers.
• Maintains professional competence through in-service education activities provided by the district and self-selected professional growth activities.
• Selects and requisitions books and instructional aids; maintains required inventory records.
• Supervises pupils in out-of-classroom activities during the assigned working day.
• Administers group standardized tests in accordance with the district testing program.
• Participates in curriculum development programs as required.
• Participates in faculty committees and sponsorship of pupil activities.
• Based on the position, may coach, participate in extracurricular activities, sponsor students in District, State and Regional competitions, etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the principal.
  
  

Other Performance Measures

• Knowledge of subject matter.
• Cares for and effectively assists students with special concerns.
• Establishes guidelines/syllabus with effective instructional/teaching objectives.
• Encourages effective learning with proper teaching techniques.
• Ensures students are acquiring skills and knowledge to apply principles, theories and other learning.
• Properly monitors student progress (grading, feedback, etc.) and provides environment to encourage independent thinking challenges for more motivated students.
• Maintains proper classroom/media center discipline.
• Contributes to effectiveness/quality of district programs, including extracurricular programs.
• Keeps accurate records, reports, etc. pursuant to district policy, inclusive of the District Exposure Control Plan for Blood borne Pathogens.
• Actively supports and looks for ways to improve the quality of customer service as provided by the district.
• Cooperates with other district personnel to improve the quality of education.
• When serving on committees, maintains an attitude of constructive/supportive behavioral feedback and input to improve the quality of service.
• Continues to be involved in personal growth and development.
  
  

Supervision exercised: Employee does not supervise other employees.

Complies with Shawnee's Mission Statement in which students are to be provided with skills, knowledge and attitudes to become lifelong learners, complex thinkers, and responsible citizens in an ever-changing global society.

Physical/Mental Requirements And Working Conditions

• Must be able to communicate on the telephone.
• Must be able to get around the various sites.
• Must be able to perform playground, lunch, bus and related duties.
• Those assigned to special activities like coaching/physical education must be able to demonstrate the proper techniques of athletic/physical educational activities.
• Those involved in science classes have to handle/lift buckets of specimens, perform lab experiments with potentially hazardous/noxious chemicals and compounds and be safety conscious at all times.
• Those involved in shop/industrial arts/technology classes also must be exposed to saws, electricity, motors, grinders, and other potentially hazardous equipment.
• Those involved in music programs, speech and drama, art, Vo Ag, etc. will need to have special expertise and qualifications for their various specialties. Must know how to handle sick/injured students.
  
  

Terms of Employment: In compliance with Negotiated Contract and/or State Law. Salary to be established by the Board. Length of the work year and hours of employment shall be those established by the District. (180-day contract)

Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Shawnee Board Policy.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Revised: March 13, 2020