Elementary Spanish Teacher - 1.0 FTE - SY26/27

Job Summary: The Wellesley Public Schools Elementary Spanish Program is built on a simple belief: languages are for ALL learners.

We seek an educator who shares our commitment to creating inclusive, engaging, and proficiency-focused learning experiences for students in grades K–5. Spanish is part of the elementary core curriculum, and all students participate in language learning three times per week.

Our program emphasizes communication over memorization, meaningful intercultural learning, and the development of confident language users. Through standards-based instruction aligned with the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards and the Massachusetts World Languages Framework, students learn to communicate in Spanish while exploring cultures, perspectives, and connections that help them better understand themselves and the world around them.

The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative department dedicated to ensuring that every student feels welcomed, challenged, supported, and capable of success as a language learner.

Program-Specific Responsibilities:    The K-5 Spanish Teacher:

• Provides comprehensible, proficiency-focused instruction aligned with the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards and the Massachusetts World Languages Framework.
• Uses Spanish as the primary language of instruction while providing appropriate supports to ensure meaningful access and engagement for all learners.
• Creates engaging learning experiences that develop students' interpersonal, interpretive, presentational, and intercultural communication skills.
• Fosters curiosity, empathy, and intercultural understanding by exploring diverse Spanish-speaking communities, cultures, and perspectives.
• Collaborates with colleagues to develop curriculum, common assessments, instructional resources, and learning experiences that support a coherent and vertically aligned proficiency-based language program.

Performance Responsibilities:

• Meets and instructs students in grades K–5 in Spanish during assigned class time and at designated locations.
• Plans a program of study that, as much as possible, meets the individual needs, interests, and abilities of the students.
• Creates a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students.
• Prepares for classes assigned and shows written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate superior.
• Encourages students to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior.
• Guides the learning process toward achieving curriculum goals and proficiency targets and, in harmony with those goals, establishes clear objectives for lessons, units, and assessments.
• Employs a variety of instructional techniques, instructional media, and comprehensible input strategies consistent with the physical limitations of the location provided and the needs and capabilities of the individuals or student groups involved.
• Strives to implement by instruction and action the district’s philosophy of education and instructional goals and objectives.
• Assesses the accomplishments of students on a regular basis and provides progress reports as required.
• Takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities.
• Maintains accurate, complete, and correct records as required by law, district policy, and administrative regulation.
• Assists the administration in implementing all policies and rules governing student life and conduct, and for the classroom, develops reasonable rules of classroom behavior and procedure, and maintains order in the classroom in a fair and just manner.
• Makes provision for being available to students and parents for education-related purposes outside the instructional day when required or requested to do so under reasonable terms and as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement, if applicable.
• Plans and supervises purposeful assignments for teacher aide(s) and volunteer(s) and, cooperatively with department heads and principals assists in the evaluation of their job performance.
• Strives to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Attends staff meetings and serves on staff committees as required.
• Teaches Spanish using the course of study adopted by the District and other appropriate learning experiences designed to promote communication, proficiency, and intercultural understanding.
• Instructs students in citizenship and basic subject matter specified in state law and administrative regulations and procedures of the school district.
• Develops lesson plans and instructional materials aligned with proficiency-based learning outcomes and provides individualized and small-group instruction to meet the needs of each student.
• Translates lesson plans into learning experiences so as to best utilize the available time for instruction.
• Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom.
• Evaluates students' growth toward proficiency and intercultural learning goals, maintains appropriate records, and prepares progress reports.
• Communicates with parents through conferences and other means to discuss students’ progress and interpret the school program.
• Identifies student needs and cooperates with other professional staff members in assessing and helping students solve health, attitude, and learning problems.
• Maintains professional competence through in-service education activities provided by the district and self-selected professional growth activities.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Must possess or be eligible for a MA DESE license in Foreign Language - Spanish, Pk-6.
• Demonstrated Advanced proficiency in Spanish, with Advanced Mid or higher preferred, as described by the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and possess a high level of capability with technology.
• Must be able to assist in the protection of students and school property, assist the principal in fire and other emergency drills as required by law and School Committee policy.
• Diversity is a core value of WPS. We are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive school environment for all and seek to hire team members who will enrich our diversity.
• A strong commitment to helping a wide variety of culturally diverse students achieve their full potential.
• Ability to support the development of culturally responsive programs and activities that promote student engagement, family engagement, community involvement, and a positive school climate.

Evaluated by: School Principal and/or Department Head

Work Year: In accordance with the terms of the Wellesley Educators Association Unit A collective bargaining agreement

Salary/Benefits: In accordance with the terms of the Wellesley Educators Association Unit A collective bargaining agreement

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, and/or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to move throughout a building; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands or arms, climb or balance, and stoop.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The employee is required to have the cognitive ability and focus to manage multiple detailed tasks at once with frequent interruptions.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work is performed in an educational environment. Majority of the work is performed in a moderately noisy environment with frequent interruptions.

Non-Discrimination Statement:

Applicants for employment are considered without regard to age, physical, mental or psychiatricdisability, genetics, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, or military status.

Salary : $57,932 - $135,626