Upper School STEM Specialist

ABOUT THE POSITION:

The STEM Specialist is a subject-area expert with a clear understanding and background in mastery-based learning in the context of an Upper School experience. The STEM Specialist  partners with the Upper School Director and Upper School teaching team to teach a rigorous, mastery-based curriculum, facilitate active learning experiences aligned with the KLS vision and guide students in their social and emotional development. In addition, this position involves contributing to the broader life of the school via participation in school activities and events, school admissions and faculty and staff meetings.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

We are seeking a full time teacher who would develop and teach high-school level biology and chemistry courses. A strong background in upper-level math (statistics or calculus) is preferred.

Academic Duties:

• Teach a minimum of 15 hours per week of high school level courses as assigned by the Upper School Director, making efficient use of existing materials and tools.
• Clearly outline course expectations, goals, and assignments at the beginning of the term using the school’s Learning Management System (LMS), internal materials, and external resources such as Khan Academy, where applicable.
• Lead advisory sessions for a group of students, focusing on academic progress, extracurricular and college goals, and daily practices in mindfulness, character development, and executive functioning skills.
• Mentor and support students in their individual student-driven projects, including Applied Learning projects by checking in on their progress and helping to connect them to outside resources.
• Maintain regular communication with students, families, teachers, and other professionals about student progress and submit progress reports by the due date at the end of each term.
• Other duties as assigned.

Teaching & Vision Alignment:

• Facilitate classes with an emphasis on active learning and real-world contexts, minimizing direct instruction. Primarily utilize methods such as think-pair-share, experiential learning, case studies, peer teaching, independent studies, and project-based learning.
• Leverage assessment data to inform instruction, provide timely feedback to students, and complete progress reports by identified deadlines.
• Utilize external instructional resources, including Khan Academy, to accommodate diverse learning needs and backgrounds for in-person courses.  Collaborate with school leadership to identify materials.
• Develop curriculum and learning experiences aligned with the KLS teaching vision, in the absence of high-quality resources.
• Identify, select, and modify instructional resources to meet the needs of students with varying backgrounds, learning styles, and learning needs in collaboration with the school leadership and founder.
• Integrate technology into the classroom appropriately, including AI tools relevant to each discipline.
• Create an inclusive environment where students of diverse backgrounds and political perspectives feel welcome, fostering critical thinking through thoughtful questioning.

Contribution to KLS:

• Participate in student orientation for 9th-12th graders, which may include up to three days of overnight stay.
• Fulfill duties as assigned by the Upper School Director, such as lunch and goal time supervision.
• Be accessible to students throughout the school day for interaction and support.
• Serve as a faculty ambassador for the Admissions team during our re-enrollment and admissions period in the Fall and Spring This includes, at minimum, 6-8 hours for Pre-Admission events (Open House, Preview Days,. Shadow Days) and 10 hours of Post Application Events (Student Visits and Observations, Parent Interviews, Application reads); these events may take place outside of school hours.
• Write letters of recommendation for summer programs and college applications as requested.
• Lead at least one activity per term that contributes to the life and culture of KLS, to be determined in collaboration with the Upper School Director at the start of the school year. This could include: overseeing the student leadership group, facilitating a student club/ organization during the academic year, planning a hallmark KLS event (e.g., orientation, move-up day), serving as a faculty representative on the DEIB committee, leading leadership committees (e.g. discipline committee), coaching a sport, or starting a new program at the school (e.g. tutoring center).
• Attend all faculty meetings and participate in professional development, including morning meetings, and any scheduled professional development programming (including Faculty In-service). Faculty must also attend community meetings and other culture-building experiences alongside students. This will account for up to 4 hours during a typical week, accounting for the faculty meeting and professional learning community (PLC) meetings.
• Participate in community events such as the senior dinner, graduation, group field trips, and other related activities.
• Uphold professional and ethical standards in all interactions within the school community.
• Engage in the broader school community by attending and supporting school events and initiatives that promote student growth.

Tagged as: High School