Website Prospect Sierra School Prospect Sierra School
Prospect Sierra School
Overview of School:
Prospect Sierra is an independent, coed TK–8 school located on two campuses in El Cerrito, California, serving 465 students. Prospect Sierra gives students the tools to build a better world by integrating rigorous academics with a deep understanding of human emotions. Every day our exceptional teachers connect students’ academic experiences to ethics, empathy, and social and emotional intelligence. The result is deeper intellectual engagement, greater self-knowledge, and compassionate relationships. Prospect Sierra students develop courage to become more than great students, but great people. Please visit our website, www.prospectsierra.org, for more information.
Overview of Position
This position is for one school year as an 8th grade advisor and humanities teacher, beginning August 2024. This teacher will report to the Middle School Division Head and will work in close collaboration with the 8th grade team and the Humanities Department. This is a full time teaching position.
Responsibilities of the job:
Plan, deliver, and evaluate daily lessons for 8th grade humanities classes – approximately two groups of 18 students. The 8th grade curriculum explores the pathways of rights, movements, and identities that continuously shape the American experience.
Work closely with the other 8th grade humanities teacher to ensure all 8th grade students have a similar experience and meet the same benchmarks
Create meaningful relationships and an inclusive classroom community
Conduct effective ongoing communication with a diverse group of parents
Organize and facilitate student-teacher conferences
Write narrative reports twice per year
Lead a 8th grade advisory: plan and lead daily morning meetings, communicate with advisee families, provide academic/social-emotional support for advisees, partner with other teachers and staff as needed to support each advisee in their overall success at school
Collaborate with the 8th grade team to ensure coordinated support of the needs and challenges of the entire grade, including grade wide experiences around field trips, service/partnership experiences for students, etc.
Chaperone, plan, and support an annual overnight field trip
Support the 8th graders in their applications to high schools by writing high school recommendations upon request from students
Proctor study hall
Teach a weekly elective
Required Qualifications
Passionate commitment to creating an innovative, joyful learning environment
Appreciation for and desire to work with upper middle school students
Demonstrated understanding of best practices in upper middle school education
Ability and desire to design lessons and deliver a dynamic curriculum
Ability and desire to co-create new curriculum that is aligned with the school’s mission
Ability and desire to collaborate with teachers in the other disciplines to support 8th grade students holistically
Ability and desire to design, facilitate, and assess project-based learning
Ability and desire to use and/or learn how to use various tech platforms such as Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Forms), Slack, Parentsquare, Classkick, etc.
Ability and desire to guide students through a multi-step writing process from ideas to revision in a variety of formats (expository, thesis driven, literary analysis, creative)
Ability and desire to guide students through the research process using books, interviews, and on-line resources
Ability and desire to foster strong parent connections to support students and curriculum
Awareness of differentiated learning and teaching styles and ability to work with Learning Specialists to support a diverse student body
Knowledge of the essential role social-emotional literacy plays in the workplace and interest in application of SEL within the educational setting
Knowledge of identity safety and anti-bias practices and ability to create an inclusive classroom community that allows for a range of perspectives to be heard and respected
Ability and desire to take initiative, work passionately and joyfully, take on leadership roles as needed, and collaborate effectively with diverse constituencies
Ability and desire to communicate effectively both in written and verbal modalities
Flexibility
Excellent interpersonal skills
Organizational skills
In addition to required qualifications, desirable additional skills include:
Master’s degree in education, or relevant coursework or certification indicating advanced knowledge in areas related to the responsibilities of the job
Training in or familiarity with using 6+1 Traits of Writing and Teachers College Reading & Writing Project
Nuanced understanding of DEI/social justice knowledge from a personal or programmatic perspective
School-wide Duties
Participation on committees as needed and appropriate
Ancillary duties include responsibilities that are part of middle school life, e.g., team and staff meetings, committee work, attendance at school functions, chaperoning school trips/events, recess duties, etc.
Salary:
Salary is competitive. Benefits included. See pay scale here.
How to Apply
Email a resume, a one-page cover letter, and a list of three references with contact information to: Nathan Tanaka, Middle School Division Head
Email: avisjobs@prospectsierra.org (include “8th Grade Humanities Teacher and Advisor” in the subject line)
Prospect Sierra School is an equal opportunity employer. Our community is diverse in many ways, inclusive of race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender spectrum, age, ability, and more. We welcome and value the same in our faculty and staff.
