Middle School English and Middle School Advisor

This full-time position requires the teacher to teach four sections of Middle School English in a school community that values collaboration and differentiated instruction. The English teacher develops students’ close reading, analysis, and writing skills through the study of literature and poetry, vocabulary, grammar, and expository and creative writing. The teacher is responsible for collaborating with vertical team members on curriculum, instruction, and the progression of Middle School students’ reading, literary analysis, note-taking, study, and writing skills.

The teacher also serves as a Middle School advisor to a group of students. The advisor attends chapel with students, meets with them in a dedicated afternoon period, acts as their mentor, and provides organizational assistance and instruction of social and emotional learning lessons. The advisor works with the grade-level teaching team to plan, develop, and facilitate appropriate skills, conversations, and team-building activities for the grade. The advisor communicates regularly and as needed with parents and other teachers, conducts advisory meetings and discussion groups, and prepares for and participates in parent/student/advisor conferences.

Key Accountabilities

• Teach students to refine their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.
• Cultivate a culturally competent English classroom by establishing and maintaining a respectful and conscientious environment and through the exploration of a variety of literary genres and voices.
• Participate in continuous curriculum evaluation with grade-level and vertical peers.
• Collaborate with vertical team members to ensure English/Language Arts curriculum continuity between Lower and Middle School and as students progress through Middle School. The vertical team monitors and advances the quality of the overall program and the progress and success of students.
• Maintain curriculum documentation in accordance with Middle School division requirements.
• Understand and meet the developmental and academic needs of Middle School students of varying academic, social and emotional abilities. Differentiate instruction to meet individual student needs.
• Adapt instructional strategies to accommodate the needs of students with diagnosed learning differences according to the accommodations outlined on Student Support Plans.
• Provide feedback to students and parents using a variety of tools including progress and grade reports, in-person and video conferences, phone calls, emails, and one-on-one meetings. The teacher is expected to write thoughtful, meaningful, and well-articulated comments that reflect students’ progress, give specific direction for growth, and regularly assess students Habits of Scholarship.
• Maintain daily lesson plans and effectively use the Student Information System, Learning Management System, and various other online tools. The teacher is expected to electronically record attendance, gradebooks, reports, and conference notes.
• Attend and contribute to regular grade?level, vertical, divisional, and all-employee meetings.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned, such as lunch, recess, and carpool duty. Participate fully in the School community through club sponsorship, coaching, or other means.
• Adapt curriculum and instructional modalities as necessary based on whether learning is taking place on campus, at home, or in a hybrid/blended environment. Demonstrate technical proficiency and the ability to plan, organize, teach, and communicate in person, to a blended in-person/online class, and in synchronous and asynchronous online environments.
• Assist with the planning of and participate in field trips, whether they be virtual, day, or overnight.