Middle School Teacher

Profile

Middle School Teacher

At Mighty Oak Academy

Portland, Louisville, KY

ABOUT US

Mighty Oak Academy is a new community private school that is seeking to build a new educational model that focuses on the whole child.  We want to bring together all the adults in a child’s life, including families, educators, and health providers to help them become the best version of themselves.  As a part of Love City Inc. love is a foundational core belief for all our students, families, and educators.  We believe that if we can teach children to love themselves and their neighbors, they can change their futures and the world.

Our approach has three basic beliefs: 

• We focus on Social Emotional Learning. We seek a trauma informed approach to education, helping our students and their families’ overcome challenges based on their surroundings and family history.
• We partner with families.  We seek to work with our families to build a health community around our students and help them dream and achieve their own goals.
• We prepare students for their success.  We believe the definition of success is unique for each individual and we aim to equip our students with knowledge to achieve their success, exposing them to a variety of activities and learning to spark their creativity and dreams.

Mighty Oak Academy opened in January 2021 in the old Mackin building in the Portland neighborhood of Louisville Kentucky with 27 students grades K – 8.  This fall we expect to welcome 80 students throughout those same grades. We are actively seeking accreditation to add high school in the next couple of years. 

ABOUT PORTLAND

The Portland neighborhood is located on the west side of downtown Louisville.  It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city.  Community and family run deep in the neighborhood with many families living here for generations.  Our families are highly involved in the school.  There is also a volunteer requirement for our parents as part of their agreement for students to attend Mighty Oak.  The demographics of the neighborhood show a diverse population of 63% white and 37% African American.  While 40% of the neighborhood lives below the federal poverty line, the community in Portland is strong with people looking out for each other and helping where they can.  Mighty Oak Academy is in the historic Mackin building on 26th St. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Middle School Teacher reports to the Instructional Coach and is responsible for leading their own instruction as well as collaborating on a teaching team to facilitate learning across multiple middle school classrooms.  Teachers are tone setters for the school and responsible for high quality instruction, culture building within and across classrooms.  Teachers will also need to be able to deeply integrate academics, socio emotional learning and health in our classrooms daily.  Mighty Oak Academy is a new school, and as we learn and grow, we respond and adapt to the needs of our students and staff.  This year we will have teachers working on teams across 2-3 grade levels to address different subjects, integrate project-based learning and adjust classes to skill level rather than grade level. 

RESPONSIBLIITES

• Annual, weekly, and daily instructional planning tailored to the needs of each child
• Instructional delivery in large group, small group, and individualized formats
• Regular assessment and analysis of quantitative and qualitative student data with the goal of tailoring responsive instruction and support
• Collaboration with other teachers to practice skills and jointly problem solve
• Partner with instructional support team, behavioral support team and other related service providers to provide personalized supports for students with identified needs 
• Regular meetings with and outreach to families, including weekly documentation and notes
• Participation in reflection and coaching, both 1:1 with your Instructional Coach and in group context with colleagues
• Active participation in the ongoing design and implementation of the MOA model through research, curriculum collaboration, engagement with school and organizational leadership, and focused professional development
• Partnering with families and facilitate ongoing opportunities for family engagement
• Facilitate classes daily with students at different levels of learning abilities.
• Create, write, and teach lesson plans that are skill level appropriate,
• Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Create a safe and enjoyable educational environment that encompasses project-based learning.
• Use the school’s social emotional learning techniques for encouraging the social emotional development of children that builds a healthy, safe, loving school environment.
• Manage classrooms effectively so that children feel loved, safe and want to learn.
• Work onsite daily, with students.
• Participate in school identified professional development program.
• Meet one-on-one with students to improve performance and address behavioral issues.
• Learn and teach STEM programs and curriculum.
• Use assessment data to plan and deliver instruction.
• Work with school team to develop and implement school vision and goals.
• Duties outside the classroom which may include lunchroom, dismissal, field trips, hallway.

QUALIFICATIONS

• You have a bachelor’s degree
• You have a minimum of 3 years of experience as a classroom teacher and hold deep and diverse instructional competence
• You have a track record of helping children from at-risk backgrounds achieve incredible things.
• Your work demonstrates a practice of creating transformative classroom culture for all kids. You take proactive steps to build an equitable classroom practice
• You enthusiastically utilize data to understand what a student needs and to personalize instruction accordingly
• You believe in the science of reading and a structured literacy approach. 
• You are eager to engage students in student-led and/or project-based learning
• You have a parent- and family-centered mindset
• You recognize the multidimensional needs of children and families, because in your own way, you’ve been trying to weave education, health, and family support services together for your students
• You are unafraid of diversity and engage confidently across differences.
• You are kind, humble, and collaborative

A Plus if…

• You have K-8 teaching certification (does not need to be Kentucky certification)
• You have ties to the Portland or West End Louisville neighborhoods

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 position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms. We are located in an old three-story building with no elevator.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.

COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY

Compensation is commensurate with qualifications and experience.  We have structured our compensation to provide the most level of flexibility as well as appreciation for the work educators perform.  All our positions are hourly.  Our school year for staff starts early July and goes through the end of May.  We are closed for the month of June.  There are opportunities for staff to continue working in the month of June at either camps or academic enrichment programs if they desire.  We build planning and break times into the daily schedule, and staff have the option to work 8 hours a day 5 days a week but have the flexibility to clock out when their obligations to the school day are complete.  Staff can accrue up to 15 days PTO throughout the year.  We also offer a set number of holidays throughout the year; these do not include winter break and spring break.  If staff wish to be paid over non holiday breaks when school is closed, they can take PTO. We strive to provide a highly competitive hourly wage which we feel, when paired with the flexibility of being hourly along with PTO, holiday pay, and health care provide a generous compensation package. Starting hourly rates for this role are based on qualifications and experience on the following scale:

Company info

Mighty Oak Academy