Middle School English Long Term Substitute

Northwest Academy is seeking a Middle School English Teacher for the 2024-25 school year and beyond.

About Northwest Academy:

Northwest Academy is a progressive, independent middle and high school located in downtown Portland. We offer our community of learners a student-centered experience rich with rigor, creativity, and a problem-solving and proficiency-based approach to learning. We value an inclusive, caring culture that supports and challenges students appropriately, is guided by their developmental needs and challenges, and grows students into their burgeoning independence and individuality.

Benefits And Advantages Of Becoming An Educator With Our Community:

Northwest Academy encourages and supports our educators in having a meaningful work and life balance. Teachers enjoy a low student:teacher ratio, have approximately 4 out of 9 classes for prep time scheduled per week, and take part in an inclusive and collaborative community of colleagues, staff, and administrators. Teachers receive a modest budget at the start of each year to purchase classroom supplies and are supported with pursuing professional development opportunities throughout the year.

Full-time employees receive several different healthcare plans to choose from, a dental and vision plan, identity the protection, and a 3% matching 401K pension account aer completing one year of employment. Northwest Academy also offers opportunities for Creative Production Grants to support individual artistic endeavors and a 6-week Sabbatical.

Position Details:

We are seeking a Middle School English long term substitute for the 2024-25 school year. This is a .6 FTE Exempt position. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching middle school English, as well as a demonstrated passion for teaching middle school students in a program that emphasizes writing and critical thinking/analysis.

The Northwest Academy Humanities Middle School program prizes critical and creative thinking. Our curriculum goes beyond what schools typically ask of middle schoolers, and our students rise to the challenge. We design our courses to expose students to powerful (and sophisticated) texts, current and historical events, film and media. In the classroom, we value discussion and student-centered learning and actively teach students how to approach challenging material in a nuanced way. Teachers hold students to high standards regarding reading, writing, discussion and thinking, while also being attuned to the special social and emotional needs of this age group. Students demonstrate and build their knowledge through traditional analytical and expository essays, group presentations, project-based assessments and creative writing. Students also complete artistic responses, using an artistic medium of their choice to present and deepentheirunderstandingofcoursecontent. Weencouragestudentstotakeownershipoftheirworkand to extend that ownership to their role in the world'as writers, readers and thinkers. With this practice, Humanities courses also aim to raise social awareness and inspire civic action.

FTE: .6

Position Title: Middle School English Teacher 

Department: Humanities

Reports To: Head of Middle School

Responsibilities:

• ● Teach classes as assigned, providing effective and professional classroom instruction, assessment, and management

• ● Design and implement curriculum and instruction consistent with the mission, values, and standards established with the departmentʼs program

• ● Collaborate with colleagues on curriculum development and on enhancing instructional practices and strategies

• ● Establish effective communications and relationships with students and families

• ● Help to maintain school policies, regulations, and expectations

• ● Develop and maintain professional, collaborative, and collegial relationships with faculty and staff, as well as with community partners to the benefit of students and classes

• ● Support the work of the Head of School and administrative/leadership team

• ● Exhibit a growth mindset about teaching practices and work toward professional goals and development

• ● Participate in required non-classroom activities, including Back to School Night(s), parent/student

  conferences, retreats, faculty and department meetings, field trips, and special activity and performance events

• ● Provide effective supervision of students to promote a safe and healthy environment and school experience

• ● Timely and professional completion of required reports and forms

• ● Represent the school at community or public events.

• ● Fulfill other responsibilities as assigned respective to faculty memberʼs courses or academic department

Qualifications:

• ● Earned Bachelorʼs Degree, or higher, from an accredited institution of higher education;

• ● Preferred Masterʼs Degree in teaching or subject area to be taught;

• ● Expertise in the subject area(s) to be taught;

• ● Experience in middle and/or high school setting;

• ● Excellent verbal, written, and digital communication skills; ability to effectively communicate and work as a team with administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and students;

• ● Proficiency with computers, Google Drive, and word processing, database, electronic grading soware, and other classroom technologies;

• ● The ability to create an effective learning environment and interact effectively with people from different cultures and experiences; ability to lead and work with cross-cultural environments;

• ● An awareness about difference and how it can expand teaching practices and student success; and

• ● An ability to learn from and build on varying cultural and community norms of students and their families.

  Supervisory Responsibilities:

  Faculty members are at all times responsible for the supervision of students in their care during classes and for students generally at all times when on campus or off campus during school activities.

  Physical Demands:

  Physical requirements are consistent with light physical duties required of teachers generally. The school is spread out across five buildings, covering multiple blocks in downtown Portland, so teachers may have to move between buildings during five-minute passing periods or attend meetings around campus. The school does not provide parking for all staff members, so metered street or lot parking might be required.

  Interested candidates can find instructions for applying for this position on the Careers at Northwest Academy and reply to Careers@nwacademy.org.

  Northwest Academy is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to welcoming and celebrating a diverse student and faculty population. We believe every employee has the right to work in an environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination. It is the policy of the school that employment decisions for all applicants and employees will be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other characteristics protected under local, state, or federal law. No employee will be retaliated against for raising concerns under this policy. We seek each employeeʼs contribution and assistance in helping us maintain equal employment opportunity