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Company Description

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 53 schools serving more than 20,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond. 

Uncommon Schools in Brooklyn currently manages twenty four schools serving students in grades K through 12. We believe in strong authentic relationships between teachers and students, supported by effective school systems and an engaging instructional model that enables students to flourish academically and personally. Our students in Brooklyn have an impressive 99% college acceptance rate.

Job Description

Uncommon Pre-K Teachers cultivate a love for learning in every student from the very start. Our teachers and students engage in a learning environment that fosters curiosity, achievement, respect, and empathy (CARE). Our classrooms are engaging, intentional and playful.  We have built a community where teachers encourage our core values of respect and hard work while celebrating the uniqueness of each student and laying the academic foundations that carry students to and through college. Our classrooms are led by teaching teams that consist of a lead teacher and apprentice teacher.

Responsibilities

• Instruction

• You’ll co-teach and build an engaging and joyful classroom environment that encourages mastery and empowers students to learn through exploration and purposeful play.
•  You’ll teach literacy (reading comprehension, phonics, language development, vocabulary, and writing), mathematics, core knowledge (science and social studies).
• The teaching team (lead & apprentice teachers) work together to facilitate our free-choice centers and small group instruction.

Data Analysis

• You'll meet weekly with your director to analyze and respond to trends in student work samples and assessments.
•  You'll learn and implement strategies to differentiate instruction for all learners in your classroom.

Classroom Culture

• Implement instructional model and collaborate with instructional coach/director to ensure students are achieving academic goals
• Use multiple data sources (assessments, classroom quality observations, and other data collections) to make day-by-day decisions about instruction (reflective) 
• Provide early-learning experiences that contribute to children’s positive feelings about school, teachers, and their communities (nurturing)
• Support children’s development across social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and academic competencies (balanced)
• Apply a variety of strategies to promote both concept and skill development
• Provide modeling and support for children’s expressive and receptive language throughout the school day.

School Culture

• You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
• You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their children’s learning needs.
• You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
• You’ll support morning arrival, lunch duty, student assemblies, class transitions, and after-school dismissal.
• You'll participate in weekly, school-wide meetings to foster community, model our core values, and encourage student achievement.
• You'll partner with your teaching partner and grade level team to develop academic goals and practice instructional strategies.

Qualifications

• A commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization
• A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development
• An enthusiasm for working with families in the best interest of students
• A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives

Required Experience

• A demonstrated interest in impacting pre-K-12 students in urban schools and communities (1-2 years experience preferred).
• Academic expertise in early childhood education.
•  Prior to the start of employment, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Certification is not required to be hired at Uncommon, but you do need to meet NY state certification eligibility requirements. 
  1. To meet these requirements, you must enroll in a teacher preparation program and maintain a GPA of 2.75 or higher during your employment with us if you do not have a degree in education. 
  2. Uncommon Schools teachers are required to become certified in the state of New York within a reasonable period after beginning employment.

Additional Information

Our people are what makes us Uncommon.  We believe our compensation philosophy and benefits should reflect our values—equity, transparency, and clarity—to enhance our ability to attract and retain talent and reward their expertise.  Our staff receive best-in-class training, coaching, and support to develop and operate mission-driven schools that provide a high-quality education to our students and families.

Compensation for this position: The starting compensation for this role based in New York is between $64,000 to $96,900. The starting pay will depend on various factors that may include but are not limited to professional experience, education, training, certifications, tenure with Uncommon Schools, and work location.  Because one of the things that we value is staff tenure in a role, we do not currently cap salary ranges.  Please note: ranges may differ for staff who work from a location other than New York.

Benefits: We offer comprehensive, flexible, and competitive compensation,  benefits and perks that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families.

• Comprehensive Health Insurance

• Financial Planning & Wellness

  • 403(b) retirement savings plan and/or region specific Pension plan 

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness  Program  & 529 Savings plan

• Generous Time-Off plan aligned with school calendars

• Leave of Absence

  • 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave +

• Mental Health and Counseling support

• Relocation Assistance

• Other Perks and Discounts

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email recruitment@uncommonschools.org.