Elementary- Kindergarten Teacher

Our 100% tuition free K-8th Grade campus in the Cleveland Central Neighborhood emphasizes academic expectations that promote a sense of worth, personal responsibility, civic engagement, and a "no excuse - every child can succeed" attitude. Stepstone Academy has the "whole child" "whole family" "whole community" mindset. We are changing more than just the narrative around urban education. Stepstone Academy is Changing Lives.

Stepstone Academy School seeks a passionate Elementary Teacher for Kindergarten. Our ideal candidates are dedicated to enhancing student learning, driven to transform urban education. Collaborative and open, Stepstone teachers work as a team to fulfill the school's mission, meeting student needs. Building strong home-school links, teachers engage with families both on campus and in residences. The role entails Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Urban experience is advantageous.

Essential Functions:

* Communication & Relationship Development

* Able to communicate effectively and respectfully with children, parents/guardians, colleagues and community contacts

* Schedules time to become familiar with families: parent/guardian meetings and family engagement

* Demonstrates compassion and ability to make connections with students and families

* Demonstrates culturally competency and ability to relate to individuals with various ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds and socio-economic status

* Advocates for and provides emotional support to individual children and families based on issues related to poverty, social problems, dysfunctional families, violence, stressors outside of school, lack of parent involvement, etc.

Instructional Design and Planning

* Develops and communicates timelines related to the common core

* Demonstrates the ability to develop creative curriculum incorporating technology and the opportunity for stretch assignments

* Designs and implements lessons and activities which guide students towards meeting and exceeding academic standards

* Demonstrates ability to bring their lessons and material to life, engaging students and extending thinking

* Demonstrates ability to differentiate instruction addressing a wide variety of intellectual and academic needs

* Demonstrates the ability to assess students through utilizing data to inform instruction

* Implements curriculum to provide life context to lessons

* Focused on what students should know and be able to do in order to reach or exceed Annual Yearly Progress (AYP)

Instructional Environment

* Creates a positive, structured atmosphere for students to observe, understand, and exemplify the Stepstone Academy mission

* Conducts daily instruction, student assessment, and portfolio development

* Demonstrates ability to set, communicate and maintain HIGH expectations and a deep responsibility for each student's progress, not accepting failure

* Demonstrates ability to manage student conduct through consistent expectations and organizes subject matter so that students are engaged

* Maintains student attendance and manages the transient student population and changing room dynamics

* Able to respond appropriately and maintain composure and possess professional demeanor at all times

* Committed to the Stepstone Academy vision and mission and the SA way

Collaboration - Teamwork

* Creatively collaborates through parent-teacher relations and interfaces with the school's educational support service specialist to ensure outcomes are aligned with the school's mission and culture and student success

* Shares ideas and responsibilities with colleagues in order to benefit the whole

* Provides and accepts support and encouragement from their colleagues

* Eager and open to receiving and offering nonjudgmental feedback

* Works towards the values, virtues, mission and success of the whole through a What-Ever-It-Takes attitude

Commitment & Motivation

* Personally committed to using every moment of every day for instruction, academic and personal, in and out of the classroom

* Passionate about changing the way urban students are educated

* Demonstrates inspiration , persistence, motivation, drive at exceptional levels

* Able to support and follow through with Stepstone Academy's "no excuses" school and organizational culture

* Demonstrates expert knowledge of and enthusiasm for academic subjects and projects this enthusiasm to students

* Committed to modeling the virtues at all times with students, parent/guardians, colleagues and community contacts

Professional Growth and Responsibilities

* Willing to examine oneself personally and professionally

* Expects excellence from students, teachers and leaders

* Possesses an exceptional level of professionalism, intellectual curiosity, ambition and goal oriented drive

* Encourages students to grow as human beings and to develop academically

* Excitement to learn and grow as a teacher and a leader and continually works to improve ability to do both

* Highly knowledgeable about content area theory and best practices

* Possesses intellectual…