Science Teacher | Middle School | BTWA MS

Position Title
:
Building Substitute / Resident Teacher (Middle School)

Location
:
Hamden / New Haven, CT

Reports To
:
School Principal

Employment Type
:
Full-time, Exempt

Start Date
: SY26-27

Salary Range
: $50,500 – $90,000, commensurate with experience

BTWA Middle School seeks a mission‑driven Science Teacher ready to join a community grounded in the credo: “Excellence is doing common things in uncommon ways.” The role centers on delivering rigorous science instruction while fostering a culture rooted in character, discipline, and educational uplift.

As a member of the grades 5–8 team, you will build a joyful, structured, and academically demanding classroom where scholars think critically, collaborate, and see themselves as capable scientists and problem‑solvers. You will help students develop the habits of mind, work ethic, and personal responsibility that prepare them for high school, college, and leadership in their communities.

• Plan rigorous science learning by intellectually preparing standards‑aligned, phenomenon‑based lessons that build students’ scientific thinking and align with BTWA’s academic model.
• Deliver high‑quality instruction that develops core disciplinary skills—modeling, analyzing data, constructing explanations, and engaging in scientific argumentation.
• Build strong, affirming relationships that create a classroom where scholars feel safe taking intellectual risks, asking questions, and exploring scientific ideas.
• Integrate culturally relevant and responsive practices to make science meaningful, identity‑affirming, and connected to students’ lived experiences and communities.
• Use data and ongoing assessment (exit tickets, lab checks, discourse, formative tasks) to differentiate instruction and ensure every learner is known and supported.

• Establish a structured, joyful classroom grounded in mutual respect, high expectations, and consistent routines that support productive scientific discourse and collaboration.
• Model and reinforce BTWA’s values
  —excellence, character, self‑discipline, responsibility—to help scholars grow as leaders in school and community.
• Partner with families to build trust, share progress, and ensure shared ownership of student growth.
• Contribute to school life by supporting events, leading a club or enrichment experience (STEM‑related or otherwise), and helping sustain BTWA’s traditions and community culture.

• Engage in weekly professional learning
  , including coaching, co‑planning, department work, and grade‑level collaboration focused on strong science instruction and deeper learning.
• Collaborate with colleagues to build a positive, high‑performing adult culture centered on continuous improvement and shared responsibility for student success.
• Give and receive feedback to refine instructional practice, strengthen lab and classroom routines, and improve student outcomes—demonstrating adaptability, openness, and a growth‑oriented mindset as part of your professional practice.

• Support common school routines (arrival, dismissal, lunch, recess, transitions) to ensure safety, consistency, and a positive school culture.
• Lead a homeroom/advisory that builds community, fosters authentic relationships, and supports scholars’ social‑emotional development.
• Help design and strengthen school‑wide systems, rituals, and traditions
  , including exhibitions, performances, and public demonstrations of learning that reinforce BTWA’s identity and celebrate scholar voice.
• Take ownership of school‑wide initiatives and special projects that advance BTWA’s mission and support scholars’ academic and character development.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Valid teaching certification
  , or eligibility to obtain required CT certification through reciprocity
• 2–3 years of successful teaching experience with a demonstrated track record of strong student achievement
• Ability to build a safe, structured, and intellectually challenging classroom where scholars feel…