Middle School English Language Arts; Critical Literacies

Middle School English Language Arts (Critical Literacies) Position Statement

Reports To:

Head of Middle School

FLSA Status:
Exempt, Full-time Position

Department:
Middle School Faculty/Critical Literacies

The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain seeks a full-time English Language Arts (Critical Literacies) teacher for the 2026–2027 school year. At Dawson, teaching extends beyond academic standards; it intentionally cultivates strong work habits, a resilient learner mindset, and a deep sense of community responsibility. These elements are essential to our modern learning program, where engagement is strengthened through relevance, reflection, and student ownership.

Working closely with other members of their grade‑level team and the Critical Literacies department, this educator is responsible for classroom instruction, communication with students and parents, facilitating daily advisory lessons, and remaining current on best practices in adolescent literacy instruction. Providing explicit reading comprehension and writing instruction through a workshop approach is the primary focus of the role. Interdisciplinary instruction, designed and taught in collaboration with the seventh‑grade humanities teacher while exposing students to different genres of literature and writing, is strongly encouraged.

Comfort with and the ability to connect with Middle School students is required. In addition to teaching several sections of Critical Literacies – which includes some small group instruction – the role is expected to serve as a middle school advisor for 10–12 students. The advisor serves as the main point person for families and guides students’ academic, social, and emotional development and success.

The role may be asked to teach at least one elective class based upon the educator’s background, expertise, and availability in the teaching schedule. And finally, the middle school faculty share in the unique opportunity to support our overnight field study programs.

This is a full‑time, 10‑month position that will begin August 1, 2026; however, the successful candidate is also required to attend a new faculty onboarding program from July 23‑25, 2024.

Professional Work Habits & Mission Alignment

• Professional Standards & Conduct: Consistently upholds professional standards of personal presentation, punctuality, attendance, and engagement at meetings, duty coverage, safety protocols, decision‑making, and maintains required credentials.
• Commitment to Dawson Culture: Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding and support of Dawson's mission, vision, core values, and diversity statement; actively participates in school‑wide events.
• Confidentiality & Ethical Practice: Honors confidentiality of school, student, and family information and demonstrates ethical decision‑making in all professional contexts. Talks to people and not about people.
• Working Agreements: Upholds Dawson working agreements, such as assuming positive intentions in all interactions, holding self and others accountable for the impact of words and actions, mindfully sharing the air, and proactively looking for solutions before problems escalates.

Instructional Knowledge

• Classroom Climate & Management: Establishes a safe, well‑organized environment with effective routines that maximize learning time, exhibits student ownership and agency, and reflects the identity of the students.
• Instructional Design & Delivery: Designs learning experiences that are meaningful, engaging, and aligned with clear learning objectives. Lessons leverage high‑impact strategies that promote deeper learning, critical thinking, and meaningful technology integration; pacing of lessons is appropriate to maximize instructional time.
• Assessment, Feedback & Differentiation: Provides timely, specific feedback that supports growth and utilizes multiple assessments and adapts instruction to meet diverse learning needs.
• Student Success Skills Integration: Intentionally plans and implements instruction focused on Dawson's Student Success Skills, and systematically collects evidence of student progress toward mastery of these skills.

Professional Growth &…