English Language Arts Teacher

English Language Arts Teacher

Common Ground High School is the nation's longest-running environmental charter high school, founded in 1997. Our 230 students form an inclusive, powerful community of learners and leaders. These students benefit from a unique learning environment: an urban farm and 20-acre site, home to state of the art school facilities, adjacent to West Rock Ridge State Park, and located in the City of New Haven.

We strive to create a learning environment grounded in foundational building blocks: rigor, responsive relationships, relevance that's rooted in the local community and environment, and real roles & rights. Common Ground's graduation rate consistently surpasses the state average, and between 97 and 100% of our students are accepted to college each year.

Common Ground High School is part of a community nonprofit organization that also operates an urban farm and community environmental education center. As a whole, Common Ground is a center for learning and leadership, inviting people across ages and identities to connect to their urban environment, build community, grow into their full potential, and contribute to a just and sustainable world.

We work toward this mission through active, authentic learning rooted in justice and our environment: a farm, in a forest, in a city.

We are seeking an experienced, data-driven, and compassionate educator to join our team as an English Language Arts Teacher for the  academic year. This position is a 1.0 FTE. Candidates should hold one of the following CT certifications:
English (015), Remedial Reading & Remedial Language Arts (102), Special Teacher of Reading (063) or certification with an English endorsement is required.

Common Ground offers full time employees a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Salary is commensurate with Common Ground High School Educator Salary Scale. Placement on that salary scale will take prior work, relevant experience in consideration. Staff members at Common Ground are represented by UAW local 2110 with a collective bargaining agreement in progress.

The English Teacher will:

• Teach ELA elective courses for grades 9-12
• Act as a strong team member for Common Ground's small, dedicated, creative faculty; teaching an elective or supporting instruction in another Common Ground course for one period a day.
• Develop materials and lesson plans to teach students with varied instructional needs.
• Work collaboratively with department colleagues and members of the special education team.
• Actively review student performance data
• Prepare and maintain all records and reports
• Promote the engagement of families in their student's educational progress.

We are looking for ELA teacher candidates who demonstrate some or all of the following:

• Experience developing and sustaining relationships with community partners.
• Experience in trauma-informed work, restorative justice, social emotional learning/literacy.
• Background in experiential, place-based, and/or project-based learning.
• Experience working with Google applications, online course management platforms, and other online learning tools.
• Prior experience working with ELL students.
• Ability to analyze student data to make informed recommendations for literacy instruction.
• Demonstrated success of managing student behavior and classroom routines to maximize learning time and create a positive classroom environment.
• Prior experience and positive record of collaborating with school staff.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed instruction and possesses a belief that all students can learn and be successful.
• A passion for our social justice mission and commitment to equitable and sustainable change

We are also excited to consider candidates who have:

• Values and embraces collaboration, communication, and has capacity to work effectively within a team that includes multiple teachers and community partners.
• Experience working directly with racially, economically, academically diverse high school aged young people, and with low-income young people and people of color in particular. Knowledge about and passion for working for an organization that is committed to social justice, the dismantling of systems of oppression, and creating a just, equitable, and inclusive culture.
• Experience working with Google applications, online course management platforms, and other online learning tools.

Please submit your cover letter and resume through our ADP online portal.

Pursuant to Title IX and its regulations, the Board of Directors has adopted and implemented a policy stating that the Common Ground District does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity it operates, including admission and employment. Common Ground High School does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, status as a veteran, status as a victim of domestic violence, marital status,…