SANKOFA MISSION

The mission of Sankofa School of Success, Inc. is to create an environment that is safe, nurturing and seeks to meet students' academic, social and emotional needs using neuroscience, mindfulness, and rigorous education.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Social-Emotional Learning Teacher

Reports to: Director of Student Services

Job Type: Exempt

TO APPLY: Please click the link HERE

SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

This innovative and adaptive teaching role will lead and steward a new “related arts” class focused on the social and emotional health of all students across PK-6 in a public school setting, with a particular emphasis on employability skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and self-awareness. The Whole Child Problem-Based Learning team will teach each group of students in the school and lead innovative interdisciplinary problem-based learning experiences with a rotating grade level.

Candidates must be fully committed to the philosophy of “the whole child, everyday” and be passionate about the intersection of social/behavioral wellbeing and academic learning for the overall success of students.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION: Bachelor's Degree required

LICENSE: Must hold a valid Indiana State Teacher's License in Elementary Education (K-6). Must be deemed Highly Qualified in accordance with the Indiana Department of Education

PREFERRED EXPERIENCES:

• Experience teaching in an elementary specials or related arts model

• Experience teaching in a schoolwide problem-based learning, project-based learning or interdisciplinary model

• Experience working in a Title I school or with a similar population of students

• Experience implementing mindfulness and restorative practices

COMPETENCIES

• Problem-Based Learning Implementing: Proficiency in implementing problem-based learning lessons that are culturally responsive, engage authentic audiences in the community, and emphasize employability skills
• Exemplary Student Engagement: Demonstrate excellence and ability to model the creation of positive classroom culture with structures that enable rich problem based learning experiences.
• Content Knowledge: Familiarity with CASEL social emotional competencies and Indiana employability skills
• Use of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices: Demonstrate understanding and use of evidence-based instructional strategies
• **Relationship Building & Collaboration: **Foster collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, families, and other stakeholders and share work with others to maximize impact
• Operational Efficiency: Utilize time management and organizational strategies that maximize instructional impact while fulfilling operational duties with accuracy and timeliness
• Growth Mindset: Commit to ongoing professional learning, seeking and applying feedback and staying grounded in a belief in our students' potential
• **Adaptability & Resilience: **Demonstrate willingness to try new approaches, show flexibility and patience with change, and communicate concerns and potential solutions proactively as challenges arise

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Instructional & Social Emotional Excellence

• Plan for and implement assigned social-emotional curriculum during daily 30-60 minute blocks, supplementing and modifying curriculum to build towards problem-based learning experiences, teach and assess employability skills, and frequently and fluently respond to student need
• Plan weekly interdisciplinary problem-based learning experiences that incorporate authentic audiences and experiential learning in collaboration with Whole Child PBL Coach and general education teachers.
• Create and maintain an environment conducive to safety and learning that promotes both intellectual growth and emotional well-being
• Internalize and deliver rigorous, engaging lessons tailored to meet the diverse needs of all students
• Implement evidence-based instructional strategies and apply neuroscience and mindfulness principles to support students' developmental needs

Data-Driven Practice

• Gather and analyze school-wide and class-wide academic and behavioral data to ensure instruction is relevant and elevating overall school culture and effectiveness
• Frequently assess and document student skills and growth across academic, social, emotional, and behavioral domains
• Utilize common assessments and shared data systems across the team to evaluate student learning and instructional effectiveness
• Collaborate with colleagues to analyze student work and assessment data and plan targeted instructional adjustments

Communication & Collaboration

• Work closely and collaboratively with the behavior coach and school supports team for the betterment of school culture and learning environment
• Meet and communicate regularly with Whole Child team and grade level teams to collaboratively own student achievement
• Participate in shared communication systems, including posting assignments and plans and inputting real-time data in a timely manner
• Encourage meaningful family involvement in the educational process, including:
  • Contacting families weekly to maintain open communication channels
  • Arranging family conferences each grading period
• Collaborate effectively with administration, student support staff, and all staff
• Seek and utilize community resources to enhance instructional programming
• Resolve conflicts promptly using reason and emotional intelligence, focusing on solutions rather than blame
• Uphold school policies and procedures while contributing to a culture of excellence and accountability.

Professional Growth

• Attend and participate fully in all professional development opportunities, which may occur during summer months or outside regular instructional hours
• Solicit and respond to feedback to continuously improve instructional practice
• Proactively communicate challenges with a solutions-mindset

Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None.

LANGUAGE SKILLS : Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs using EXCEL.

REASONING ABILITY : Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: None.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS : The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to find, handle, or feel. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and humid conditions and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

DISCLAIMER:

The above job description is designed to denote the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of employees assigned to this job.