In the Empowerment Zone, we are a team passionate and focused on making real transformation in our schools on the West Side of South Bend, Indiana. We are working in service to our students; 41% who are African-American/Black, 39% who are Latino, and 78% who receive free/reduced lunch. We are launching Empowerment Zone Pre-K during the 2021-2022 school year. Dual Language Pre-K teachers will be critical to us providing every child in the Empowerment Zone with an education that “cultivates the greatness that exists within each child to confidently pursue their dreams in our city, nation, and world.” Pre-K teachers will support a play-based, developmentally appropriate, whole child curriculum that promotes language development, literacy & math conceptual development, and social/emotional development. Pre-K teachers in the Empowerment Zone will provide developmentally appropriate, trauma-sensitive classroom environments and strategies to their students that nurture their development as whole children (mind, body, and spirit). We are seeking Pre-K teachers who are interested in helping us accomplish our vision and mission: Our Vision We are a system of schools that eliminates academic and social-emotional opportunity gaps and cultivates the greatness that exists within each child to confidently pursue their dreams in our city, nation, and world. Our Mission We nurture the mind, body, and spirit of each child by embracing equity, learning, and change for students, staff, and families. We harness the power of community and relationships to ignite transformation. IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Principal SCHOOL HOURS: Student attendance hours are from 8am-3:30pm, M-F; teacher work hours are from 7:30am-4:00pm, M-F COMPENSATION: Teacher salary schedule as negotiated AVAILABLE: 2021-2022 School Year, some spring/summer training will be required & compensated DUTIES: In the Empowerment Zone, Dual Language Pre-K teachers will: Instruction & Supervision ○ Plan and provide play-based, developmentally appropriate, whole child curriculum that promotes language development, literacy & math conceptual development, and social/emotional development ○ Ensure that children receive core instruction in both English and Spanish, enabling children to become fluent in English and Spanish○ Provide differentiated small group support/intervention to students grounded in responsiveness to student learning data and formative assessment ○ Support and guide each child’s identity as a learner ○ Provide student supervision ensuring student safety ○ Embrace professional learning, coaching, and development Culture/Team ○ Provide a responsive classroom environment that speaks value to our students, including implementing daily classroom circles, trauma-sensitive strategies ○ Collaborate with school and other Pre-K colleagues to plan, assess, and continuously improve instruction by accomplishing school-specific goals focused on continuous improvement ○ Embrace professional learning and growth opportunities and contribute to a healthy team/school culture grounded in collaboration, high expectations, and support ○ Examine their own biases and guard against unexamined biases that filter into harmful practices, low expectations for students, and a deficit view of students and families ○ Engage in Empowerment Zone-wide conversations and reflections about race, class, and education Family Partnership ○ Intentionally build/develop relationships with students and their families that strengthen trust ○ Partner with families to support students & regularly communicate student progress to families QUALIFICATIONS: ● Must be certified in early childhood or elementary education, have a valid Indiana teaching license, and be highly qualified. ● Spanish and English fluency highly preferred ● Understanding of dual language best practices/instructional strategies highly preferred ● Understanding of child development and developmentally appropriate early childhood practice preferred ● National Board certification as an early childhood generalist preferred