Middle School Science Teacher(18-19)

Lodestar: A Lighthouse Community Charter School

THE ORGANIZATION

Social justice movements come in all shapes and sizes. Here at Lighthouse Community Public Schools, we are engaged in an educational movement that goes beyond our classrooms working to disrupt educational inequities by providing our students and families exceptional educational opportunities every day. Grounded in our core values of community, integrity, agency, love, and social justice rooted in EL Education Model , LCPS is a leader in fostering innovative schools achieving exceptional student outcomes where each child is at the center of their own learning. Our mission is to prepare diverse students for college, a career of their choice, and to be lifelong changemakers.

Founded in 2002, LCPS operates a high-achieving K-12 public charter school, and our K-8 sister site, Lodestar, that opened in Fall 2016; serving nearly 1,000 students in East Oakland. Lighthouse is a beacon for public education and our graduates fulfill the promise of a better, brighter Oakland. 95% of our graduates, almost all of whom are first-generation college students, are accepted into four-year colleges. We were named the Hart Vision Charter School of the Year in 2013, and the #1 high school for closing achievement for low-income Latino students in 2016. If the work we do here at LCPS appeals to your values regarding quality education for all then please join our movement! Learn more at www.lighthousecharter.org

About Lodestar-A New Way of Doing School

Lodestar is an innovative, new school that opened in East Oakland in Fall 2016. Lodestar teachers are excited by the possibility of transforming the traditional model of education to be student-centered and experiential. Our teaching pedagogy is built around:

• Design Principles of Agency and Belonging
• Students belonging to an educational community that provides personalized learning
• Project-based learning expeditions integrated with Making, Arts and Design
• "Just right" instruction in math and literacy.

This model allows our teachers to specialize in delivering either project-based interdisciplinary learning or small-group, multi-age math or literacy instruction. This year, we are adding grades 4 and 8 to our existing grade levels of K-3 and 6-7. We will continue to add grades until we are K-12. Take a look at our work and watch our lab in action here !

THE OPPORTUNITY

About the Middle School Science Teacher Role

We are looking for a Middle School Science Teacher who can design and implement rigorous, inquiry-based scientific explorations and lab experiences with middle school students across grades 6-8. In addition to holding grade-level instruction in the scientific practices, disciplinary core ideas, and cross-cutting concepts of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the Science Teacher will also collaborate with our Humanities teachers to develop and teach one interdisciplinary unit for each grade level, called "Learning Expeditions" in EL Education Schools. These multi-week project-based learning expeditions integrate the Next Generation Science Standards and ELA Common Core State Standards, are designed around an authentic problem and essential question, and culminate in high-quality products that serve a need in the community.

Are you ready to join our educational movement that is bigger than one classroom? If you are excited about the opportunity to foster and facilitate a progressive mindset in students and engage in transformational teaching, we ask you to answer the call to action!

You will embody the following Core Competencies to be an effective change-agent:

• Be a visionary, innovative and equity-focused urban educator
• Facilitate deeply engaging student-centered learning
• Demonstrate a keen ability to create, collect and analyze authentic data
• Be a strong community builder and team collaborator
• Model and Foster a Growth Mindset with agency, persistence, and flexibility

You will offer our students a high-quality educational experience by:

• Designing and implementing learning experiences that build a solid foundation in the scientific practices, disciplinary core ideas, and cross-cutting concepts of the 6th-8th Grade Next Generation Science Standards, and the Common Core Standards for Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects;
• Integrating complex texts, media, fieldwork, observations, lab experiences, and visits with experts in the scientific community to build student knowledge, skills, and passion for science;
• Collaborating with the Humanities Team to design and implement integrated expeditions that empower students to use their scientific knowledge and skills to solve an authentic problem facing their community;
• Collaborating with colleagues in the MakerSpace and Art Studio to incorporate Making, Art, and Design into high-quality products (when possible);
• Fostering relationships with community-based organizations and experts in Oakland and beyond to provide meaningful fieldwork experiences and role models for students;
• Serving as a Crew leader to a grade level cohort of students, being the primary trusted adult and family liaison and supporting students in community building, character development, and academic progress monitoring.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• B.A. or B.S. required; Master's Degree preferred
• Appropriate California Credential required (either Multiple Subject or Single Subject Foundational Science with experience in middle school preferred)
• 3+ years science/STEM teaching experience serving urban youth preferred
• Experience teaching in a progressive and personalized school model a plus
• Experience with one or more of the following: NGSS, project-based learning, interdisciplinary curriculum, Common Core, restorative justice, responsive classroom, making and the arts, small group intervention, and service learning.
• Bilingual in Spanish a plus

TIME COMMITMENT

200-day work year for 11-month employees with 23 student-free days for professional learning and collaboration with colleagues and families. All instructional staff will report in early August, 2017 (exact calendar TBD).

Common Building Hours: All teachers are expected to maintain hours of 8:00 - 4:00 pm and 8:00-5:00 one day a week for Professional Development.

OUR COMPENSATION PACKAGE:

At Lighthouse Community Public Schools we take good care of our employees. We provide a competitive compensation and benefits package, including a competitive salary and generous health and retirement benefits (100% employee health coverage/50% for dependents; 8% employer-matching for retirement program; medical and dependent FSA).

TO APPLY

People of color and/or bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should submit:

• Resume
• Cover letter describing your interest in this exciting position and why you are an optimal fit, including how your teaching philosophy, approach to student learning, and educational expertise would contribute to the Lodestar founding team.
• 3 references with Name, Email, Phone Number and Title/nature of the working relationship

Application submission screening and initial phone interviews will be completed on a rolling basis. In-person interviews and performance tasks will take place on-site.

Lighthouse Community Charter School is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity at all levels.