Teacher Biology and Math Vacancies at Crosstown High
Job Description
Invitation to Apply for Instructional Positions at Crosstown High:
We are now accepting applicants for Biology and Math teachers.
Reports to: Principal
Application Deadline: Until all positions are filled
Start Date: Prior to the official opening, staff will be engaged in planning & development work on some evenings from March-June 2018. July 1 is official start date.
Answering the Call
Feeling trapped in the box of the traditional educational model? Ready to rethink high school? Wouldn’t it be cool if you could teach in a super school that cultivates students’ creativity and makes learning relevant through real-world experiences? A school in which the content standards are the floor and not the ceiling? A school in which relationships are valued more than compliance? Well, here’s your chance!
Crosstown High is now accepting applications for teachers and support staff. We are searching for individuals who are comfortable working in an exciting start-up environment, who are risk-takers and are driven to imagine and explore the limitless possibilities for our students, and who are committed to providing an engaging, yet rigorous, project-based approach to teaching and learning. Successful candidates will be highly collaborative, yet independent thinkers, and will be comfortable “co-working” with their professional peers. Do you want to teach your students on a deeper level and facilitate opportunities for them to develop their passions beyond the core content? You’ll be able to do just that at Crosstown High where every adult is a teacher, a counselor, and an advisor. Our diverse, student-centered school is seeking educators who will facilitate “learning that encourages original thinking for an uncertain world”, and will work to develop our young learners as “generous collaborators for tough problems”. If you’re tired of the box of tradition, apply to teach at Crosstown High, where the box does not exist.
Crosstown High
Crosstown High (CXH) is an innovative new public charter high school opening in August 2018 in Memphis’ city center. CXH is strategically and intentionally located in Crosstown Concourse, a 1.1M square foot vibrant, “vertical urban village” that houses retail, restaurants and residential apartments. CXH students will leverage the assets of this redevelopment effort through hands-on partnerships and academic projects with participating Crosstown Concourse nonprofit and for-profit organizations that span health care, education, and the arts, to name a few.
The idea for CXH was born from an application to the XQ Super School Challenge submitted by a cross section of Memphis volunteers (young people, parents, educators and community members). The Challenge invited teams to reimagine how high schools can better prepare students for college, the workplace and life.
CXH’s approach to education is unique in a number of ways:
● Location: The school’s location in Crosstown Concourse will provide students with the opportunity to build rich and ongoing relationships with each other and the Crosstown Concourse community.
● Curriculum: CXH’s curriculum is project-based, which will provide students with real-world connections to what they are learning in school. Students will also have the autonomy to direct their course of study, allowing them to pursue academic work and projects that inspire them.
● Support: CXH utilizes a personalized approach to accommodate the learning needs and social-emotional development of students.
● Diverse by design: CXH will recruit its students from a diverse cross-section of the city to ensure that a broad range of students can take advantage of all the opportunities this school will offer.
Roles and responsibilities
● Work collaboratively with colleagues and community partners in a co-taught, interdisciplinary instructional setting, to design high quality, purposeful and meaningful learning experiences for students through a project-based or problem-based approach
● Attend and participate in curriculum design and planning sessions (Jan-June 2018)
● Attend and participate in “Ed Cafe” sessions with Crosstown High staff, students, and community partners to develop meaningful real world work opportunities
● Develop meaningful and supportive relationships with students through a positive youth development and social justice lens
● Facilitate an advisory group of 12-15 students
● Participate in Professional Learning Communities, Critical Friends Groups, and Student Support sessions
● Develop and maintain positive relationships and communication with parents and families
● Monitor students’ progress towards performance outcomes and personal learning goals
● Other duties as deemed necessary by the principal to support and strengthen the community
● Bring your “A game” and have fun. It’s what we do at Crosstown High!
Qualifications
The strongest candidates will have the following certifications, skills, and experiences:
● An undeniable enthusiasm for and commitment to authentically engaging youth
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills
● Exceptional organizational and planning skills
● TN Educator Licensure/Endorsements or equivalent Out-of-State Licensure/Endorsements (If hired, out-of-state candidates must obtain necessary TN licensure.)
● Evidence of excellence in teaching in a student-centered and rigorous environment
● Experience in a project-based learning environment is strongly preferred, but not required
● Willingness to learn, explore, experiment, question, create, critique, and enhance as we RETHINK HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION.
Apply
Email your cover letter, resume, and a copy of your certification/licensure to jobs@crosstownhigh.org. Include your content area speciality in the subject line. In your cover letter, please address some or all of the following (no more than two pages, please):
What about the Crosstown High opportunity most speaks to you?
What makes you unique as a teacher that makes you a good fit for CXH?
What is it like to spend the day in your classroom? Describe what we might see.
What are sources of inspiration in your own professional growth?
Thank you for your interest in Crosstown High.
