Teacher English Language Acquisition
Job Description
English Language Acquisition Teacher and Building ELA Administrator
Status: 1.0 FTE
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Reports To: Head of School
Annual Contract Days: 192
American Indian Academy of Denver (AIAD) is an Indigenized STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) public school providing rigorous, interactive learning opportunities for 6-9th grade students.
We are committed to creating a sustainable environment where students, staff, and parents are safe, feel they belong, and are actively engaged. All variations within the identities of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, language, ability, nationality, tribal affiliation, immigration status, age, and class are honored; each member of the school community is deeply valued and provided with what they need to be healthy physically, socially, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Employment at AIAD means becoming part of a community of caring and driven adults dedicated to the strengthening of indigenous peoples’ self-determination, mobility and academic excellence attained through the implementation of Indigenized education. Collaboratively, teachers are afforded the autonomy to develop and implement learning experiences for students and will be provided technical support in doing so. Teachers are also expected to transcend western educational expectations of what curriculum should be by ever-increasingly leaning into models of fun, meaningful learning and identity development that caters to the unique needs that indigenous students have. This can include decolonized/Indigenized frameworks and pedagogies, land-based learning models, arts-based learning, social-emotional and trauma-informed teaching, mindfulness and post-trauma healing, restorative practices and classroom management, physical activity, traditional language learning, traditional ecological and ethnobotanical knowledge, oral tradition and storytelling as a means to ground content in indigenous worldview, etc. Collaboration across disciplines, different class subject matters, teachers and grades are welcome and encouraged in the interest of strengthening community and cooperation. Teachers are encouraged to also reach out and build solidarities with community members who are willing to come into class and share content, teachings, wisdom, skills and build relationships.
POSITION SUMMARY
AIAD teachers create and implement relevant and meaningful curriculum through innovative teaching methods. Our ELA teacher will focus on providing rigorous, English language-focused learning experiences that both embed meaning and context and emphasize functional language, grammatical forms, vocabulary, application and fluency utilizing AIAD curriculum and standards to plan and implement targeted lessons and assessments for each student; following a scope and sequence of language development. The building ELA Administrator will ensure that all ELA program requirements are met in compliance with DPS’s Consent Decree (2012) to help multilingual learners participate, learn and succeed in the classroom.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Deliver rigorous, English language-focused learning experiences that both embed meaning and context and emphasize functional language, grammatical forms, vocabulary, application and fluency;
- Plan and implement targeted ELD lessons and assessments for each students following a scope and sequence of language development;
- Use strength-based restorative classroom practices that foster resiliency and success for students;
- Collaborate with colleagues to incorporate ELD strategies and lessons into AIAD’s integrated curriculum;
- Participate in weekly professional development through a student-centered professional learning community format;
- Develop strong relationships with parents and students, creating investment in school culture and academics;
- Work collaboratively with colleagues and staff to create consistent structures and systems;
- Maintain required administrative records, for example: student attendance, evaluation, report cards, and student data;
- Oversee the ELA programming at the school to ensure that:
- The school is offering the necessary ELA services for their English Learners
- The school is in compliance with the ELA requirements of the Charter Contract and
Consent Decree
- Ensure that all English Learners are properly identified, redesignated and monitored by the
CH-ISA Team, completing forms issued by the ELA Department
- The Charter ELA Administrator must be a member of, and lead, the CH-ISA Team to
ensure required processes are followed in accordance to district timelines
- Oversee the Charter ELA Teacher Qualification program at the school to ensure all teachers are
ELA qualified within the first two years of employment
- Identify ELA Instructor- ELA qualified Instructor of Record
- Serve as the English Language Acquisition and Portfolio Management Team point of contact for
any questions and issues related to ELLs
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be ELA-E or ELA-S qualified (either through CLD/LDE State Licensure, Advanced Degree, or DPS District-run or Charter Teacher Qualification program);
- Must participate in required New Charter ELA Administrator Onboarding in first year of role (approximately 20 hours throughout year);
- Has minimum of 2 years classroom experience;
- Has prior knowledge of and/or experience with implementing methods for accelerating English language acquisition across content areas;
- Has experience developing and implementing differentiated curriculum and learning objectives for a wide range of learners;
- Has experience and/or strong understanding of how to design culturally competent learning experiences;
- Has experience integrating technology and artistic expression into instruction and student learning experiences;
- Possess deep understanding of what it means to live as part of a marginalized group of people;
- Possess great relationship skills and high emotional intelligence.
STRONGLY PREFERRED EXPERIENCE AND DISPOSITIONS:
- Loves teaching middle/high schoolers;
- Demonstrate a deep commitment to decolonized mindsets and practices;
- Has experience in project-based, problem-based learning experiences using integrated approaches;
- Has experience with cooperative learning techniques to enhance collaboration skills among students;
- Possess collaborative skills and a willingness to work with colleagues in a Professional Learning Community;
- Possess desire to learn and grow, and is open to feedback from instructional leaders and colleagues;
- Demonstrate willingness to be involved in community activities and events outside of typical school hours.
WHY CHOOSE AIAD?
- Empowering work environment in a community-based school dedicated to community transformation;
- Opportunity to help build a high achieving school nested in Indigenous belief systems and values;
- Participate in a shared leadership model where all voices are heard;
- School committed to supporting professional growth for all employees;
- Health/dental/vision insurance and PERA (retirement);
- Staff wellness opportunities;
- Moving stipend for new employees moving to Denver from outside Colorado;
- $48,000 to $55,000 annual salary range dependent upon education and experience.
