Teacher First Grade Long-Term Substitute
Job Description
Wissahickon Charter School (WCS) is seeking a first grade long-term substitute teacher for our Fernhill campus. This position would ideally start on 8/15 but and continue through at least mid-February. The first grade long-term substitute will develop and implement instruction that builds a positive classroom community and promotes academic and social/emotional growth. Teachers must be committed to the belief that all students can learn and must be relentless in their efforts to address the wide range of learning styles, needs and interests of Wissahickon Charter School students. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching in an urban setting and will thrive in a collaborative work environment. This is an outstanding opportunity to improve the academic and social outcomes of children from across the city of Philadelphia.
Key Responsibilities
- Establish and maintain a learning environment that excites, invests, and motivates students to achieve academic and behavioral expectations
- Design and implement organized, differentiated unit and lesson plans aligned with WCS’ curriculum
- Work collaboratively with grade team, learning specialists, teaching assistants, and other staff to support student growth
- Build classroom community through the development of CARES values (CARES stands for Collaboration, Academic Excellence, Responsibility, Empathy and Self-Reflection)
- Consistently implement WCS’ student management practices within the classroom and throughout school
- Establish and maintain relationships with families through regular communication, updates and opportunities for involvement
- Track student performance and use data from Wissahickon Charter School’s internal assessments to drive instruction and behavior interventions
- Exemplify WCS’ CARES values in all interactions with students, families and colleagues
- Seek out and be receptive to feedback from the Lower School Director, Dean of Culture and peers with the goal of improving instructional and culture-building skills
- Participate in all professional development, team planning and data analysis meetings
- Assume other duties as assigned by the administrative team
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
- Teaching experience in an urban setting preferred
- Strong instructional and classroom management skills, with a record of increasing students’ academic and behavioral growth
- Knowledge of Pennsylvania and Common Core Standards
- Familiarity/experience with Responsive Classroom approach a plus
- Receptiveness to feedback, positive attitude, and a desire to continuously improve
- Flexible and able to adjust instructional strategies in order to reach goals
- High level of personal organization, planning, and follow-through
- Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate with students, families, supervisors and colleagues
- Collaborative work style; including maturity, humility, and a sense of humor
- Willing and able to comply with all of WCS’ COVID-19 safety protocols
- All applicable clearances required by law including current FBI clearance, Criminal Record Check, Child Abuse Clearance, Mandated Reporter training, and proof of a negative TB test
- Belief in Wissahickon Charter Schools’ mission and environmental education model, and the belief that all children can learn and succeed
About Wissahickon Charter School
Wissahickon Charter School’s first and current campus, Fernhill, opened in 2002 and serves 485 K-8 students from across Philadelphia. Our second K-8 campus, Awbury, opened in the fall of 2014. The mission of Wissahickon Charter School (WCS) is to provide a community of learning that stimulates and builds the child’s intellectual, social, and character development. Wissahickon Charter Schools are planned around three essential elements: an environmental focus that allows students to experience the curriculum, recognition of service learning projects as key in students’ success, and an emphasis on parents as partners in the learning experiences of their children.
