Instructional Support Instructional Assistant
Job Description
2016-17 Instructional Assistants
Who we are and why it matters – Manhattan Charter School (MCS) is a high performing charter school located on the Lower East Side in New York City that is committed to providing every child with the tools and support necessary for success. Operating as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, MCS has been consistently high-achieving since its founding in 2005.
Manhattan Charter School has 270 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. There are no more than 25 students in a MCS class because we believe much of our success is due to our small school size, and intimate school culture and learning environment. Each school’s principal greets every student by name, every morning, and knows every family. In addition, every teacher knows every child. This intimate environment creates a community of collaboration, communication and accountability for both students and teachers.
MCS focuses on providing a rigorous curriculum of core subjects to help students achieve high academic levels. Though MCS adheres to New York State Learning Standards, its teachers have flexibility when developing their curriculums. Likewise, MCS is committed to offering a well-rounded education program to all students, which it believes helps students develop critical thinking processes, problem solving abilities and supports their learning in the core subject areas. All students receive music instruction each and every day. Other enrichment programs include French, Art, and Physical Education, and hands on experiments in science studies.
Additionally, students explore the historic Lower East Side neighborhood as part of their humanities studies. The Lower East Side is a centrally located, and culturally diverse, neighborhood in Manhattan. Long a fixture of the immigrant experience in New York City, many ethnic groups have resided here over the years as they worked to build a new life for themselves and their families in America. Through walking tours of the neighborhood, students learn about the Lower East Side’s evolution from an area of commercial success and tenement living to the vibrant neighborhood it is today.
The majority of MCS students are minority, live in the neighborhood, and qualify for free lunch. Through its work MCS is demonstrating that all children, regardless of race or economic status, can succeed when given equal access to quality education. The schools pride themselves on delivering rigorous, standards-driven instruction and fostering a culture of high expectations, while maintaining a strong sense of camaraderie amongst students and teachers.
Specific Responsibilities
Instructional Assistants will have the opportunity to work with an experienced Principal, to participate in the school’s professional development programs, and to collaborate with an enthusiastic staff of teachers and highly qualified outside staff developers. The Instructional Assistant will support one or two classes at the same grade level in coordination with the classroom lead teachers.
In addition, our Instructional Assistants will be asked to:
1. Work with teachers to address the individual needs of students
2. Develop and support an inviting, exciting, and innovative learning environment
3. Use materials effectively and keep lessons focused on the objective
4. Keep students on task, assess student performance, and provide feedback
Hours are 7:30 am-4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Some evening events required throughout the school year.
About this position – We are looking for Instructional Assistants across all grade levels to start in mid-August 2016 for the 2016-17 school year.
Qualifications
• Must be currently enrolled in a Master’s program for Education
• Experience in a school setting preferred
• Belief in, and alignment with, Manhattan Charter School’s core beliefs and educational philosophy
• Believes that every child can and will achieve high academic standards, and provides consistent support to our students no matter how challenging the individual situation may be
Compensation
MCS offers a competitive compensation package including medical and dental insurance, bonuses based on school-wide goals and individual student performance and growth, and a 403B retirement plan with 4% match.
As an equal opportunity employer, we hire and promote without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.
