Middle School Social Studies Teacher 2024-2025

Family Life Academy Charter School (commonly called FLACS) is a network of high-performing charter schools in the South Bronx. Family Life Academy Charter Schools, together with the Latino Pastoral Action Center and parents, create the conditions for self-empowerment for all its K-12 students to excel academically, take responsibility for their own learning, and affirm human values, today, in college, and beyond. We are guided by this mission and through it, we have revolutionized education for students from K-12. 

Family Life Academy Charter Schools is currently seeking dynamic educators who

• Value collaboration with like-minded educators who believe that education is activism.
• Want to work in an environment where all students are scholars and academic excellence is the norm.
• Believe that young people can be leaders who can create positive change in their communities and that schools should be safe, warm and caring environments. 
• Desire to work in a place where their skills will be nurtured through an embedded professional development program.

SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER (6-8) JOB DESCRIPTION

Under the supervision of the School Principal, the Social Studies Teacher engages students in learning focusing on conceptual understanding, fostering student inquiry, and supporting students in analyzing sources and using evidence to make analytical arguments. Using a shared FLACS Network social studies curriculum aligned with the NYS K-12 Social Studies Framework and the NYS Next Generation Learning Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects, the Social Studies Teacher will design daily lesson plans that are responsive to diverse learning needs of all students including general education, students with disabilities and English Language Learners, and hold all students to high academic expectations. The Social Studies Teacher is primarily responsible for teaching one grade level, but may be required to teach additional preparations (i.e., an advisory course, elective course, or remedial support workshop).

Key Responsibilities:

• Creates academically rigorous, standards-based, culturally relevant lesson plans that foster critical thinking and problem-solving and prepare students for high school level coursework.
• Utilizes student-centered instructional strategies to engage students and differentiate teaching based on the diverse, individual needs of students including those with disabilities and ELLs.
• Implements units using common network curriculum resources, maps, frameworks, pacing documents and instructional philosophies to ensure alignment across our schools from kindergarten through high school graduation.
• Integrates literacy skills across their curriculum area, includes explicit vocabulary development and prepares students to read, write, speak and listen within this discipline.

• Coplans and co-teaches with Special Education teachers and English as a New Language teachers, either as part of an ICT model or to support students through differentiation of materials.
• Analyzes data from ongoing formative and summative assessments to refine instructional practices and impact student achievement.

• Maintains strong classroom management and implements school wide policies and procedures to ensure a safe, caring and orderly school environment.
• Establishes a classroom culture of caring, respect and rapport which holds all students to high academic standards, promotes inclusion, fosters a love of learning, and builds positive relationships.
• Grades student work and provides students with actionable feedback, and returns work and enters these grades into online systems shared with students and families promptly. 
• Seeks to actively know students’ strengths and challenge areas and communicates these effectively with families using online portals, report cards and other means.
• Participates in professional development, professional learning communities, grade-level activities and school wide functions.  
• Shares best practices with colleagues by participating in professional learning communities, grade-level or content teams, and cross-school groups.

Professional Responsibilities:

• Upholds the FLACS mission, core beliefs, and educational philosophy.
• Is a lifelong learner who reflects on their practice, is receptive to critical feedback from leaders and colleagues, and strives to improve instructional effectiveness.
• Has high expectations for students and for themselves as an educator.
• Demonstrates self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree is required; a Master’s degree is preferred.
• New York State Teaching Certification in New York State Teaching Certification in Social Studies (grades 5-9), Social Studies (grades 7-12),  or Childhood Education (grades 1-6).
• Prior satisfactory teaching experience, especially in an urban school, is preferred.
• Dual certification in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or Students with Disabilities is a plus.
• NYS Department of Education fingerprint clearance.

It is the policy of FLACS to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, alienage and citizenship status, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender (sex) or prior record of arrest or convictions (except as provided by law), and to maintain an environment free of discriminatory harassment, including sexual harassment, or retaliation, as required by civil rights law.