Now Hiring: K/1 Classroom Teacher at Freedom Side School

Freedom Side School is opening a free abolitionist elementary school in Philadelphia for young freedom fighters! We open our doors and welcome our first class of students and families this fall. We are currently seeking applicants for a Classroom Lead Co-Teaching position who will teach our first class of 15-20 kindergarten and first grade students during the 2026-2027 school year.

You can learn more about Freedom Side School’s vision, mission, values, and team at www.freedomsideschool.org. To submit your application please use this form. If you have any questions about the position or the application, please reach out to hiring@freedomsideschool.org.

Hiring Process

• We are looking for the right candidate to join our teaching team next year, and hope to hire as quickly as possible.
• Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, however the priority application deadline is June 1.
• First Round: We will offer applicants a 75 minute Zoom interview. These interviews will be conducted on a rolling, first come first serve basis.
• Second Round: We will invite finalists to join us for an in-person interview and demo lesson.
• Hiring Decision: We hope to make an offer no later than Jun 18, 2026.
• Start Date: This position will start in August, 2026.

Job Description

Classroom Teachers are integral to translating our mission and vision into action by shaping day-to-day school life for our students and their caregivers. Teachers will be members of the Teaching and Learning Team, and will be supervised by the Director of Teaching and Learning. This is a Lead Co-teaching position: all classroom teachers at Freedom Side work with a teaching partner with whom they share teaching responsibilities equally.

Key Skills and Qualifications for this Role:

• Minimum 5 years experience as a lead classroom teacher, grades K-3.
• Must hold either a PA Elementary school teaching license or a PA elementary private school teacher certification by August 2026.
• Experience developing and implementing constructivist and culturally-relevant curricula (especially social studies, social-emotional learning, and interdisciplinary curricula).
• Experience teaching literacy in grades K-3.
• Experience supporting children’s learning through hands-on exploration and play.
• Strong classroom management skills.
• Strong relational skills.
• Experience working on a team and collaborating with other educators.
• Willingness to engage in ongoing learning and professional development.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed care.
• Interest and/or experience in non-punitive models of classroom management.
• Experience working collaboratively with children’s family to build on children and their families’ strengths and knowledge.
• Alignment with Freedom Side School’s Philosophy of Education.

Schedule:

At Freedom Side, we value teachers’ time and prioritize creating a work schedule that is sustainable. Because of this commitment to support teachers’ well-being, we:

• Build planning, prep, and curriculum development time into the school day schedule.
• Communicate any work commitments we expect teachers to attend outside of typical school day hours at the start of the school year. This will include a small number of evening and weekend commitments, such as Back to School Night, open houses, and school celebrations, with schedule adjustments on those weeks so that teachers are not working more than 40 hours.

Key Responsibilities for this Role:

• Collaborate with co-teacher and Education Director to construct classroom environment, systems, and routines that will support students;
• Teach literacy, math, social studies, science, and social-emotional curricula;
• Develop and implement curricula in partnership with other Teaching and Learning staff;
• Facilitate restorative practices in the classroom;
• Maintain ongoing anecdotal records for each child, and for the class as a whole;
• Prepare and facilitate parent-teacher conferences;
• Write two narrative reports per child per year (14-20 reports total);
• Communicate regularly with families about their children’s development;
• Maintain accurate classroom records in Student Information System;
• Work collaboratively with other student support staff to meet student needs; and
• Engage in professional development opportunities, including peer to peer professional development.

We are seeking applicants who…

• Bring a strength-based approach to teaching, and understand that all children can learn and grow;
• Are aligned with Freedom Side’s vision, mission and values;
• Are aligned with and can carry out Freedom Side’s Community Commitments;
• Live and are rooted in the Philadelphia area, who are willing to work in-person in Philadelphia;
• Are committed to sticking with Freedom Side School through our founding years;
• Are comfortable with consensus-based decision-making processes or are willing to learn;
• Can work collaboratively on a team of staff and volunteers, are able to take feedback and show up with integrity and accountability;
• Are comfortable working collaboratively as a part of a small team; and
• Are able to take initiative and self-direct their work, and to ask for help when needed.

We are prioritizing candidates who…

• Are directly impacted by mass incarceration, including candidates who are formerly incarcerated or have incarcerated loved ones;
• Have experience in the anti-prison and/or abolition movement; and
• Have community organizing or activism experience or are willing to learn.

FY27 Compensation and Benefits

• $80,000 base pay for full-time employees
• Cost of Living Adjustments for certain life circumstances will be offered as additions to a team member’s annual base salary
  • +$3,000 for student loans, if actively making payments
  • +$5,000 for care-givers of children living in multi income households
  • +$7,000 for care-givers of children living in single income households
  • +$5,000 homecoming stipend for formerly incarcerated individuals
• 5% salary increase each fiscal year
• Employer paid health, vision, dental insurance
• Available retirement savings with 3% employer match
• FSS observes about 50 days of paid organizational closures a year, mostly aligned with academic calendar breaks, including planned winter, spring, and summer breaks
• Both full time and part time staff are given personal PTO to be used at their discretion

Preview of Application Questions

General Application Questions

1. Email address
2. Name
3. Phone Number
4. Do you currently live in the Philadelphia area?
5. Tell us a little bit about why working at Freedom Side School interests you (under 250 words)
6. Tell us why you would be a good fit for Freedom Side School (under 250 words)
7. Please upload a copy of your resume.
8. Please let us know if you have any feedback about this application process.

Co-Lead Classroom Teacher Questions

1. Please list your experience as a lead classroom teacher including the name of school, grade level/s taught, and number of years.
2. Certification confirmation (PA public school elementary teaching license, PA private school elementary teaching certificate, neither)
3. If you are not currently licensed or certified as an elementary school teacher in PA, please comment further.
4. Please read our philosophy of education. How does your work as a teacher align with our philosophy? Please be as specific as possible.
5. Tell us about your approach to classroom management. In particular, how do you address a situation in which a child is not following the behavioral expectations of the classroom?

Sample lesson plan: Please upload a copy of a sample lesson plan or curriculum outline that you have written. Please note that AI-generated content will not be accepted.

• $80,000 base pay for full-time employees
• Cost of Living Adjustments for certain life circumstances will be offered as additions to a team member’s annual base salary
  • +$3,000 for student loans, if actively making payments
  • +$5,000 for care-givers of children living in multi income households
  • +$7,000 for care-givers of children living in single income households
  • +$5,000 homecoming stipend for formerly incarcerated individuals
• 5% salary increase each fiscal year
• Employer paid health, vision, dental insurance
• Available retirement savings with 3% employer match
• FSS observes about 50 days of paid organizational closures a year, mostly aligned with academic calendar breaks, including planned winter, spring, and summer breaks
• Both full time and part time staff are given personal PTO to be used at their discretion