Middle School Spanish Teacher (SY 24-25)

Job Description

Capital City is looking for innovative, experienced, and passionate teachers for the school year 2024-2025. 

At Capital City, we challenge the status quo every day. Our staff are skilled, compassionate, solutions-oriented, and unwavering in their commitment to give children of all ages, all backgrounds, and all abilities the education they need to thrive. If you want to help prepare the next generation of changemakers, apply today!

Teaching roles are 10-month positions, which are exempt and therefore not eligible for overtime pay under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Why teach at Capital City?

• Work hard and achieve results, together! At Capital City, teachers work on collaborative teams that grapple with challenges, celebrate successes, and support and learn from one another.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords. We believe the diversity of our staff and the students we serve is our greatest asset. We take seriously the responsibility to achieve equity for our students and build a culture where staff engage in dialogue about race and work to build an inclusive culture.
• Invest in your own learning. Capital City prioritizes the professional growth and learning of our teachers through weekly internal professional development and opportunities to learn from experts around the country. Campus and school-wide leadership opportunities are available for teachers who want them.
• Make your classroom and curriculum your own. Our teachers value the autonomy they have at Capital City to design a curriculum that is dynamic, personal and exciting. There is a culture of innovation that is supported by Principals and Instructional Coaches. 

In the following areas, the Spanish Teacher is expected to:

Curriculum/Instruction

• Implement the principles and components of Expeditionary Learning and the Coalition of Essential Schools. Teachers at Capital City are expected to commit to learning these models.
• Plan challenging and engaging lessons and experiences designed to help students achieve content and curriculum standards. Ensure that lessons have multiple entry points and support structures so that children with different abilities and learning styles are successful.
• Work to help plan and develop a middle school and high school Spanish curriculum that addresses both local and national standards and motivates students to learn Spanish.
• Work with the Instructional Coach/Curriculum Coordinator to plan and develop Spanish courses that best meet the needs and interests of our students.
• Develop strong long-range plans including a curriculum map for the year. Share plans with the Principal. Provide students and their families with a semester-long course syllabus.
• Work with teaching teams to plan projects and activities related to classroom learning expeditions.
• Understand the needs and goals of students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and English Language Learners (ELLs). Differentiate instruction and provide accommodations and supports as needed.
• In keeping with the CES principle “Student As Worker, Teacher As Coach”, utilize a workshop model as the main format for instructional time. Keep whole group and lecture-style lessons to a minimum.
• Incorporate diversity issues and multi-cultural content into curriculum and instruction throughout the year in big and small ways. Ensure that all students see their culture(s) represented in curriculum and materials.
• Develop and revise clear criteria and standards for quality work and regularly examine student work to ensure that it meets increasingly higher standards of quality.
• Display student work documenting the process that went into creating the work. Involve students in developing and creating displays.
• Working with teaching teams to plan exhibitions of student work at least two times per year to give students an opportunity to share their work with an audience of parents, other students, and community members.

Assessment/Accountability

• Conduct ongoing assessment of student work using multiple assessment tools including anecdotal records, performance assessments with rubrics, exams, and individualized assessments as appropriate. Use assessment data to plan for instruction and to set short and long-range goals.
• Regularly analyze student data to improve instruction, insure equity and make program recommendations and improvements.
• Plan for the collection of portfolio items outlined in the criteria for portfolio collection established by the teaching staff. Support students in selecting and reflecting on pieces for their portfolio. Work with the teaching teams to coordinate the process.

Social Curriculum/School Culture

• Create and maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment for students. Communicate respectfully to students at all times. Model, practice and discuss respectful, unbiased and effective communication with students.
• Involve students in creating classroom rules. Establish and consistently apply logical consequences for not following them.
• Uphold and support the school-wide discipline policies. Document serious and less serious infractions to the policies and seek help and support from colleagues and administrators when discipline concerns arise.
• Engage students in age appropriate discussions of diversity. Use student observations, questions, actions and reactions as teachable moments to explore diversity.

Collaboration, Collegiality and Professionalism

• Check in regularly with teaching teams and meet formally with each team at least once per semester.
• Meet at least weekly with the other Spanish teacher(s).
• Seek information and support from the Director of Student Services to best support students in classes with special needs. Attend child study meetings as needed or required.
• Be on time for classes, duties, team meetings and professional development activities. Communicate about and plan for absences in advance with teaching teams and the Principal.
•  Seek to resolve conflicts with colleagues as soon as they arise. Seek support from the Principal when needed.
• Make classes open to visits from other teachers, administrators, family members, prospective families and visitors to the school in ways that are not disruptive to student learning. Involve students in welcoming visitors and communicating about the program.

Professional Development

• Participate in weekly Professional Development Time (currently scheduled for Wednesdays, 1:30-4:30p.m) and contribute to sessions by sharing ideas and student work, offering feedback, and facilitating some sessions or discussions.
• Participate in peer observation using protocols established and agreed upon by staff.
• Participate in a Summer Professional Development Institute. The Institute will be two weeks in August before students return.
• Seek out additional opportunities for professional development that will lead to achieving personal and school-wide professional development goals.

Parent Communication and Involvement

• Support teachers in communicating verbally with Spanish speaking families.
• Prepare narrative progress reports 2 times per year using the reporting procedures agreed upon by the teaching staff and the principal. Collaborate as needed with other teachers.
• Meet with parents as requested to share information about student progress.
• Contact parents immediately when concerns arise about student performance or work completion.
• Involve parent volunteers in the classroom in ways that meet the needs of the class and utilize the strengths, talents, and interests of volunteers. Seek to involve Spanish-speaking parents in the life of the school.
• Keep parents informed about classroom activities and units of study through on-going communication and regular updates.
• Support parents in understanding the instructional approach at Capital City through regular communication. Assist with planning and facilitating at least one parent workshop per year.

Other Professional Responsibilities

• Attend and participate in school events. Teachers are asked to attend at least two community meetings or events per year (note: one of these may be the parent workshop that the teacher helps lead.)
• Check voicemail and e-mail daily and respond promptly to requests from parents, administrators and colleagues.
• Supervise students during lunch and recess times according to an agreed upon schedule.

Capital City seeks to employ experienced, credentialed teachers. Ideal candidates have a Master’s degree and 3+ years of full-time teaching experience.

Minimum required qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and at least one of the following:

• A major in education or field of instruction or equivalent 30 semester hours of credit
• District of Columbia teaching license in field of instruction
• Two years of verifiable teaching experience as a teacher of record
• One year as a support teacher at Capital City and enrollment in a teacher education or certification program

Additionally strong candidates have: 

• A commitment to meeting the needs of a diverse population
• Experience working in urban environments
• Strong knowledge of pedagogy and experience teaching in a constructivist way
• Proven ability to work as a member of a team
• Strong leadership capabilities
• A commitment to their own learning.

In addition to the above requirements, teachers must meet the requirements of all hires at Capital City including a criminal background check.

Compensation and Benefits: 

Capital City offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Learn more about our salary and benefits: bit.ly/Salary_Benefits

• Competitive compensation. At Capital City, salaries compensate for experience and qualifications. Teacher salaries are benchmarked regularly against area school districts and other charters. Teachers know how their salary is calculated and what to expect year-to-year. Check out our salary scale here: bit.ly/TeacherSalaryScaleFY24
• Benefits. Capital City invests in a comprehensive benefits package to support the happiness and well-being of staff at all stages of career and life. Benefits include 100% of health insurance covered for full-time employees, up to 6% in retirement contributions, preferred student admission for children of staff living in DC, and support for you and your family when needed.