Upper School: 7th Grade ELA Teacher (26/27)

Emerald Academy is looking for an innovative, highly-motivated, and values-aligned leader to help grow scholars into leaders in urban Knoxville. EA seeks individuals who are goal-oriented and dedicated to the school’s mission, vision, and values. These leaders will have the unique opportunity to mold the next chapter of Emerald Academy by embracing the student-centered learning environment that ensures every child is college-bound and career-ready.

About the Role

The Lead Teacher helps prepare scholars for the college of their choice and community leadership by delivering instruction and managing the classroom in ways that maximize scholars’ academic engagement and outcomes. This is primarily a scholar-facing role.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement rigorous lessons and classroom instruction with a focus on student achievement determined by demonstration of mastery.
• Create a classroom climate of high expectations that is focused and rewards perseverance through academically challenging materials.
• Hold all students accountable to themselves and collaboratively to classmates, while enthusiastically encouraging natural exploration and a love of learning.
• Communicate and build strong partnerships with families through phone calls, conferences, and home visits when appropriate.
• Use current student data to drive instruction, planning, and decision-making.
• Work collaboratively utilizing all Emerald Academy team members to ensure students achieve at high levels.
• Develop processes that encourage student self-assessment and self-monitoring.
• Document, analyze, and summarize student progress based on both formal and informal assessment measures to communicate with students, parents, and other stakeholders.
• Utilize technology to maintain student data and enhance student learning.

Requirements

• Must hold a Tennessee Teacher License and any needed endorsements.
• Must have an active TDOE Teaching License or completed the TDOE Application process for current and active out-of-state license transfer prior to application.
• Must meet highly qualified status for area(s) you will be teaching.
• Teaching experience preferred, but not required.
• Must possess a passion for the work itself.
• Must thrive in an innovative environment.
• Must work collaboratively to form creative solutions.
• Must have a record of demonstrated expertise in your domain—grade-level and in teaching literacy.
• Must demonstrate a growth mindset—flexibility to learn new methods and present ideas to improve learning and the school.
• Must believe all kids can learn and achieve at high academic levels.
• Must commit to being an active part of a staff that will never tire in its efforts to have all scholars succeed academically.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, & Life Insurance
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Voluntary Vision Insurance
• PTO
• Paid Sick Leave
• 13 paid Holidays
• School Holidays & Staff Development Days
• Retirement – competitive company contribution

Pay

Starting salary: $50,000

About Emerald Academy

Emerald Academy is Knoxville’s first college preparatory charter school. We are committed to the singular focus of growing all our scholars into leaders. We are a K-8 school of high expectations that creates the right learning culture for city students to thrive through our innovative use of time, personalized focus on each scholar, and strong partnerships with scholars’ families and the community.

• We believe that all students should read at or above grade level by third grade.
• We are committed to having our students perform in the top 5% of the state within our first decade of existence.
• We will develop in our scholars the skills, habits, and values for them to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and succeed in life.

Emerald Academy values its staff for their professional knowledge and abilities to foster student achievement. We create an environment where teachers are empowered to make instructional decisions using the most current student evidence (data) and the team’s instructional expertise.