Who We Are:
School in the Square (S2) is an independent, community-based charter school currently serving elementary and middle school students, with plans to one day serve families from Pre-K - 12th grade. Drawing its name from the concept of the public square or “la placita”, our mantra is “Relationships First”. S2 is where communities come together to solve problems and celebrate successes. S2 provides a progressive and rigorous learning community in which students thrive physically, emotionally, and academically through differentiated and personalized education and adults grow through rich and robust professional development. Our community is grounded in principles of justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity (JEDI), enacting a culturally responsive and sustaining lens to our pedagogical practice and consistently examining the ways we can continue to walk firmly in the pursuit of social justice and against injustice of any kind.
S2 engages, educates, and empowers its students to respond mindfully and creatively to life’s opportunities and challenges. We take seriously our obligation as an anchor institution in our community. We understand that our students’ ability to learn is directly impacted by their access to basic needs, which is why we established our Family Support Program. Through this program we support over 200 families every month at our bimonthly food pantries, in addition to providing other essential services, including internet hotspots and rent relief.
Our High School Community
In Fall 2024, School in the Square will open the doors of its new high school and welcome a founding class of more than 100 9th graders.
- We believe in a “relationships first” approach to schooling—that social and emotional learning go hand-in-hand with academic learning, each supporting the other.
- We hire smart people whose vision aligns with ours and empower them with the autonomy and resources to get the job done in the most creative, effective, and fulfilling way possible.
- We measure learning with a holistic set of metrics - not limited to test scores— and design our learning environment around that principle.
- We invest in our educators and educational leaders through ongoing feedback, professional development, planning time, and celebration.
- We model what we seek and practice what we preach for our students, their families, and our teachers.
Our Founding High School Teacher
We are looking for inspirational, mission-aligned teachers across all content areas to join our founding staff. Our teachers will ensure high academic standards, fuel inquiry in our students, and cultivate their passions. We are seeking teachers who are passionate about creating opportunities and access for our students that go beyond the core content areas.
You are our ideal candidate if you:
- Both love and respect children and are committed to working towards equity for all
- Yearn to join a new progressive learning community
- Cultivate collegial relationships through open dialogue, engender trust through collaboration, and willinging share effective practices with others
- Stumble and make mistakes (like all real teachers), but you don’t try to hide it; instead you model the importance of being reflective, learning from mistakes, and continually improving your skills
- Organize your classroom for learning and plan effectively to allow students to do their best work
- Use data to inform instruction and meet the needs of all learners
- Are eager to support the development and growth of civically-engaged young people
Responsibilities
You will ensure that all students are recognized, supported, and embraced for who they are as learners. You will:
- Develop culturally-relevant and inquiry-based curriculum
- Plan interactive lessons that elevate the voices of students and promotes demonstration of learning through multiple modalities
- Assess and accelerate student growth through data-driven practices
- Create an inclusive environment that fosters self-advocacy
- Support college and career exploration and planning, including service learning initiatives
- Collaborate with teams to learn with and from each other, to set high expectations across the school, and align instruction to the needs of your students
- Analyze and study student work to identify trends and misconceptions
- Monitor student academic and social-emotional growth data to inform cultural practices
- Maintain ongoing communication with families that include actionable feedback
- Showcase student achievement through exhibition, publication, and other celebrations
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required
- A valid New York State Certification
- Proven track record of planning lessons with clear learning objectives and a means for assessing whether those objectives have been met
- Strong organizational and communication skills
- Demonstrated content knowledge, including experience planning lessons aligned with New York State Next Generation State Standards
- Demonstrated success in tailoring instruction to the needs of diverse learners
- Ability to work collaboratively with others to achieve common goals
- Experience working with educational technology
- Bilingual in Spanish is required
Compensation & Benefits
At S2 we take as much care of our teachers and staff as we do of our students. S2 is committed to supporting our teachers by helping them build sustainable, rewarding careers that center on each educator’s passions and multi-disciplinary interests. All of our faculty and staff are valued professionals, and we are proud to provide extended planning time, team-building and collaboration, comfortable and friendly working conditions, and more to ensure our team members all have the tools they need to succeed.
The salary range for teachers at S2 is $68,675 - $121,230; individual salaries are set based on years of experience, education level, and certifications obtained. S2 also has opportunities for supplemental compensation, an excellent benefits package with a 401(k) with a 6% organizational match, longevity bonus, generous paid time off, access to a federal student loan debt reduction program, and a friendly work environment.
School in the Square provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. School in the Square complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
