Physical Education Teacher, Saltonstall K-8 School, Salem Public Schools SY2024-2025 ANTICIPATED

About Salem Public Schools, where belonging leads to opportunity.

Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4,000 students across our 11 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging, equity, and opportunity in everything we do. Over the next three years (2023-2026), we are committed to the work outlined by the four core priorities in our strategic plan: 1) Elevate Learning; 2) Empower Educators; 3) Center Belonging; and 4) Strengthen Our Foundation. We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. Applicants who have experience working in urban schools and settings and are bilingual are strongly encouraged to apply.

What You’ll Do:

The Physical Education Teacher works to develop in each student an understanding of the relationship of good body function and exercise. In addition, s/he motivates each student to cultivate his or her talents in physical achievement including strength, skill, agility, poise, and coordination in individual and team activities and sports.

Responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

• Teach and evaluate standards-based knowledge and skills in physical fitness, health education, and individual or team sport;
• Facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential;
• Provide individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt inclusive PE lessons to the needs of each student;
• Establish and maintain high standards of student behavior needed to provide an orderly, safe, and productive environment in the physical education areas;
• Communicate with parents, teachers, and administrative team on student progress;
• Share and support the school’s responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal and academic growth;
• Promote PE learning through the school community;
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal 

What You’ll Bring:

We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, are inspired by our mission and are highly motivated to change children’s lives through education. You’ll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself, your work and the people around you to the next level. We expect our SPS employees to:

• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity - The SPS community is vibrant, diverse in background, ethnicity, language, and perspective. You embrace and affirm the backgrounds of all members of the SPS community and view our diversity as a powerful resource that supports us each in learning and doing our best work.
• Hold high expectations for yourself, students, and colleagues – You see potential in all, especially our SPS students, and maintain high expectations for achievement, while providing the support necessary to meet that bar. You hold yourself to high expectations, modeling SPS values and seeking opportunities to continuously improve.
• Build authentic, caring relationships with colleagues, students, and families – You build strong relationships across students, families, and colleagues that are collaborative in nature and contribute to the individual and collective success of SPS. You partner with families and colleagues to make decisions in the best interest of students and learning.
• Embrace feedback – You are a reflective practitioner who learns from failure, using mistakes and challenges as opportunities for growth. You model persistence and growth mindset and thrive in a culture of feedback. 

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from accredited institution required;
• Required Massachusetts teaching certification/licensure;
• Experience working in an urban public school or charter school setting is preferred;
• Ability to provide a structured, orderly, safe, and respectful school environment;
• An entrepreneurial spirit that reflects an openness to change, willingness to problem-solve, and an interest in developing new ideas and programs;
• A willingness to engage with colleagues in constructive feedback to improve professional performance;
• Maintain professional competence through in-service education activities provided by the District, and/or in self-selected professional growth activities;
• Belief that every child can learn and the drive to help every child reach his or her potential;
• Second language (Spanish and/or Portuguese) proficiency a plus;
• Bilingual candidates and candidates of color strongly encouraged to apply;
• Current authorization to work in the United States.

Essential Attributes

• Holds an unwavering belief that every student in Salem can grow and succeed
• Skilled in providing equitable access to the curriculum, particularly in underserved populations
• Able to work collaboratively and flexibly as part of a building team
• Has a strong work ethic, is self-directed, and has the ability to work independently
• Self-reflects and accepts feedback with a growth mindset

Equal Opportunity Employer

Salem Public School District is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.