Anticipated SY25-26: Spanish Dual Language Teacher- Grade 1

Background on Southbridge Public Schools:

Southbridge Public Schools (SPS) serves approximately 2,200 students in five schools and employs nearly 330 educators and staff. In January 2016, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education designated SPS chronically underperforming (Level 5), placing the district in state receivership. The third district to be placed in the Commonwealth’s Level 5 accountability status, this is an exciting time of change and transformation in SPS. On June 24, 2016, a rigorous turnaround plan, which will guide the district’s turnaround efforts for the next three years, was released to the public.

More information about the district’s turnaround efforts can be found here.

Job Title: Dual Language Grade 1 Teacher (Spanish)

Supervisor:  Principal

Job Description:

In the 2017-18 school year the Southbridge Public School implemented a Dual Language Program at the Eastford Road School. With the plan to annually add grades, the Grade 1 classroom is designed to teach students in English and Spanish. The goals of the program are for children to become fluent speakers, readers, and writers of English and Spanish. Additionally, they will be able to build friendships with children of other cultures while sharing their own cultural backgrounds and language experiences. We aim to achieve full biliteracy, bilingualism, and biculturalism through our 50-50 two way model, in which student learn half the day in English and half the day in Spanish, through interactions with their peers.

Job Summary:

The Grade 1 Spanish teacher will teach language and literacy development and grade level content in the district’s expanding 50/50 dual language program. The teacher is responsible for creating a dual language immersion Spanish classroom environment that ensures learning and personal growth of every student; establishing effective rapport with students and families; creating conditions in which students develop linguistic skills, cultural competency, and strong academic knowledge and practices. This teacher will provide standards-based instruction in Spanish in close collaboration with a English classroom partner teacher.

The ideal candidate is prepared to:

• Understand the core purposes of dual immersion program and research behind the program’s effectiveness.
• Collaborate with families through regular communication to share information about what students are learning and how they are growing academically and linguistically
• Guide the learning process toward the achievement of established district curriculum goals, establish and communicate clear content and language objectives to the students for all lessons, units and projects maximizing instructional time, using a variety of instructional methods, and preparing a functional learning space
• Instruct students using strategies conducive to dual language immersion, including sheltered instruction, cooperative learning, inquiry and discovery learning.
• Teach reading, language arts, social studies, mathematics, science according to Massachusetts Curriculum Standards and supplementary materials compatible with the district’s basic instructional philosophy and congruent with course, MA curriculum and WIDA standards.
• Provide individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student and subgroups of students.
• Work cooperatively with grade-level partner teacher to ensure continuity between daily Spanish and English instruction, structure, and routines.
• Follows PBIS a code of conduct for the classroom which is consistent with established administrative policies and develops rules of classroom behavior which are applied in a fair manner focused on logical consequences and skill building
• Frequently assess students’ academic, linguistic, and social-emotional growth;
• Maintain accurate, complete, and correct records as required by law, district policy, and administrative regulations.
• Maintain professional competence through in-service Professional Development activities
• Participate cooperatively and reflectively through the teacher evaluation system
• Actively seek and participate in professional growth opportunities to reflect on and improve practice as a highly effective dual language teacher.
• Supervise students in hallways, recess areas, and lunchroom during the school day
• Administer group standardized tests in accordance with state testing program
• Attend established traditional school-sponsored activities agreed upon by the building administrator and the faculty consistent with the teachers’ contract (e.g., Open House)

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Bilingual and biliterate in Spanish and English (preferred)
• At least one year of full-time teaching experience
• Commitment to ensuring academic success for all students
• Experience working with diverse student populations (preferred)
• Experience and/or coursework pertaining to language development
• Experience reading, interpreting, and applying student performance data to instructional planning and execution
• Experience in a dual language, world language, or bilingual education setting
• Commitment to collaboration and co-planning

License(s):

• Elementary 1-6 OR Early Childhood PreK-2 (required)
• SEI Endorsement (required)
• Bilingual endorsement (Spanish)

Equal Opportunity Employer

Southbridge Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, disability, religion, age, or sexual orientation.