Physical Education and Wellness Teacher, Middle School Campus

Who Are We? Prospect Hill Academy Charter School is a highly successful urban PK-12 public school located in Somerville and Cambridge. We enroll over 1,100 students from cities and towns throughout the greater Boston metro area. Our inclusive and restorative school celebrates and serves a diverse community - with 87% BIPOC, 27% ELL, and 16% of our students qualifying for special education services. Our mission is to prepare all students for success in college, foster responsible citizenship, and inspire a lifelong love of learning - as we believe academic achievement opens doors and creates opportunities for our students.

We center the values of anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work. Our approach to instruction is founded on culturally sustaining, inquiry-based, and student-centered practices. To invest in the growth of our educators, we offer comprehensive professional development, instructional coaching, and mentorship. Our campuses foster a collaborative team environment with extraordinary educators who are committed to ongoing learning, reflection, and professional growth.

As a Physical Education and Health & Wellness teacher at Prospect Hill Academy Middle School, your focus will be to support students to be informed, educated, and active in making healthy life choices. You will need to use, and be committed to developing, the following skills:

• Developing and implementing Physical Education units that engage all students in safe, inclusive, and healthy physical activities
• Implementing Health & Wellness curriculum in a supportive and developmentally appropriate manner
• Differentiating instruction to make curriculum accessible and challenging for all learners
• Serving as an engaged and collaborative member of the Middle School faculty and staff, supporting school-wide initiatives, participating in professional development meetings, and overall contributing to a positive school culture
• Examining and challenging personal biases and systemic inequities in pursuit of anti-racist teaching, curricula, and culture

Most important to a candidate for this role is an eagerness and excitement to unlearn the models and mindsets of traditional schooling and collaboratively embrace developing a new model for school that centers and uplifts students’ whole selves. What does a Teacher at Prospect Hill do?

I. Curriculum & Planning
• Demonstrates a depth of content knowledge and understanding.
• Incorporates departmental/subject area expectations into lesson plans.
• Develops lesson plans that are age and developmentally appropriate.
• Designs lessons that accommodate multiple learning styles.
• Activates and builds upon students’ prior skills, interests, and knowledge.
• Aligns lesson objectives with school and state standards, as identified on curriculum maps.
• Adapts curriculum in accordance with student IEPs and 504 plans.
II. The Classroom Environment
• Interacts respectfully with all students.
• Conveys enthusiasm for subject matter.
• Holds all students accountable to high expectations for achievement and growth.
• Promotes and manages collaborative learning.
• Establishes effective classroom routines and procedures.
• Organizes the physical environment to maximize student learning.
III. Instruction
• Communicates clear directions and procedures.
• Identifies and communicates learning objectives for skills and content.
• Communicates clearly and effectively through speech and writing.
• Allocates and manages instructional time effectively.
• Facilitates smooth and efficient transitions and maximizes instructional time.
• Incorporates questioning strategies to improve student thinking and learning.
• Facilitates engaging and inclusive classroom discussion.
• Varies instruction to accommodate different learning styles.
• Executes departmental/subject area expectations into instruction.
• Designs, selects, and incorporates materials and resources that stimulate student learning.
• Adapts instruction in accordance with student IEPs and 504 plans.
IV. Assessment
• Aligns assessments with instructional goals.
• Designs assessments around clear criteria or standards.
• Provides ongoing, timely, and useful feedback to students.
• Utilizes a variety of assessment strategies.
• Uses assessment data to inform and improve curriculum and instruction.
• Adapts assessments in accordance with student IEPs and 504 plans.
V. Professional Responsibilities
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date records.
• Communicates frequently and professionally with parents.
• Maintains respectful, collegial, and collaborative relationships with colleagues.
• Supports the extracurricular life of the school.
• Seeks and participates in collaborative inquiry as professional development.
• Adheres to and upholds school rules and procedures.
• Reflects positively on the PHA community.
• Fulfills basic professional responsibilities.
• Contributes positively to the professional culture of the school.

What Knowledge, Skills, and Experiences are needed for this role?

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred
• MA Licensure in relevant field preferred, or working towards completion of licensure
• Understanding and familiarity with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
• Commitment to Prospect Hill Academy’s educational mission and values
• Commitment to and experience working with students from diverse backgrounds with diverse profiles
• Willingness to work collaboratively with a dedicated staff and involved parent body
• Strong organizational and communication skills

Our students and families are diverse, and we are committed to hiring educators who reflect the wonderful diversity of our students. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply to work at Prospect Hill.