Engish Language Arts Teacher

SUMMARY: The English Language Arts Teacher creates an engaging, nurturing, and safe learning environment that allows learners to develop their physical, social, and emotional wellbeing; providing instruction, future ready skills, knowledge, and dispositions to be compassionate, lifelong-learners, and contributing citizens in a rapidly changing world.

To Apply: Please complete the application and provide a letter of interest, a resume, and three letters of recommendation. Please also include your transcripts and a copy of your licensure through ESPB, if available.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and requirement satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required for the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (Other duties may be assigned)
Collaboration:

• Develops positive, effective working relationships with learners and staff.
• Engages with other district staff in the professional learning community process.

Communication:

• Connects and shares ideas through appropriate/applicable formats to express thoughts and ideas with integrity.
• Utilizes effective communication skills to facilitate connection and sharing of thoughts and ideas in multiple formats with diverse audiences.
• Establishes and clearly articulates procedures and routines that promote efficiency and appropriate use of time.
• Clearly communicates the instructional purpose of each lesson and makes connections to prior learning.
• Engages learners in meaningful direct instruction, guided practice, and independent practice.
• Utilizes questions, discussions, and dialogue that promote critical thinking about diverse perspectives, viewpoints, and experiences.

Compassion:

• Empowers learners to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic learners, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information.
• Understands the complexities of cultural and global issues and how they relate to employee and learners’ experiences.
• Partners with others to resolve potential controversy and conflict through respectful discussion.
• Proactively seeks to understand the ideas, opinions, and skills of others.

Creativity:

• Connects with team members and shares ideas in an effort to improve the overall learner and employee experience.
• Utilizes creative, critical thinking skills when faced with challenges.
• Designs assessments that are aligned to the standards and learning targets and provide frequent opportunities for authentic and meaningful assessments.
• Establishes a classroom culture that values high expectations, work ethic, and a growth mindset.

Critical Thinking:

• Reasons, interprets, and analyzes information to generate new knowledge and understanding.
• Demonstrates knowledge of content and pedagogy in language arts; explicitly connecting key concepts to develop learner skills.

Reflection:

• Demonstrates understanding of the diverse social, emotional and developmental learning needs of learners.
• Maintains communication with supervisor and director regarding general feedback, career advancement opportunities, and areas of growth opportunities.

Resilience:

• Maintains composure while dealing with stressful situations.
• Proactively seeks out resolutions and takes initiative to resolve knowledge gaps.

Responsibility:

• Utilizes district guaranteed and viable curriculum including the scope & sequence of academic and social emotional learning targets along with the defined proficiency scales.
• Plans a program of study that meets the individual needs, interests, and abilities of the learners.
• Utilizes district behavioral plans as a backbone to promote positive learner behavior.
• Fosters a safe and equitable classroom environment.
• Utilizes the district protocol for maintaining information on learner progress.
• Utilizes knowledge of applicable federal and state laws regarding education and learners.
• Creates a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interests of the learners.
• Guides the learning process toward the achievement of curriculum goals and, in harmony with the goals, establishes clear objectives for all lessons, units, projects and the like to communicate these objectives to learners.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms.
• While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, bend, talk, and hear.
• The specific vision abilities required for this role include close and peripheral vision.
• The employee may be required to lift up to ~30 pounds.
• The employee must work with the public and various WFPS staff while simultaneously managing several competing demands.
• The employee may come in contact with bloodborne pathogens or other bodily fluids on rare occasions.
• The employee will work in an environment that has a quiet to loud noise level.
  

Education and/or Experience:

• North Dakota Teaching License with appropriate accreditation to teach English Language Arts courses at the Middle School level.
• Bachelor’s Degree in English Language Arts education or area of similar study.
• Prior teaching experience is preferred.
• Prior experience working in a middle school setting preferred.
  

Language Skills:

• Ability to read, write, and comprehend simple instructions and short correspondences in the English language.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally, expressively, and reactively.

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Exercise confidentiality, discretion, and good judgement.
• Adhere to the assigned work schedule by maintaining regular and punctual attendance.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• None.

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The West Fargo Public School District is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment free from discrimination and harassment in all employment and educational programs, activities, and facilities. The District prohibits discrimination and harassment based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, or other protected status by law. External applicants are eligible for ND Veteran’s Preference: North Dakota veterans claiming preference must submit all proof of eligibility by the closing date. Proof of eligibility includes a form DD214, and if claiming disabled veteran’s status, a current letter of disability. West Fargo Public Schools is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusivity in all hiring and employment practices. Applicants who incorporate a holistic perspective and a commitment to inclusion are encouraged to apply.