Founding Middle School ELA Teacher 2026-27

About Elm Community Charter School

We are an interdisciplinary and collaborative learning environment focused on cultivating civically engaged student leaders. Essential to our school’s philosophy is a relevant hands-on curriculum, along with the commitment to nurture each student’s social and emotional intelligence. Elm seeks to achieve authentic, ongoing integration of diverse student perspectives, assets, and ideas to enhance an equitable learning environment that serves students with all types of needs. We are looking for a team of individuals committed to fostering an environment that is innovative, collaborative, and equitable for both students and staff. Join us!

Founding Middle School ELA Teacher

Elm CCS is looking for creative and results-driven teachers to join our founding middle school team. This role requires innovative ideas, a love for early adolescents, and alignment with Elm’s academic program, which emphasizes a balance of mastery and inquiry-based models of learning. Candidates are expected to bring expertise and specialization in their department of interest, value collaboration with colleagues, prioritize differentiation of instruction, are reflective and open to feedback and continual growth, and believe in teaching the whole child.

Essential Functions & Accountabilities:

Classroom Culture & Student Engagement

• Build a classroom culture in which early adolescents are intellectually curious, engaged in meaningful discourse, and take ownership of their learning.
• Establish a positive, structured learning environment through proactive systems, clear routines, and strong, trust-based rapport with students.
• Maintain high expectations for all learners, including students with IEPs and multilingual learners, grounded in the belief that middle schoolers can demonstrate significant academic growth and independence.

Curriculum Design & Instruction

• Design and implement a rigorous, standards-aligned curriculum that integrates inquiry, critical thinking, and real-world application; develop unit plans, assessments, and lesson materials that reflect grade-level standards, interdisciplinary connections, and the needs of diverse learners.
• Teach a rigorous, inquiry-based, and discussion-rich curriculum aligned to the school’s interdisciplinary model, ensuring students do the cognitive heavy lifting.
• Design and deliver high-quality lessons and targeted small-group instruction informed by ongoing data analysis and student work. Plans should meet diverse academic and language needs across multiple sections and grade levels.

Assessment & Feedback

• Monitor and analyze student progress using formative assessments, exit tickets, performance tasks, and benchmark data to drive instructional decisions.
• Provide timely, actionable feedback that supports student revision, mastery, and agency across subject-area skills.
• Contribute to assessment design to ensure internal assessments align to grade level standards, specific skills and stamina required for mastery and assessment readiness.

Collaboration & Professional Development

• Collaborate with grade teams and content teams to ensure curricular alignment, consistent expectations, interdisciplinary connections, and responsive planning.
• Collaborate with colleagues and school leaders to cultivate a warm, inclusive school culture by supporting and participating in clubs, committees, community circles, and other student-centered initiatives that build belonging, identity, and leadership.
• Engage in ongoing professional development, implementing new strategies, participating in coaching cycles, and reflecting on practice through feedback and peer collaboration.

School Culture & Community

• Lead an advisory (Crew) group of middle school students, designing meaningful, developmentally responsive experiences and lessons that promote social-emotional growth, identity development, community building, executive-function skills, and strong student-advisor relationships.
• Support schoolwide culture and operations, including advisory/homeroom responsibilities, hallway transitions, arrival/dismissal, lunch, and other duties that contribute to a strong middle school community.
• Communicate consistently with families regarding academic progress, growth areas, and classroom expectations, ensuring culturally responsive and student-centered partnerships.

Qualifications:

• Hold certification in Special Education or English as Second Language, Elementary Education, or English as a Second Language;
• Master’s Degree in Education with a specialization in grades 5-12 education highly preferred;
• Minimum of 2 years teaching experience in middle school education;
• Demonstrated ability in adapting curriculum and lessons to various student needs;
• Minimum of 1 year experience in interdisciplinary studies and inquiry-based learning preferred.

Successful candidates should also have the following experiences and characteristics. They:

• Are an inspiring team player who continually pushes themselves and others to higher levels of achievement;
• Deeply embed themselves into the community of the school, ensuring strong relationships, high engagement, and great operational results;
• Are a champion of Elm’s belief that all members of the school community must be active learners and resourceful problem-solvers in order to ensure a high quality education for all our learners;
• Are reflective, self-aware, and actively analyzes student work and data to provide a high quality education that is accessible to all students
• Have a growth mindset.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Teaching: 2 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Teaching Certification (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Elmhurst, NY 11373 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Elmhurst, NY 11373: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: In person