Afterschool Academy Teacher
Higher Achievement, a nationally acclaimed nonprofit organization working to close the achievement gap for motivated, yet underserved students from low-income communities, seeks candidates for the position of Afterschool Academy (AFSA) Teachers for the 2022-2023 school year at the Baltimore Affiliate.
The AFSA Teacher is a part-time seasonal position, working 8-10 hours per week, Monday through Friday, for the duration of Higher Achievement's Afterschool Academy from early September through early May. AFSA Teachers teach a focused, structured class that supports Higher Achievement's progressive, skills-based cultural and academic model. AFSA Teachers attend a multi-day orientation and training preceding Afterschool Academy's start in early October. Periodic trainings and professional development opportunities throughout the Academy will be required as well. This position involves direct work with scholars, administrative tasks, and weekly staff meetings.
Our Mission:
By leveraging the power of communities, Higher Achievement’s proven academic model provides a rigorous year-round learning environment, caring role models, and a culture of high expectations, resulting in college-bound scholars with the character, confidence, and skills to succeed. Higher Achievement’s model delivers academic enrichment grounded in social justice principles. Our afterschool program for 5th-8th grade scholars combines small-group, high-impact tutoring with social-emotional skill building, culminating in placement in college preparatory high schools.
The Organization
Higher Achievement, founded in 1975, closes the opportunity gap during the pivotal middle school years. By leveraging the power of communities, Higher Achievement’s proven model provides a rigorous year-round learning environment, caring role models, and a culture of high expectations, resulting in college-bound scholars with the character, confidence, and skills to succeed. Higher Achievement’s model delivers academic enrichment grounded in social justice principles. Our afterschool program for 5th-8th grade scholars in Washington, DC, Alexandria, VA, Baltimore, MD, Richmond, VA, and Prince George’s County, MD combines small-group, high-impact tutoring with social-emotional skill building, culminating in placement in college preparatory high schools. More information about Higher Achievement may be found at: http://www.higherachievement.org.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Higher Achievement made a concrete commitment to racial equity, diversity and inclusion following the murder of George Floyd: Higher Achievement aims to be an anti-racist and inclusive organization where we aggressively work to improve equity and inclusion in all aspects of our organizational culture and operations. For the past year these efforts have been led by our DEI Council, which includes one peer-nominated member of every department and city affiliate; the Council works with executive leadership and an external consultant to lead a range of organization-wide DEI initiatives including training staff, assessing equity blind spots, and supporting the Council and Leadership Team in strategy development and implementation of equity-focused initiatives. In 2022, we have hired our first Director of DEI to fully embed this work into the day-to-day operations of the organization in partnership with our DEI Council.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Curriculum and Instruction
- Supervise and manage a disciplined class of between 10-20 scholars that has a positive culture and has scholars actively working three or four days a week on Mondays – Thursdays
- Develop and create weekly lesson plans and instructional support for classes.
- Support scholars with prioritizing daily assignments, along with setting realistic time-tables with prioritized task-lists for longer-term projects, and assist scholars in preparing for upcoming quizzes, tests, and projects and coach them to develop strong study skills
- Ensure that class assignments and homework are completed by all scholars to a high degree of quality. High-quality assignments are characterized by a high level of accuracy, an organized and clear presentation, and answers that indicate thinking beyond the surface level.
- Develop Scholar Achievement Plans (SAPs), targeted to improve scholars' academic performance
- Support volunteer homework helpers in their work with scholars
- Answer questions from and re-teach necessary concepts to scholars to achieve mastery
- Provide supplemental work or other academic activities for scholars who complete their homework or who have been identified as needing additional help
- Reinforce Higher Achievement's philosophies and positive work culture
- Track scholar progress using the center's established tracking mechanisms
Communicate with Families, Teachers and Staff
- Communicate with scholars' teachers and parents/guardians through written communication when concerns or successes arise. Report back to Learning Directors and other staff on the content and progress of these communications.
- Place phone calls to scholars' families as needed regarding scholar performance Support Higher Achievement staff in leading team meetings and providing creative problem-solving support.
- Attend weekly Center Staff Team meetings during which individual scholar needs are discussed and plans are put in place to ensure scholar progress. Monitor and evaluate these individual scholar plans.
- Communicate and collaborate with Higher Achievement's Learning Coordinators to provide weekly high-quality supplemental work to scholars who complete homework early or who have been identified as needing additional help.
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Commitment to the mission and work of Higher Achievement
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred; college juniors or seniors may apply; Teacher Certification strongly preferred
- Minimum of two years of in classroom teaching experience with middle school students required
- Strong classroom and behavior management skills using advancing youth development approaches
- Familiarity with middle school curriculum and implementation
- Strong oral and written communication skills with ability to communicate professionally and effectively with staff, scholars, and families
- Proficient with Microsoft Office suite and comfortable with data management systems
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly encouraged to apply
Higher Achievement Core Competencies: Higher Achievement values our core competencies, and as such, we expect that competitive applications will be able to demonstrate strengths in these areas:
- Proactively builds relationships.
- Uses candid communication to express ideas and to listen to the thoughts and feedback of others.
- Persistently pursues excellence by holding oneself to high expectations and seeking the best.
- Possesses a growth mindset for learning new things and stepping out of one’s comfort zone.
- Solutions-oriented when challenges arise.
- Lead center components
Our Core Values are:
- Scholar-Centricity: The organization’s work is focused on empowering the scholars we serve. We make every decision with them in mind. We foster authentic relationships with scholars and their families, where we create opportunities with them, not for them.
- Striving for Excellence: We set high expectations for ourselves and our scholars. This begins by recognizing the talents that people bring to the organization and utilizing them. We continually learn and improve through the use of a range of qualitative and quantitative data sources and thoughtful reflection in order to help our scholars, staff, and organization achieve their goals.
- Power of Community: We collaborate with our communities to develop and cultivate mutually beneficial and authentic relationships. We embrace learning, celebrate the uniqueness of each community, infuse joy within each of the communities we serve.
- Voice and Inclusion: We recognize the power of voice in an inclusive environment. We create spaces where everyone feels respected, valued, and has a sense of belonging. We acknowledge the power that is held in the voices of all of our stakeholders: staff, board, supporters, volunteers, partners, scholars and their families and elevate those that have been marginalized. We invite all voices into the conversation, authentically incorporate them into the decision-making process, and foster spaces for mutual listening and learning within our communities.
- Racial Equity: We address and acknowledge the systems of oppression that impact our scholars and families, and we work to provide them with tools to advocate for themselves to combat racial inequities. As an organization, we constantly confront our own biases and work to eliminate practices, policies, and messages that perpetuate inequalities. With an ongoing commitment to closing the opportunity gap, we seek justice and commit to taking action at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic levels.
Compensation and Benefits: The hourly rate for this seasonal, part-time, non-exempt position is up to $45 per hour for individuals with an active teacher certification, commensurate with skills and experience. As a seasonal, part-time position, this role is not eligible for company benefits outside of those required by federal, state, or local laws. As a seasonal, part-time position, this role is not eligible for company benefits outside of those required by federal, state, or local laws.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment: Work is regularly performed in a school setting, with. Employee may spend long periods of time sitting, standing, and walking. Must be able to walk from one part of the worksite to another and climb stairs. Employee regularly lifts, carries, and positions objects weighting up to 20 pounds. Position involves regular use of a computer and keyboard, telephone, and face-to-face communication in small and large group settings with youth and adults; employee must be able to communicate clearly and professionally in all of these situations. Employee must have visual, auditory, and physical ability to respond quickly to critical incidents involving students and act in an emergency situation.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Additional Information: The AFSA Teacher works three-four days per week between Monday and Friday, depending on the center assigned and scheduled hours. Each AFSA Teacher works two hours per day between the approximate hours of 3:30pm and 5:30pm.
- Lakeland and Highlandtown Centers have program Monday-Thursday and AFSA Teachers would work from 3:30pm-5:30pm; roughly 8-10 hours
- Mt Royal Center has program Tuesday-Thursday and AFSA Teachers would work from 3:30pm-5:30pm; roughly 6-8 hours
Covid-19 Update: Higher Achievement requires proof of FULL Covid-19 vaccination for all Higher Achievement employees. *Effective 1/1/22 FULL Vaccination will mean that staff who are *eligible* to receive a booster shot as per current CDC guidelines link here will need to provide proof of receiving a Covid-19 booster shot, in addition to proof of having received the primary vaccination series. Unless an accommodation has been granted by HA, proof of vaccination is required before employment may begin.
Background Check & Clearance Requirements: This position requires a criminal background check prior to hire, and candidate must be able to pass all additional clearance requirements as mandated by school districts and state/local municipalities. Higher Achievement pays for all clearance steps for its employees.
Start Date: This position is anticipated to start on September 19th 2022.
To Apply: Please submit your application through the link below. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who address the listed qualifications and their interest in the mission and work of Higher Achievement. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately; priority consideration will be given to all applicants who apply by September 12th, 2022 but the position will remain open until all spots are filled. Please, no phone calls, emails or recruiters.
Higher Achievement provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, age, medical condition, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status, caregiver or family status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.