7/8 Language Arts Teacher

Job Title: 7/8 Language Arts Teacher, Ten month, Full-time, Salaried
Department: Middle School
Reports to: Middle School Head

Friends Community School (FCS), founded in 1986, is a progressive, co-ed Quaker K-8 day school serving a diverse student body from the greater Washington, D.C. area. FCS’s LEED-certified building is situated on 17 acres surrounded by Greenbelt National Park, nine minutes from the University of Maryland, College Park, and thirty minutes from Washington, D.C.

Educators at FCS nurture lifelong learners, courageous risk takers, and joyous peacemakers through the expression of our commitments to Quakerism, Progressive Education, Equity, and Inclusion. Our progressive pedagogical approach emphasizes depth over breadth, creativity and innovation over memorization, and hands-on collaborative projects over rote schoolwork. Our curriculum engages students in the exploration of values rooted in our Quaker Heritage – simplicity, peaceful conflict resolution, integrity, community, equality/equity, and stewardship – from a range of perspectives.

Job Summary
The Middle School seeks candidates for a full-time 7th and 8th Language Arts Teacher. Ideal candidates will have experience teaching middle school language arts, differentiating instruction, working across disciplines, connecting students’ learning to the world outside of school, and supporting equity and inclusion. Strong candidates will enjoy working with adolescents, creating engaging interdisciplinary learning experiences, and collaborating with community members. The position will include four sections of middle school language arts and an advisory.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Lead language arts learning for two 7th-grade classes and two 8th-grade classes, as well as an advisory

Plan and update engaging lessons and units of study that consider multiple learning styles and differences
Work collaboratively with the Learning Specialist and grade-level colleagues to provide differentiated and interdisciplinary learning experiences for students
Provide remediation and enrichment as needed
Maintain regular communication with parents about class activities, topics of study, and special events through the class web page

Contribute to the FCS school-wide community

Organize daily morning advisory activities
Participate in weekly Meeting for Worship
Facilitate non-violent conflict resolution
Participate in scheduled school events such as parent-teacher conferences, Back-to-School Night, and field trips
Attend major school-wide events including Fall Fair and the Spring Auction

Ensure communication across constituencies

Work in partnership with all members of the teaching team and the administration
Communicate proactively and responsively with individual families
Complete all progress reports and student recommendations in a professional and timely manner, emphasizing the individual strengths and challenges for each student
Write letters of recommendation

Continuously integrate the school’s commitment to Quakerism, Progressive Education, and Equity in your classroom

Participate in weekly staff meetings
Engage in continuous, ongoing professional development
Collaborate with colleagues in professional learning communities
Work with the humanities curriculum coordinator and the other language arts and social studies teachers to ensure lesson and units cover desired learning outcomes
Partner with a teacher in the lower school to facilitate cross divisional peer-to-peer relationships among middle and lower school students
Other duties as assigned

Qualifications Desired and/or Required

Genuine love for children, especially middle schoolers
Bachelor’s degree (required)
Minimum of three years of classroom experience
Understanding of child development
Commitment to Progressive Education and to equity and inclusion
Knowledge of Quaker beliefs and practices
Experience integrating technology within the language arts curriculum
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to collaborate with coworkers and other school community members

Commitment to Diversity
FCS is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive educational community and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or a person's status as a qualified candidate with a disability in administration of its educational program, admission policies, financial aid program, staff hiring, and other school-administered programs.

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, we actively seek faculty and staff of varied backgrounds and encourage them to share their unique gifts to cultivate a rich educational experience. We strive to create a learning environment that exposes students to the value and breadth of differences, informs their perspective, and prepares them to shape the world.

Please send a cover letter, résumé, educational philosophy, and the names and contact information of three professional references to jobs@friendscommunityschool.org.

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