Thursday, November 10, 2016

Job Posting: Resource Teacher

The Frances Xavier Warde School is a Catholic elementary school in downtown Chicago that provides an excellent academic, values-oriented education to students of all ethnic, religious, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds in a child-centered urban environment. As a keystone of its diverse community, The Frances Xavier Warde School provides need-based scholarships to thirty percent of its students. The Frances Xavier Warde School partners with its families, nurtures faith development for its Catholic students, and engages all its students to learn about and respect other faith traditions. The Frances Xavier Warde School uses a rigorous curriculum that enables students to grow, clarify their values, and develop decision-making skills and a sense of responsibility for themselves and the world they will inherit.  

Program Description
The Frances Xavier Warde School, provides students with a rigorous curriculum. We especially work to build a strong literacy foundation. The Resource Teacher is integral to providing support to not only students but to classroom teachers.

Primary Function
The Resource Teacher is responsible for educating children who have received educational testing indicating the need for individual or small group instruction.  Students may need support in specific subject areas, or in executive functioning skills.  The teacher must respond to the needs of each individual child by implementing lessons according to the skills the children need. The Resource Teacher fosters and maintains relationships with the classroom teachers.  This individual may also plan lessons for small group instruction in reading, math or guided study, depending on his or her teaching schedule.

Key Relationships
The Resource Teacher reports to the principal and is supervised by the principal. Other key relationships he/she is responsible in cultivating are with the Head of School, other administrators, the grade level teacher teams.

 Qualifications and Requirements
A candidate should hold:

• A Bachelors or Masters Degree in Elementary Education or Special Education
• A valid, issued State of Illinois teaching certificate Type 03, 04, or 09
• A Masters Degree in Reading or Literacy (with a Type 10 certificate) or Multi-sensory Certification (i.e.   SLANT, Wilson, Orton-Gillingham) is preferred.

A candidate will need upon hiring:

• A TB test
• Comply with Archdiocese of Chicago required Protecting God’s Children Requirements (Background Screening, Fingerprinting, VIRTUS Training, CANTS, Code of Conduct, Mandated Reporter Training)

A candidate must demonstrate:

• The ability to establish collaborative relationships with teaching staff
• Familiarity with ISACS criteria and standards of excellence

What Makes a FXW Teacher Competent and Effective
Educators are hired with the expectation that they possess the necessary knowledge, teaching skills, character, and commitment to be productive members of the FXW community. The following is a list of descriptors:
·         Adheres to the unique Catholic mission and interfaith values of FXW School
o   Articulates a working knowledge of FXW’s value-centered mission and academically rigorous curriculum
o   Participates in spiritual development activities of the school community, including support for student community service projects and initiatives
o   Models the importance of daily prayer and worship through active participation for students
o   Demonstrates a willingness to plan, encourage and participate in community building activities (religious, social and educational)

• Utilizes effective instructional strategies with students
o   Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of subject matter
o   Understands interrelationships of content areas
o   Regularly utilizes formative and summative assessment to guide instruction
o   Employs technology effectively to enhance teaching
o   Presents lessons and instructions in multi-modalities to address students’ various learning styles and  abilities
o   Encourages students to become aware of social issues and current events appropriate to their level of understanding

• Manages the classroom in a positive manner, respecting the dignity of all
o Respects the right of students as individuals
o   Utilizes positive reinforcement strategies
o   Mentors students effectively and professionally

• Completes annual goals and seeks professional development opportunities
o   Demonstrates a sense of professional responsibility by keeping current with recent practice and research in education
o   Collaborates and works with administration to further yearly goals

• Maintains a positive rapport with all members of the FXW community
o   Accepts feedback and works to show improvement
o   Respects the integrity of fellow staff, students and parents by being discreet and tactful when discussing student and school related issues
o   Demonstrates flexibility and models collegiality

• Fulfills routine duties and expectations in a dependable manner

o   Demonstrates evidence of prior planning and preparation
o   Creates lesson plans with clear student-centered objectives, incorporating the principles of backwards design, as well as the use of formative and summative assessment
o   Uses instructional time efficiently
o   Evaluates student progress effectively
o   Utilizes correct and appropriate written and oral communication in conversations, reports and   meetings
o   Is punctual and effective in supervisory duties such as morning drop off, lunch supervision, etc.
o   Is punctual in role as teacher (8:00 AM arrival/4:00 PM dismissal)
o   Willingly uses and integrates technology into the classroom
o   Attends parent/teacher conferences as requested by classroom teachers or on a need basis as well as communicates with parents of third grade students and those seen individually and in small groups regularly
o   Completes TEAM forms and brings student concerns to TEAM meetings as needed
o   Works under stressful conditions
o   Contributes updates about student learning for classroom webpage(s)
o   Supports curricular initiatives
o   Implements Discipline Plan
o   Is punctual for, creates agenda, and leads weekly literacy teacher meetings
o   Meets weekly with respective classroom teachers about student concerns, successes, and progress
o   Assesses students using benchmark tools each assessment period (i.e. Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System, DIBELS)
o   Orders materials yearly to help support the reading program
o   Contributes to literacy portion of grade level narrative (specifically completing applicable reading skills )