English Language Arts Teacher (SY25-26, Middle School)

What You’ll Do As a Middle School English Language Arts (ELA) Teacher at Veritas Prep, you’ll plan and teach engaging literature and composition lessons through meaningful content, ensuring that every student has the knowledge and skills to access grade-level standards and work. You’ll help students gain the essential literacy skills and analytical, critical thinking skills necessary to deeply analyze a diverse collection of texts needed to prepare for higher level language arts in high school, college, and beyond. You’ll partner with your Special Education co-teacher, co-advisor, colleagues and grade-level team to build a strong community, where students feel safe, seen, included, and able to reach their goals. You’ll also receive consistent support from your coach, who will help you continue to grow as an educator. You will also: Build knowledge in your content area and be prepared for every class with high-quality, effective lessons Be an active participant in content planning meetings with other ELA Teachers to improve the quality of instructional materials Learn and use school-wide routines that help our school run smoothly and keep the focus on teaching and learning Use data to make decisions and support the growth of our students in the classroom and during daily tutoring Teach students valuable social-emotional skills and embed this skill-building into your lessons and daily interactions Build deep relationships and actively partner and communicate with parents and families Engage in learning about racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in education and be a champion for anti-racist education Work as a team with teachers, staff, and leaders to support students Actively engage in professional development and coaching to continually improve your practice Requirements What You’ll Need (Qualifications) An unwavering belief that all students can achieve amazing things A passion for continuous growth as an educator A dedication to fighting racism in our educational institution and in daily life and knowledge of the history of race and racism, as well as the systems of oppression our students face Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Ability to report to work on a regular and punctual basis.  One to three years of teaching experience (preferred) Bachelor’s degree Subject area expertise (preferred), i.e.: passing score on the Communications and Literacy (Reading and Writing) MTEL and passing score on the English or Middle School Humanities MTEL, or eligibility for a MA teaching license in Middle School ELA or Humanities Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) endorsement within one year of employment Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment Alignment with our Values of Students First: We make decisions with our students in mind and know our actions model the way. Grow Together: We are role models of growth mindset, teamwork, and collaboration. One Team, One Mission: We cheer for, lean on, and support each other as we play unique roles in support of the same mission. Think you don’t quite meet all the qualifications listed above? Apply anyway! We are looking for a truly diverse team of educators, and research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every requirement. We are working to become an anti-racist organization and want to recruit and support diverse staff, to understand the history of inequity in education, and to ensure students see teachers, staff, and leaders who look like them working in our school. Want to learn more? Set up a call with a recruiter by emailing recruitment@vpcs.org. Veritas Prep is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employees or qualified job applicants on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran or military status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other status or condition protected by applicable law. This policy extends to, but is not limited to, recruitment, selection, compensation, benefits, promotion, training, and termination. Benefits Veritas Prep offers competitive salaries and comprehensive benefit packages that include the following: Salary Range for this position is $50,000 - $90,000, exclusive of fringe benefits. If hired, your final base salary will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, and/or experience. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as part of any final offer. Keep in mind, the above range is the full base salary range for this position. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a generous benefits package for full-time staff that includes, but not limited to the following: Health, Vision and Dental Insurance Plans Paid Family/Medical Leave Insurance (private and meets state requirements) Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance (100% employer paid) Enrollment in Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System (teacher pension program) Employee Assistance Program (100% employer paid) Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Reimbursement Account (HRA), and more... About Veritas Prep Veritas Prep is a public, tuition-free school in Springfield that prepares students in grades 5 through 12 to compete, achieve, and succeed in college and beyond. Veritas Prep accelerates every student’s path to college and career by helping them set a strong academic foundation in middle school and guaranteeing access to college classes and college prep support in our wall-to-wall Early College high school.  At Veritas Prep, we are not only breaking down barriers to college access but also providing the tools students need to persist through college and prepare for a successful career. Our middle school program has been serving students in Springfield since 2012 and our scholars are supported by skilled, dedicated, and diverse teachers. Scholars learn important academic habits and are challenged to achieve at high levels academically, socially, and emotionally, setting them up for success as they enter our high school.  Our Early College high school program, in partnership with STCC and Worcester State University, prepares students to earn high-impact college degrees, saving students up to two years’ time in college and thousands of dollars. Students can earn up to an associate degree for free, and the general studies associate degree from STCC means students enter as JUNIORS at any Massachusetts public college or university after high school graduation. Students at Veritas Prep benefit from high academic standards and robust support, an exceptional learning environment, a diverse staff of high-quality educators, a strong commitment to social/emotional and practical skill development, and an inclusive, anti-racist community that values the identities and backgrounds of all students.