Special Education Teacher (PA Certification Required)

Who We Are :

The information below covers the role requirements, expected candidate experience, and accompanying qualifications.

Catalyst Academy Charter School is a free, open enrollment public charter school serving scholars and families in Pittsburgh’s East End. Our mission is to create a world-class K-8 school where children are prepared for college, career, and life. We believe in creating a cohesive community in which scholars and families see themselves as catalysts for their communities. Our core values center around three words : Belong. Grow. Achieve. Catalyst is a place where scholars, families, teachers, and leaders exemplify the meaning of our core values.

BELONG. We create spaces in which our people feel seen, heard, and valued for the lived experience they bring to our community.

GROW. Our people never rest on their laurels and continuously strive to be better than they were the day, hour, or minute before through feedback, coaching, and seeking support.

ACHIEVE. We get results and celebrate the wins for each member of our community scholars, staff, families, and our community partners.

Who We Are Looking For :

• A steadfast believer that all scholars can achieve academic excellence, no matter their lived experience or background;
• A growth-minded practitioner who is constantly learning, improving, and hungry for feedback;
• A tenacious problem-solver who is eager to approach challenges with smart solutions in mind;
• An eternal optimist who supports and motivates their teammates by having their back no matter what and being an active collaborator;
• A bond-builder, who believes that strong relationships across lines of difference that reach beyond the walls of a classroom are the lynchpin for strong schools;
• A warm-demander, who knows that scholars will rise to the high expectations we set for them and that relationships matter in supporting all children;
• A precise planner who begins with the end in mind to drive daily actions;
• A detail maven who recognizes that achievement comes from small, intentional actions over time;
• A data-driven analyst who reflects and takes purposeful action based on results;
• A proactive communicator who connects with scholars, families, and teammates across lines of difference

Catalyst Academy is searching for special education staff who want to perfect their craft while working alongside communities of color in East Pittsburgh. This is not a typical teaching position : you will be challenged, valued, and supported as you grow to be an exceptional, culturally-responsive educator.

Why We’re Different :

High-Impact Coaching

At Catalyst, we know that one of the largest factors in equitable scholar academic outcomes is their dedicated teachers. Such an important role requires meaningful development, effective coaching, and authentic feedback. With that being said, our Leadership Team is focused on investing the time, talent, and resources necessary for success in the classroom. We are committed to the development of each and every teacher that joins our team; from the first year teacher to the teacher with 10+ years of experience.

Our coaching model for Inclusive Learning staff includes weekly observation and feedback / data meetings, live coaching, and direct modeling, with the Director of Inclusive Learning who will challenge the practice of their teaching teams;

Special educators know that developing thorough, data-responsive programming is just as impactful as high-quality instruction. That’s why the Director of Inclusive Learning coaches each Inclusive Learning staff member before, during, and after every IEP meeting.

Summer Development (Training Camp)

Catalyst Academy believes in the mindset of practice as an integral tool to spark growth. We will begin our summer development (Training Camp) four weeks before the school year begins. We don’t just talk about the art of teaching, but we hone our craft through intentional and nuanced practice in order to build automaticity. Over the summer, we will use our Training Camp as an arena for development but also to reconnect with the “why” that drove our decision to become educators.

Rigorous PA / Common Core Aligned Curriculum

The discipline of effective instruction does not only center on how you teach, but what you teach as well. Utilizing a shared curriculum for Math, ELA, and STEM, will allow our teachers to spend their time intellectually preparing and practicing the execution of rigorous PA / Common Core-Aligned curricular materials.

Inclusive Learning staff are given opportunities and resources with which to differentiate instruction within a rigorous curriculum.

Wednesday Professional Development (Workshops)

With the momentum generated through Training Camp, the same spirit of pedagogical advancement extends into the school year. Every Wednesday, scholars will have a shortened instructional day (followed by enrichment activities delivered by community partners) while teachers collaborate with their grade level team led by their Dean of Instruction. Through Wednesday Workshops, teachers will analyze data, practice instructional strategies, discuss grade-level trends, and embrace school-wide trends. Truly our growth and preparation never end.

What You’ll Do :

Belong

Build deep relationships with scholars, families, and staff to foster a culture of joy and community. Maintain strong lines of communication with families about scholar progress, and go above and beyond to support and collaborate closely with teammates in the united pursuit of Catalyst’s mission.

Embrace your capacity to set and achieve ambitious goals, and handle the intensity required to bring your best self to a high-performing school environment where the stakes are high for scholars.

Share feedback to solve problems, reflect on how your actions impact others, and take ownership over creating the staff culture you want to show up to each day.

Grow

Offer and receive constructive feedback from colleagues in order to create a professional working atmosphere that aspires to excellence and is conducive to constant improvement; dive humbly into school-wide and individual professional development;

Teach a rigorous curriculum aligned to Catalyst’s academic model and PA Common Core Standards;

Prepare intellectually in order to deliver rigorous instruction and impactful IDEA-based programming, and develop and demonstrate a genuine passion for your content area that is contagious to scholars.

Achieve

Ensure that students are growing;

Continually internalize / plan lessons and analyze data to push scholars to master rigorous content;

Dynamically lead students in whole-class and small-group settings, cultivate intellectual curiosity and a love of learning in scholars, and adjust using qualitative and quantitative data to ensure differentiated instruction in your classroom;

Develop, uphold, and implement Catalyst’s values and systems to effectively manage a classroom, create a consistent experience for scholars across the school, and lead your team to meet sky-high academic and behavioral expectations.

What You Should Know :

Prior Experience.

Prior experience teaching elementary school, experience teaching in a low-income community, and a demonstrated ability to raise achievement levels of traditionally underserved students is highly preferred;

Ability to demonstrate a deep commitment to addressing historic inequity along lines of race, class, and ability required;

Experience in writing Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and accompanying documents preferred

Qualifications / Certification.

All candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree is exceptional. By the time outlined in an offer letter, all full-time Catalyst teachers must either

(a) have a valid Pennsylvania teaching license and possess the correct endorsements for contents / grade levels served;

(b) have a teaching license that has successfully been transferred from another state that offers reciprocity with PA, and / or;

(c) have demonstrated that he / she is on track to complete required steps to get certified while teaching full time (i.e. enrolled in a certification program, registered for, taken and passed state-required teacher certification exams, etc.).

Compensation.

Salary is competitive with surrounding school systems;

Compensation at Catalyst includes a comprehensive benefits package

Job Type : Full-time

Pay : From $49,000.00 per year

Benefits :

401(k)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Schedule :

Monday to Friday

Application Question(s) :

What compels you to serve and work alongside communities of color? Why do you believe Catalyst Academy Charter School is the place for you? (max. 500 words)

Experience :

Teaching : 1 year (Preferred)

License / Certification :

Teaching Certification (Preferred)

Work Location : In person