FOUNDING HUMANITIES AND ENGLISH LEAD TEACHER (ELEMENTARY + MIDDLE SCHOOL) 

Masterminds Academy is launching a new K–8 accelerated microschool in California, inspired by a highly successful model in Dubai. We are building a small, ambitious, deeply human school — one that treats learning as an intellectual adventure and children as serious thinkers. We are looking for a founding Humanities and English Lead who spans elementary and middle school, loves their subject matter deeply, and is energized by the challenge of building something new. 

WHO THIS ROLE IS REALLY FOR 

This position is ideal for an educator who: 

• Loves kids — and loves ideas. You genuinely delight in young people and in poetry, history, grammar, writing, and reading development. We are not looking for generalists. We are looking for educators who love their domains — reading, writing, grammar, history, and cultural literacy — and want to bring that love to life for students. 
• Thinks in learning trajectories, not grade levels. You’re comfortable teaching across a wide age span and meeting students where they are. 
• Thrives on personalization — and collaboration. Every student at Masterminds has a personalized learning plan. Sometimes that means one-on-one or small-group work; other times it means shared projects and community-wide explorations. You can hold both at once. 
• Wants to help build a school, not just run a classroom. You are excited by the prospect of a startup school: shaping programs, refining systems, partnering with families, and helping articulate what makes this place special. 

ROLE OVERVIEW 

You will serve as both a lead humanities and English teacher and a program builder, working closely with school leadership and fellow faculty. 

Teaching & Learning 

• Teach English language arts, writing, reading, grammar, and humanities across elementary and middle school students. 
• Design rich learning experiences rooted in great texts, strong writing, historical thinking, and discussion. 
• Develop and maintain individualized learning plans for each student. 
• Flexibly group students for projects, seminars, debates, and collaborative work. 
• Connect classroom learning to real-world experiences and community explorations. 

Program Building & Leadership 

• Help shape the English and humanities program from the ground up. 
• Contribute to school-wide academic planning, scheduling, and curriculum coherence. 
• Partner closely with families — explaining learning plans, sharing student growth, and building trust. 
• Participate in admissions events and school storytelling, helping families understand the Masterminds model. 
• Collaborate deeply with colleagues to build a joyful, serious, intellectually alive school culture. 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS 

$75,000–$85,000, with flexibility for exceptional candidates. Health insurance, PTO, and professional development. 

START DATE 

Flexible. Ideally involved during spring/summer for program development, family engagement, and launch preparation. Training period included (including time with the Dubai team). 

HOW TO APPLY

Please email both a resume and cover letter to Michael Finnegan (michael.finnegan@mastermindsacademy.org). Applications without both materials will not be considered.

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Resume & cover letter review 
• Employment application 
• Two interviews 
• References & background checks 

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Humanities, History, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred)

• 3–5+ years of classroom teaching experience at the elementary and/or middle school level

• Demonstrated experience teaching writing instruction and leading literature-based discussion

• Strong classroom leadership and student relationship-building skills

• Ability to design engaging, interdisciplinary curriculum

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Commitment to high academic standards and individualized student growth

• Authorization to work in the United States

About Masterminds Academy

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