Posted: 18-Feb-26
Location: Portland, Oregon
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Salary Details:
Required Education:
OUR MISSION: Oregon Episcopal School educates students to realize their power for good as engaged citizens of the world.
ABOUT US: Founded in 1869, Oregon Episcopal School today occupies a wooded 59-acre campus where 880 students in Pre-K through 12th Grade share an excellent faculty, an inquiry-based curriculum, and a strong sense of community. The Upper School also includes a small boarding program of international and domestic students who live and learn together, enhancing the vibrancy of the school community.
OES seeks and values employees who continually grow in their work practices. Teaching faculty engage in the Characteristics of Effective Teaching for their ongoing learning in service of students. All other employees engage in professional growth specific to their responsibilities. Together, faculty and staff create a vibrant and diverse community of lifelong learners.
As an Episcopal school, we are rooted in a rhythm of gathering and reflection that values and respects all beliefs and cultures. As such, we educate toward a larger purpose – toward inclusion and respect, service and justice, and commitment beyond ourselves.
The Middle School Math teacher at OES teaches inquiry-based math classes to students in grades six through eight with a focus on teaching Algebra and Geometry. The teacher collaborates with colleagues to design and implement curriculum and learner-centered activities that emphasize problem-solving, data literacy, collaboration, and communication. It will be important for the teacher to have experience designing curriculum and learning activities based on specific learning outcomes that are informed by national standards. Experience with proficiency grading, as well as the ability to respond to the needs of middle school learners are crucial skill sets. Furthermore, they should understand and model the importance of involvement in the community, ongoing professional learning, and authentic collaboration with other faculty and staff to advance the School’s mission. Teachers are expected to bring an innovative, energetic spirit to the classroom, constantly seeking ways to make problem-solving essential to adolescents.
In addition to the qualifications detailed below, the successful teacher will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to support the School’s educational mission. As professional educators in a dynamic living and learning environment, faculty are required to model professional behavior and observe appropriate adult-student boundaries to support a safe and supportive community for teaching and learning. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated gift for engaging students and strengthening the inclusive community of OES.
In addition to teaching responsibilities, faculty participate in a variety of activities typical to the independent school environment, including advising, committee work, support of experiential education, and other duties as assigned. In addition to strength in their teaching discipline/area, faculty candidates who bring an interest in coaching are encouraged to apply for these additional opportunities for student engagement and are strongly considered.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
- Create, communicate, and maintain clear, consistent, and appropriate learning outcomes and expectations that are aligned with the Math Department’s goals and schoolwide strategic initiatives.
- Experience teaching Algebra and Geometry classes ideally in a middle school classroom.
- Provide frequent, constructive, objective, and prompt feedback to students
- Engage in our school-wide Learning and Teaching program, which includes seeking and constructively applying professional feedback.
- Design assessments and activities as tools for student learning and growth.
- Recognize, respect and promote the cultural difference and diversity of the individuals in the classroom and community.
- Collaborate proactively and productively with colleagues.
- Communicate with students and parents in a clear, timely, and professional manner.
- Establish and maintain relationships with students and families that promote learning and community building.
- Seek to understand, value, and respond to each student.
- Differentiate instruction to support all learners.
- Manage the classroom environment so that all students can learn safely and feel included.
- Establish and maintain appropriate standards for student behavior using Restorative Practice methods which encourage reflection and problem solving and support positive self-esteem and building relationships.
- Engage fully in school-wide training around diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism (DEIA) and Middle School pedagogical work using the Social Justice standards from Learning for Justice.
- Develop curriculum with clear learning outcomes, assessments, and means for feedback using a proficiency grading scale.
- Integrate technology in teaching and assessment, and have a proficiency with teaching online classes as needed.
- Advise a group of Middle School students and attend two overnight grade level trips.
- Attend Middle School meetings, grade-level Team meetings, and Department meetings.
- Serve as a role model for Middle School students.
- Step into optional opportunities to ignite mathematicians’ passion for math beyond the classroom in Math Counts/Math Club.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- BA/BS or equivalent in relevant discipline or related field
- Two years of secondary level classroom teaching experience
- Experience with and skill in working with students from diverse ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds
- Intercultural competence, ability to interact appropriately with a diverse array of students, coworkers, family members; ability to teach diverse groups of students effectively, commitment to equity, and inclusion
- IT skills: general digital literacy, intermediate to advanced Google Suite, MS Office Suite, database, web applications, video conferencing, etc. as appropriate to job duties, experience with applicable educational technology
- Ability to pass a background check and drug screen
- Documentation of Covid-19 vaccination or documented medical or religious exemption
NOTE: OES takes the safety of our community very seriously. OES requires all employees to be fully vaccinated (including boosters), and will only make exceptions for documented medical and religious accommodations when they do not cause an undue hardship or create a direct threat to our community.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant discipline
- Experience teaching in an independent school setting
- Demonstrated and successful history with innovation in teaching, technology integration, curriculum design and student centered and inquiry based learning
- Experience collaborating with other fields/domains in maker spaces
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Ability to develop age-specific curriculum with consideration of scope and sequence, proficiency scale grading, and thoughtful curriculum goals and assessments.
- Ability to maintain a flexible mindset and an innovative approach to teaching
- Ability to consistently apply principles of equity, inclusion, and anti-racism on a day to day basis in the classroom and in the broader workplace community
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to collaborate and maintain collegial relations with colleagues
- Knowledge of educational technology; openness to innovation, willingness to learn, ability to integrate evolving IT into curriculum
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Primarily classroom environment, ability to sit at a computer and keyboard for moderate periods
- Ability to lift and carry up to 20 pounds on an occasional basis
- Ability to see, and communicate clearly to interact with groups of individuals
- Mobility sufficient to move about the OES campus an off-campus locations during occasional trips with students