Position Description

Master Teacher

Opening Date: Immediately

Closing Date: Until Filled
Salary: Commensurate with Experience

Location: Chicago, IL

Reports To: School Director

How to Apply: https://platform.teachermatch.org/applyteacherjob.do?jobId=36528

UCSN Mission

The UNO Charter School Network (UCSN) believes that all students deserve the opportunity to realize their highest potential. Increasing in diversity but rooted in Hispanic communities, our educational model is anchored by strong parent partnerships, structured learning environments, rigorous curriculum, and an individualized approach that develops and empowers our students.  For us, academic success is not a hope; it is an expectation.

UCSN Vision

Our vision is to develop a diverse group of intellectually curious and passionate civic leaders who act with integrity and who compete and excel locally, nationally, and globally.

UCSN Values

Excellence – High Expectations, Growth, Achievement

Integrity – Transparency, Communication

Community – Teamwork, Collaboration

Innovation – 21st Century Learning Environment

Tenacity – “No Excuses, Whatever it Takes”, Passion

Accountability – Ownership, Outcomes, Responsibility 

Position Overview

The Master Teacher’s sole purpose is to support and evaluate teachers in their implementation of the UNO Charter School Network (UCSN) curriculum and their execution of effective, data-driven instructional methods. The Master Teacher facilitates the development of teachers’ skills and knowledge, further building each individual’s capacity in order to achieve the UCSN school’s annual academic goals (both in terms of student growth and achievement).

The Master Teacher builds teacher capacity through consistent coaching, continually improving the quality of teaching at the UCSN school and, thereby, improving student achievement. Through regular classroom observations, lesson plan critiques, and one-on-one meetings, the Master Teacher provides individual teachers with consistent feedback regarding areas of strength and areas in which the teacher needs to improve. Throughout this process, the Master Teacher also collects robust observation data and works closely with the School Director to plan for professional development and formal teacher evaluation.

While Master Teachers do not work directly with students, they are also responsible for coaching teachers in building meaningful, long-lasting relationships with students – the foundation of an UCSN's student’s education. 

Core Responsibilities

Teacher Performance and Support:

• Collaborates directly with designated group of teachers to improve student achievement.
• Ensures teacher improvement in order to achieve student goals, school goals, and key performance indicators.
• Provides detailed teacher feedback in the following areas: student discipline, classroom management, assessment, data analysis, instructional planning, instructional delivery, and utilization of curriculum resources.
• Identifies specific areas of improvement for each teacher, developing a Professional Growth Plan with them, supporting the implementation of the plan, and evaluating the teacher’s progress in meeting each goal included in the plan.
• Evaluates teacher performance and uses this data to identify, plan, and facilitate professional development for individual teachers and the larger school staff as needed.
• Analyzes teacher, student, and school data to give direction to teachers and provide accountability for teacher impact on student growth and performance.
• Counsels the School Director regarding the ability of individual teachers’ to improve student achievement; provides School Director with data that drives decision-making for Teacher Performance Improvement Plans, annual contract renewal, and/or termination.
• Other duties, responsibilities, and special projects as assigned.

Key Characteristics

Commitment to Equity: Passionate about ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.

Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations. Builds positive relationships in and out of the organization.

Focus on Data-Driven Results: Relentlessly pursues the improvement of UNO Network performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.

Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.

Adaptability: Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic organization; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.

Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others.

Dependability: Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed work plans, and balancing of multiple priorities.

Communication and Customer Service Skills: Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.

Qualifications

Education:

●     Bachelor’s Degree (required).

●     Master’s Degree or higher in education or related field (preferred).

Experience:

●    Minimum three years teaching experience (required).

●     Minimum one year of school leadership or management experience (strongly preferred).

●    Previous experience as a Middle School Math Teacher (strongly preferred) 

●     Proven track record of academic progress of students under his/her leadership.

●     Ability to articulate best instructional practices for driving student achievement.

Certification:

●     Illinois Professional Educator’s License or equivalent (required).

●     Illinois Administrative Certification (strongly preferred).

Physical Demands

Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment.  Requires ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, set-up and maintain work files.  Physically demands require the ability to stand, bend, reach high and low, stoop, and walk around the classroom 60% of the day.  In addition, walking up and down stairs several times a day.  Must be able to lift 15 to 20 pounds for short periods of time and push and pull 15 to 20 lbs. 

Working Conditions

Majority of work performed in a general office environment.  Position requires availability for extended hours plus non-traditional hours required to perform job duties.  Also requires participation and attendance at organization-sponsored events and meetings.

NOTE: The foregoing list of essential duties and responsibilities is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position in the class. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

The UNO Charter School Network is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals.  The UNO Charter School Network does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.