FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER

Travis Hill Schools at the Orleans Justice Center and Juvenile Justice Intervention Center

The Schools. The Background.

There are two Travis Hill Schools (Schools) in New Orleans. One is located inside of the Youth Study Center (YSC), the detention facility for New Orleans teens who are being held pre-trial, and the other is located inside of the Orleans Justice Center (OJC), the pretrial detention facility for adults (and teens charged as adults). We currently are looking for science teachers to join our staff this summer, in preparation for the 2018-19 school year.

The Travis Hill Schools are run by the Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings (CEEAS). CEEAS is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving schools in juvenile and criminal justice facilities across the nation. The first Travis School opened in August 2016 at the Youth Study Center (YSC). In late August 2017, we opened the Travis Hill School at the Orleans Justice Center (OJC). Additional information about CEEAS and the Travis Hill Schools is available at our website, www.ceeas.org and https://ceeasorg.wixsite.com/travishillschools.

The School. The Opportunity.

Approximately 40 students are detained at the YSC on a daily basis. They range in age from 11 to 17 years old. All students attend our school located inside of the YSC. Nearly 1,500 individuals are held at the OJC. We operate a full-time school for approximately 50 students between 17 and 21 years old.

Nearly all the students have faced school failure--many did not attend school regularly when they were younger, most have been suspended or expelled at some point, nearly all of them are far behind their peers academically, and 30-40% of them have special education needs. Despite this, they all have hopes and dreams, skills and talents, and family and friends who care for them.

Our mission at Travis Hill is to create a transformative learning environment where students held at the YSC or OJC develop the academic and socio-emotional skills they need to become positive, contributing members of their community when they are released.

re released.

Position Description

Our teachers play a critical role in establishing the academic foundation and educational climate at our school. Our schools are small. Every teacher and every instructional minute matters. This is an incredibly rewarding and demanding job--one that requires teachers who are fully committed to our students and who are fully invested in doing anything and everything to make education happen there. We are looking for teachers who truly believe all students can succeed, who believe that students who are detained or incarcerated deserve the best education possible and who are relentless and won’t stop working when it gets difficult. We want teachers who are grounded in doing what is right and just, who are self-reflective, aren’t afraid to ask for help and who are willing and open to trying new and innovative ways to reach students.

For the right person, this is the perfect job.

We are looking for teachers with a preference for those who can teach at both the middle and high school level. Candidates dually certified in a content area and special education would be even more highly prized. The ideal candidate must be able to teach multiple courses within one class, differentiating content and instructional level.

Primary Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

Developing and implementing project and theme-based modules in line with the school-wide curricular framework at the School, and aligning the modules and instruction with key Louisiana standards
Integrating blended learning into the fabric of planning and instruction, in order to make learning more engaging, more targeted and more student centered
Creating a classroom and school environment that features a rich diversity of resources, engages student interest, promotes student leadership and stimulates student learning
Developing and implementing classroom and school-wide positive, incentive-based plans designed to promote prosocial, achievement oriented, and values-centered student behavior
Developing and maintaining productive working relationships with the secure care staff--both in school and by participating in agreed to unit-based activities and meetings
Managing administrative assignments effectively and with a high level of professionalism and integrity
Modeling and contributing to a school culture built on hope and high expectations for achievement
Building positive, lasting relationships with students and families as well as key student support networks, including, volunteers, local attorneys, case management and aftercare staff
Contributing your talent, creativity and passion to enhance the range of academic and enrichment activities the School can offer to students in our care
Understanding and committing to what it means to work with student who are detained, including taking on roles and functions that extend beyond those of a traditional teacher working in a traditional environment

Essential Competencies:

At Travis Hill we are looking for teachers who are committed to developing a set of essential competencies. These include:

Preparing and delivering multi-tiered and multi-course instruction. Students may be enrolled in two or more courses during a single class period and teachers are expected to use stations, full and small group instruction, and blended learning tools to facilitate this sort of classroom design.
Developing curriculum that is modular (fits within ~20-day unit cycles) and thematic, incorporates project based learning, and is aligned with Louisiana Student Standards. Our curriculum and related instructional materials need to be created, saved, and made accessible using a school-wide framework that emphasizes relevance and meaning.
Working collaboratively with members of our student support services team and special education staff. Our teachers work with others to modify instructional material, accommodate students’ needs, and support students’ social-emotional development.
Taking on responsibilities that lie outside of your content specialty. In light of student needs, our teachers must be flexible and willing, with professional development and support, to meet students where they are.
Investing fully in the school’s ongoing efforts to use restorative justice practices. We believe in and use a solutions-focused approach to misbehavior.
Understand that students with significant behavioral, mental health and trauma-related challenges will attend school. Nearly 50% of the students at Travis Hill have diagnosed special needs; nearly all have experienced significant trauma. Our aim is for all students to attend school every day.
Meeting basic administrative expectations. Timeliness, grading, turning in lesson plans, reading and responding to emails and staff communications are essential to the success of our school.

Additional Qualifications and Experiences:

Two or more years of teaching experience
An understanding of what it means to make learning relevant and meaningful
Interest in using technology and blended learning
An unyielding belief that with the appropriate supports, coupled with high expectations, all students can significantly improve their academic skills, and can develop prosocial and skills and habits that will enable them to succeed at school and beyond
Firm belief that all students have strengths and talents and that a good teacher helps students find these and use them to address weaknesses or overcome fears
Embrace and nurture a school culture that requires all staff to work beyond the traditional school hours and school year in order to create an environment filled with hope and high expectations, where students will radically improve their academic, employment and socio-emotional skills
Possess an unrelenting belief that all students can achieve and succeed

Salary and Benefits:

CEEAS offers Travis Hill staff a competitive salary and benefits package. Our salaries are on par with local schools and youth serving nonprofit organizations, taking into account experience and skills. CEEAS offers a Simple IRA plan for all staff, and provides a 3% employer contribution once staff has worked for six months. CEEAS provides health care coverage for all staff and covers approximately 80% of the monthly premiums and 50% for dependents of employees.

This position is a 10.5 month, full-time position. Vacation time primarily is aligned with the school calendar.

________________________________________________________________________

CEEAS is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that a diverse staff is a better staff. Women and persons of color are encouraged to apply to work with us at the Travis Hill Schools.

For additional information about CEEAS and the Travis Hill Schools, please visit our website at www.ceeas.org.

Effective: February 11, 2020

APPLY NOW