Intrepid College Prep is a growing network of free, open-enrollment, high-performing no excuses public schools committed to preparing prepsters to excel in selective colleges, earn professional opportunities, and graduate as financially literate professionals and positive leaders. Our Blue Chip Team currently educates 300 students in grades 5-7 in Opportunity Academy (our 5-8 middle school). In 2016-2017, we will educate 400 students in grades 5-8.
A pioneer in financial literacy education, Intrepid College Prep achieves remarkable academic growth for all prepsters, especially English Language Learners. In 2015, Intrepid College Prep was named a Tennessee Reward School, placing it in the top 5% of schools in Tennessee for academic growth in all subjects.
Our work grows prepsters academically, financially, and socially – providing the skill sets needed to be game changing leaders in every facet of the future. Intrepid alumni will transform college campuses and the work force, raising expectations for academic excellence, financial acumen and ethical leadership.
Teach English Language Learners at Intrepid College Prep
Among our student population, as few as one in ten students of color leaves an Antioch-area public elementary school prepared to succeed in a rigorous middle school due to a phenomenon known as the “fourth grade slump”. In fourth grade, students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Without this essential skill, students experience a precipitous academic decline.
Nationally, individuals and corporations seeking to profit from the school-to-prison pipeline look to third and fourth grade literacy rates to determine how much they can profit from criminalization in low-income and minority neighborhoods. At Intrepid College Prep we reverse this trend through ambitious goal-setting and exposure to numerous texts of increasing variety and complexity so that our prepsters become insightful and capable readers.
Duties & Responsibilities
The ELL Specialist provides direct instruction to students in need of a substantially separate English as a Second Language (ESL) course. A member of the Academic Support Department, this individual reports to the Director of Academic Support, and supports the Instructional Leaders in helping content teams reach the range of learners in their classrooms.
Teacher Support
Advise teachers on modifying/accommodating curriculum for students in a pullout, ESL class. Student Support
Teach a substantially separate ESL-class, based on caseload or provide inclusion support for English classes containing ELL students.
Work specifically with ELL students during assigned periods of the day.
Programmatic support
Manage the ELL program including, but not limited to: completing of necessary paperwork, training of teachers, management of parent and student communications, executing of student testing/screening, and upholding of general Department of Education compliance requests.
General Responsibilities
Align student support services with the school’s mission and educational philosophy. Participate in generating and upholding Blue Chip staff norms.
Serve as an advisor to 15-30 students throughout the year. Serve as a productive member of the Intrepid community. Qualifications
A Bachelor’s degree required, 3.0 GPA; Master’s degree preferred;
A minimum of two years of experience in an urban public school or charter school setting preferred, but not required; The ability to speak Spanish preferred but not required;
A commitment to working with underserved, urban youth;
An unwavering commitment to and belief in the mission of Intrepid College Prep, including Intrepid’s PRIDE values and educational model;
The ability to focus and thrive in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment;
The ability to work effectively in a team environment and the willingness and desire to support others in doing their best work; and
An entrepreneurial spirit that reflects an openness to change, a willingness to problem-solve, and an interest in developing new ideas & programs.
The position will begin in July 2016. Compensation
We offer a generous compensation package. All staff members are equipped with the tools needed to succeed, including a dedicated work space, laptop computer, email, high-speed internet access, and all necessary supplies. Compensation is highly competitive; teachers are eligible to participate in the MNPS Retirement System.
Commitment to Diversity
Intrepid College Prep is an equal opportunity employer. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability. Apply Now
Blue Chip Teaching Questionnaire Directions: Limit each response to no more than 200 words.
1. TEACHING IN A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL
You could work at an expanding CMO, a charter school network that already has many resources, established systems, and economies of scale. Intrepid is a stand-alone independent charter school. Why are you motivated to close the achievement gap at an independent charter school?
2. DISENGAGED STUDENT
Vanessa, a student in your 5th grade class, has become increasingly disengaged (head down with little participation) in class over the past two weeks. Noticing the lack of engagement from your student you pull her aside for a conversation during homeroom. She doesn’t share much information with you regarding her change in behavior and affect and that afternoon you call home to speak with her mother. It has been two days since you called home and you have not received a call back from the family. Vanessa is becoming increasingly disengaged, failing to complete homework assignments, and participating in class at an absolute minimum level.
How do you respond? What do you do and why? 3. SYSTEMS: MERITS AND DEMERITS
Mr. Reynolds, a 7th grade teacher at Nashville Collegiate Academy (NCA) is young and energetic. The students in the school love his class and he has built excellent professional relationships with each and every one of them. His instruction is high-energy all the time and extremely focused on achieving the grade-level standards that he is responsible for. Relying predominantly on charisma and enthusiasm to ensure order and focus in his classes, his students have achieved great academic results, regularly reaching 90 % proficient and advanced on the state assessment.
Ms. Marquez, a softer, calmer presence in the classroom, is a 7th grade math teacher on the grade level team with Mr. Reynolds. Like her colleague, she has led her classes to exemplary student achievement with over 85 % of her students reaching proficient and advanced status on the state assessment. During her class, she routinely uses DCA’s merit and demerit system to monitor, correct and praise student behavior. For example, if a student is failing to track the speaker in the room she will quickly, and using a journalist’s voice say, “Rachel, that’s a demerit – please track the speaker at all times.” Ms. Marquez will then document the demerit she has assigned to the student using the school wide tracking sheet (see the attached document for an example).
At the end of the first month of school the Principal completes a data analysis of how teachers are using the merit and demerit system to monitor, re-direct and praise student behavior. On an average week, Mr. Reynolds is issuing 4 merits and 2 demerits while Ms. Marquez is issuing 7 merits and 23 demerits. Based on the fact that both Mr. Reynolds and Ms. Marquez are achieving exceptional academic results
with their students do you see an issue with the discrepancy in their use of the Merit/Demerit System? Why or why not? Explain.
If you had to place yourself on the continuum between the style of Mr. Reynolds and Ms. Marquez, where would you fall? What advantages do you think that provides you with as a teacher and what challenges might you need to overcome to maximize your teaching potential?
4. HOMEWORK CLUB REFERRAL
Omar is a 6th grade student in your English class. He is consistently on time to school prepared and ready to learn. Of the 32 days of school so far this year he has had his homework completely done on 31 occasions. In class he is enthusiastic and engaged, regularly shooting up his hand to volunteer an answer or ask a meaningful question. On Wednesday, Omar arrives at school looking distraught. Noticing this unusual affect you pull him to the side in the morning to have a conversation. You learn that Omar’s parents were in a serious argument last night and spent multiple hours yelling at one another. Omar is worried that his parents may get a divorce and didn’t sleep well with the thought of his parents splitting up weighing on his mind. You comfort your prized student as best you can and inform the team of teachers as well as the school counselor about his circumstances so all of the adults working with him are aware of his situation. With a smile on your face and a confident “we’ll get through this” conclusion to your conversation, you and Omar start your days respectively. Three periods later, Omar arrives to your English class without his homework completed. Normally, students who don’t complete their homework are sent to homework club for 2 hours after school.
Knowing Omar’s situation at home and the reason why he didn’t get his homework done, do you refer Omar to homework club? Why or why not?
5. THE PRACTICE OF TEACHING
This position requires you to process new information and implement it quickly – making daily changes in your classroom based on observation and feedback. Describe prior experiences you have had in coaching others or being coached? What was effective about these coaching experiences?
6. STANDARDIZED TESTS What do standardized tests measure? 7. TIME MANAGEMENT
It’s the second week of school. You have curriculum deadlines looming, extensive planning for advisory responsibilities and personal bills to pay. Your team is rallying around the school's mission by canvassing to recruit more students this Saturday. Enrollment is down 10 students and charter schools are funded per pupil, meaning they often seek to provide a high-quality education with more time and less resources. How do you manage your time to meet these varied responsibilities. Be specific.
Blue Chip Faculty: _____________________________ Week Ending: _____________________ Course: ____________________________ Cohort: ___________________________
Student Name Fri Mon Tues Wed Thurs
Automatic Detention
37. Disrespect to peer 47. Sleeping/Attempting to
38. Disrespect to property 48. Using unapproved electronics
39. Disrespect to adult 49. Failure to return form
40. Wrong Response 50. Pharmaceuticals without prescription
41. Ignoring/Refusing 51. Soda 42. Profanity 52. Cheating 43. Inappropriate Contact 44. Disrupting Class 45. Horseplay/Throwing 46. Gum/Candy/Chips Merits Professionalism 1. Organization 2. Beautifying 3. Posture 4. Preparedness 5. Respect Rigor 6. Preclse Language 7. Improvement 8. Insightfulness Initiative
9. Asking Clarifying Questions 10. Assistance 11. Leadership 12. Tutoring 13. Volunteering Discipline 14. Following Directions 15. Doing the Right Thing Endurance 16. Enthusiasm 17. Work Ethic Demerits Professionalism 18. Unprepared 19. Out of Uniform 20. Late to Class 21. No pass in hall 22. Other Unprepared 23. Talking out of Turn 24. Inappropriate Noise 25. Poor Attitude 26. Other Disrespectful 27. Lack of organization 28. Poor Posture 29. Making Excuses Rigor 30. Off-Task Initiative 31. No participation Discipline 32. NF Teacher Directions 33. NF Procedures 34. Not Tracking Speaker Endurance
35. Gives up, gets frustrated. 36. Disengaged
