teacher

elementary school teacher

assistant principal

english teacher

principal

Rocketship Public Schools

I think your experience can really be a hit or a miss here. It all depends on your school's leadership team and who your coach is. If you have unfortunate luck and end up with a coach (who is also your manager/supervisor) that isn't supportive or collaborative you can end up really miserable working here. 

The network's biggest pro are the teachers and staff who work there. My colleagues were my lifelines and without my team I wouldn't have been able to make it these last two years. Being able to work with likeminded people and learn from them was amazing, and I've built friendships that I'll hope to maintain long after my time here. 

The network's mission and culture is also great and a huge reason why I chose to work there. They target a specific kind of community and I have seen the benefits it has brought to many students and families who may otherwise be overlooked or unseen. They are systemically working to change our society and our communities by empowering not only the kids but also their families. They do this through their professional development, curriculum, and parent partnerships. When executed effectively you can see the benefits of a charter school like Rocketship for a family. 

However, being employed in a charter school like RPS means you are not protected by a union. This job is great for new, young teachers who don't have a lot of external commitments or priorities. Be ready to work on minimum 9 hours a day -- unless if you have meetings, events, PD, or prep, after school. Then you could be there up to 12 hours a day, maybe more. You're salaried so there is no over time pay or time off to compensate extra hours.

They recently increased their starting salary, which is great for new teachers. However, your salary is based on your evaluation scores and 50% of your eval score is determined by how your students perform on the NWEA test. This is a very data-driven environment and your worth as a teacher is literally determined by how your students perform on a computer based multiple choice test, and it can be extremely demoralizing for a teacher.

There's a lot that could be said about working here as a teacher, but the TLDR is that I came is as a bright-eyed first year teacher after completing my degree in elementary education and earning my teaching credential and two years later, I left this place burnt out and questioning my decision to become a teacher and my own self worth. There is a cult like feeling working here and if you're IN with the right people you'll succeed and do well. But if you're not, they can and will push you out all while making you feel like you are not good enough or doing enough. 

Just have your guard up and make sure to set your boundaries early on. 

Each campus is different. Some campuses are amazing and have a supportive work culture. Others have a fast-paced, cut-throat culture that negatively impacts teachers and support staff. If you really want to learn what it is like to be a teacher in a short amount of time, Rocketship is the way to go. Average teaching lifespan is 4 years. If you make it to year 4, you are golden. Teacher turnover rate is a real thing, and it really depends upon who is in campus leadership. 

This network is very data-driven so if you are against Testing, NWEA/Map and such then this is NOT the place for you. If you thrive in an environment that could be labeled as micro-managing then this place will feel just right for you. Curriculum constantly changes every year, so you need to be someone who can go with the flow, and can respond to coaching live in the moment. 

If you are still not sure about working for a business charter network then I would say, go see the campuses. Notice how a typical daily routine works, this is not a traditional school: Recess and Lunch combo is only 30-45min, there are no extracurriculars such as art and music. But some campuses have Science/engineering. No cafeteria, school library, sports, or grassy fields. Out of all the Rocketship's I've seen. Only Mateo Sheedy has real grass, and where I have seen students actually running and playing a team game for Recess/PE.  

Check this network out for yourself, do your research. It is not a place for everyone...and realize that once you connect with a recruiter you will be seeing and be sold a show. Don't get blinded by the dazzle and glitter. Because a school culture can create a wonderful teacher, or create a bitter soul of a teacher.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Serving the students and my colleagues

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Trying to please the Network team so you are considered for advancement opportunities. This is an extremely political environment. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Rocketship’s mission is commendable, and the organization aims to serve often-overlooked communities. However, I have observed that leadership at the network level can be unwelcoming to differing perspectives. Recommendations, even those intended to protect the company, may be disregarded if they conflict with leadership’s views. Individuals who voice dissenting opinions may face increased workloads, limited advancement opportunities, and negative perceptions from decision-makers. Additionally, some leaders have exhibited unprofessional behavior, which is not consistently addressed. This environment can negatively impact employee well-being, particularly for teams that interact closely with certain executives. I encourage prospective employees to carefully consider these factors before joining. This is specific to working with the Network Team and the TN ED, who is condescending, dismissive, and will work overtime to make sure no one advances, visits schools, or even succeeds without his consent. Consent involves doing exactly what he says in the way he wants it done (with no collaboration to understand what this entails) 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Heavy workload, but for the good of the organization.

I feel very supported and invested in within my current role. My ideas are not only heard but truly valued, which creates a strong sense of ownership and purpose in my work. The environment I’m in fosters collaboration and innovation, making it clear that leadership trusts me to contribute meaningfully to the direction of our school.

This support shows up in many ways. Whether it’s through coaching, thought partnership, or being given the space to try out new initiatives. Even when challenges arise, I don’t feel like I’m carrying them alone; instead, there’s a collective problem-solving mindset that helps move things forward. Because of this, I’ve grown more confident in voicing my perspective, knowing it will be met with curiosity and respect.

The investment in my development also stands out. I’m given opportunities to lead, stretch my skill set, and learn from others. These experiences not only help me grow professionally, but also reinforce my sense of belonging on the team. There’s a clear balance between accountability and care; expectations are high, but so is the level of support to meet them.

Overall, this role feels less like just a job and more like being part of a shared mission. That’s what makes it energizing: the belief that my contributions matter, my growth is prioritized, and my voice makes a difference in shaping outcomes for our students and community.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The interactions with the students and their families.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
I worked at the North side School. It's a hot burning dumpster fire of a mess! The Leadership Team running that site needs to be fired!! They are Messy, petty, liars who manipulate staff parents to overlook the horrible way they are running that building. Leadership lie and terminate staff to cover their mistakes when it comes to DPI investigating them.  Leadership is weak and they run the school like its Highschool! Very unprofessional. They terminate the Teachers on personal feelings, not job performance! If you are a good teacher and Leadership don't like you, They will find a petty way to get rid if you. So sad!!!

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
unsafe for both the teacher and the students. Children run out the building and into the streets due to no security or any adults watching the doors. It's the school leaders ignoring Teachers begging for assistance with  severe violent behaviors in the classroom. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
CHAOTIC and UNORGANIZED! Most of the days School leaders were shut up in their offices eating snacks, while leaving the Teachers to deal with the behaviors they should be assisting with.

This is your one and only warning: DON’T. DO. IT. RUN. Run away as FAST as you can. Working here is a never ending nightmare. You’re going to be stressed out of your mind EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. On your days off, all you will be thinking about is your classroom, the students, and the stack of work that you have to complete. Co-workers are catty, sneaky, and backstabbing. You WILL be gossiped about if you dare speak your mind. You will have 10 different people in your classroom at any given time. The kids will hit you and throw tables and chairs. You have to take time out of YOUR day to visit countless family homes for WHATEVER reason. Your work never ends. You WILL spend Saturdays and Sundays texting, emailing, planning, and stressing. Mental illness is brushed off here. They think that having depression, anxiety, or other concerning thoughts is just apart of being a teacher. They also think that it’s okay to have to see a therapist because the stress is too high. It’s just apart of the job. This place is A NIGHTMARE. This place was my worst nightmare and sent me spiraling down a VERY VERY dark road until I left and got help.

Rocketship Public Schools is a goal oriented school. Our goal was to close the achievement gaps in our respected communities by providing rigorous work and partnering with families. 

One of the main reasons I love Rocketship is because I truly believe that the management valued our opinions. They try their best to implement feedback as soon as possible. They allow teachers to be apart of the interview process for new vice principal so that we have a say on who manages us. They provide so much professional development and they try their best to make work fun. Lastly, the amount of Rocketship gear they provide their teachers is pretty cool. 

Work life balance is one of the hardest things about Rocketship. You have to be on the moment your feet hits the school and most of the time even after school. There is so much to the job: interalizing lessons, lesson planning, behavior management, classroom management and so much more. Burn out if definitely a big thing here. I used to count the days to the next holiday breaks. Also Rocketship has a crazy turn over rate. 


School leadership micro manages teachers
School leadership talks to teacher and para colleagues like children
Students have to stay silent or zone zero majority of the day even during lunch
No room for push back ( creates target)
If you are not on managements good side they target you and make the work day hard
Being with kids and meeting families is the best part, also making friends with other teachers because you need a strong support system to get through the day here
Good pay 
Feels like a prison or military camp 
Hard to use the bathroom as a teacher 
No work / life balance - long hours 7am-5pm, lots of after school meetings, feeling never good enough for leadership, work on weekends sometimes 
Make you feel guilty for time off 
Pile on children for intervention groups ( they gave me 8 kids in one ELD group, knowing I have a language barrier with most of the kids)  
Will allow students to be physical with other students, puts teachers in harms way for kids with violent physical needs , expects teacher to deal with classroom being destroyed over behaviors 


What is the best part of working at the company?
The pay  is the best part and it is also the way the try to keep you and control you

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Everything. Teachers are hit on spit on that chair thrown at teachers and then they are told that they are wrong. They are wrote up and then talk to any kind of way by leadership.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment is very stressful. The culture is very petty. A lot of the adults that work there are petty and it is more about a social club between teachers then it is about who’s getting their work done in the classroom and the children learning and growing.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day is full of stress you might be hit spit on bit or kicked. Or you might have a great day with no one bothers you. You just never know what’s gonna happen.

A typical day of work was actually quite routine; there is a whole ritual the students are used to because the after-school program was an extension of their daily routine. Students gathered in a circle, had a snack, an activity, recite their creed, and then get dismissed to go off into their smaller groups. I taught two groups of four students every week after school and tutored literacy to help the students read at grade level. The co-workers were mostly college-aged students and were very fun to work with. The hardest part of the job was having to plan individualized lesson plans for each class weekly, and sometimes the students would have behavioral problems. The most enjoyable part of the job was the rewarding feeling one receives after seeing your students improve reading levels and having a proud look on their faces.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Teacher 4 salaries reported	$78,750 per year
Elementary school teacher 48 salaries reported	$54,985 per year
Assistant principal 9 salaries reported	$99,867 per year
English teacher 7 salaries reported	$65,914 per year
Principal 3 salaries reported	$109,333 per year

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