KairosPDX is a non-profit organization focused on delivering excellent, equitable education to underserved children, their families and their communities. Our mission is to eliminate the prolific racial achievement and opportunity gaps by cultivating, confident, creative, compassionate, leaders. We do this through an organizational approach that includes our Learning Academy, Community Relations, Government Affairs, and Training Academy. Please visit www.kairospdx.org.
Working at KairosPDX
KairosPDX is currently seeking candidates for a_full-time, _Teacher Collaborator- Physical Education position starting Summer 2025. Persons of color and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
KairosPDX launched our flagship program, our Learning Academy, a public charter school sponsored by Portland Public Schools, located on N. Gantenbein Avenue in Portland in 2014. We practice a combination of direct instruction and inquiry based experiences towards maximizing learning for all students. Our curriculum approach is culturally-responsive, that infuses mindfulness, restorative practice, studio art, STEM, music and fitness towards teaching the whole child, at all points of the day.
The Early Learning Academy, which opened in 2022 as a pilot site for Preschool for All, is designed to affirm and celebrate Black identity in young children and their families. It is grounded in the belief that culturally-specific, early learning experiences expand opportunities for children to actively engage in creating their own lives and to contribute fully to the quality of the world around them. We value the creativity, interests, ideas and questions of the children and adults at our school. We practice listening, observing, inquiring, being attentive, and reflecting together with children and families. We value the role of the arts and sciences as languages for thinking, expressing ideas, communicating who we are, and telling the stories of those we belong to – past and present.
KairosPDX launched our Training Academy in 2021. KairosPDX Training Academy is focused on training current leaders across multiple sectors on how to lead in an equity movement that is grounded in transformational change and rooted in a framework of belonging and the neuroscience of love. We provide training and professional development around rehumanization practices and protocols for administrators, educators, early childhood professionals, organizations, and businesses the tools to do the work in equity that KairosPDX puts into practice daily.
Kairos is Greek for a special moment in time and we believe we are creating this time and space for children and families, making KairosPDX a very special place to work. We are committed to the core values of Respect, Responsibility, Excellence, Honesty, and Service. We value data, reflection, feedback and continuous improvement as we work together on behalf of our children and families.Our expectation is that staff at KairosPDX are invested in our mission and participate in creating structures, developing school culture and communicating our work to families and the larger community. Staff work together to support the whole child – academically, socially, emotionally and culturally, using published curriculum, current research and children’s own interests to build their curriculums. KairosPDX values data, reflection, feedback and continuous improvement as we work together on behalf of our children and families.
All Staff Responsibilities:
Share responsibility with a team of colleagues and parents to honor the mission:
- to eliminate the prolific racial achievement and opportunity gaps by cultivating confident, creative and compassionate leaders;
- Practice the values of KairosPDX in professional conduct and daily interactions:
- respect, responsibility, honesty, excellence and service to community
- Incorporate the beliefs of KairosPDX in all approaches and instruction
- Every child is uniquely capable, innately curious and inherently creative,
- Character and agency are essential to achievement and are developed through relationship and service to others,
- A multi- cultural context delivers a strong sense of self and is a requirement for participation in our global society,
- Children must be supported in the context of their families;
- Support multicultural practice and inquiry based approaches that are:
- Actively anti-racist – confronting bias in all of its forms,
- Education for social justice – acknowledging history and studying the present to make informed decisions regarding a more equitable future,
- Pervasive – Examining practices in all levels of school culture and organization,
- Personal –Beginning with the necessary consideration of self as a cultural being,
- Critical Pedagogy – Pursuing multiple perspectives, anticipating contradictions and challenging assumptions,
- Empowering – Providing children the ego strength to challenge racist societal views,
- Helping children think deeply about themselves and others.
Core Position Responsibilities:
- Create a learning environment designed to build skill, confidence and a positive cultural and academic identity
- Research, implement and align curriculum, instructional strategies, and student assessment to the Common Core
- Develop and track standards, growth and learning goals for each student including use of baseline and progression data, identifying strategies, measures and evidence of progress standards
- Responsible for planning for and orchestrating academic, social, emotional and cultural identity growth outcomes
- Collaborate with Science Collaborator and instructional staff to schedule lessons serving all KairosPDX students
- Collaborate with Science Collaborator to design and implement specific lessons for Community Action Sessions CAS
- Stay current with new content and information in a rapidly changing environment
- Hold student outcomes, aspirations, and involvement at the center of plans aimed to increase student growth and achievement
- Teach and manage a classroom with approximately 20-40 students
- Discipline students in a fair and consistent manner, using clear routines and expectations as well as school approved behavior support techniques
- Interpret, plan and work toward the goals of the learning community
- Plan and prepare the environment for the academic and non-academic needs of students
- Assess for progress in the academic, social, emotional and cultural domains of student development;
- Align curriculum, instructional strategies, and student assessment to the Common Core
- Document and maintain educational records for each student in the classroom
- Utilize data to inform instruction
- Work with a team of colleagues and families to provide a nurturing and positive climate that encourages student responsibility and intrinsic motivation
- Plans lessons based on grade-level standards that are meaningful and differentiated to meet student needs, that are relevantly linked beyond the task-at-hand, and that help all students learn and apply transferable knowledge and skills.
- Communicates with care, respect, proactivity and professionalism to students, parents, colleagues, and all school personnel. Communicates, both verbally and in writing, in a manner that builds and enhances powerful relationships with students, their families, and members of the school community
- Plans lessons that are intentionally linked to other lessons (previous and future) in support of students meeting standards.
- Provides students with measurable learning targets with clear criteria for success.
- Assigns students understandable and relevant performance tasks to provide concrete evidence of student learning.
- Develops teaching points based on students’ learning needs (academic background, life experiences, culture, and language) in relation to the learning target(s)
- Enables students to take ownership of their own learning such that they build the capacity to develop, test, and refine their thinking.
- Engage students with strategies, capitalizing and building upon students’ academic background, life experiences, culture and language, and which support rigorous and culturally relevant learning.
- Provide direct student support as need:
- Supervise students during recess and other non-instructional times
- Substitute in classroom teacher
- Administer attendance and student medication
- Coordinate, facilitate and/or support the proctoring of formal school wide assessments including Kindergarten readiness, NWEA and SBAC
- Support the practice and implementation of skills/strategies presented in classroom presentations, school-wide training and/or outside agency presentations/trainings
- Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of every activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, be assigned with or without notice.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Participate in continuous improvement practices including observation, reflection and collaboration
- Participate in professional development (meeting, training and/or workshops) to facilitate growth of each student, staff member and the organization overall
- Participate in the school wide communication of instruction goals and perspectives with families
- Attend several KairosPDX staff and family events
- Work hours may include evening and weekend activities
Teacher Qualifications:
- Valid TSPC license for the grade level(s) taught
- Documentation of “Highly Qualified Teacher Status” under the No Child Left Behind Act
- Bachelor’s Degree; Master’s, preferred
- Enrollment in Oregon’s Criminal Background Registry through the Office of Child Care (cost paid by applicant).
- Demonstrated ability to manage a classroom
- At least three to five years of experience preferred
- At least one or two years relevant experience working with children from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds
- Previous experience as a coach and thought-partner to teachers and administrators, preferred
- Training in early education and/or human development, preferred
- Experience working with children ages 3 to 11, preferred
- Training and/or experience with at least one special population such as special needs children, Talented and Gifted children, and/or English Language Learners, preferred
- Effective interpersonal skills in managing and interacting with diverse groups of stakeholders
- Excellent time management and organizational skills
- Demonstrated ability to manage conflict through equitable decision-making and effective problem solving
- Willingness to learn about and adapt to KairosPDX culture
- Open to learning and practicing a constructivist approach to teaching and learning
- Commitment to culturally relevant practices
- Commitment to professional reflection and ongoing collaboration
- Share KairosPDX’s stance that excellent public education is a civil right of all children and families
- Possess a passion for helping each child reach his or her social, emotional and academic potential including a commitment to differentiated instruction and ongoing assessment
- Current Food Handlers Card and CPR First Aid Certificate required (cost paid by applicant)
- Ability to pass a criminal background check
Knowledge & Skills:
- High tolerance for ambiguity, changing work priorities and deadlines, and a willingness to take on responsibilities and to prioritize work on multiple projects;
- Highly detail-focused and results-oriented;
- Ability to communicate and interact effectively with multiple constituencies including families, parents, staff and students;
- Team-player attitude and strong customer-service orientation;
- Excellent organizational, planning, and implementation skills;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word;
- Demonstrated initiative, leadership, and tenacity;
- Willingness to learn about and adapt to KairosPDX culture;
- Commitment to culturally relevant practices;
- Commitment to professional reflection and ongoing collaboration;
- Current Food Handlers Card and CPR/First Aid Certificate required (cost paid by applicant);
- Ability to pass a criminal background check.
- Ability to adhere to Governors Vaccination Requirements for Teachers and School Staff, note this applies to all KairosPDX non-Instructional staff.
- Share KairosPDX’s stance that excellent public education is a civil right of all children and families;
- Experience working with diverse populations, specifically people of color; and
- Passion for KairosPDX’s mission.
Salary and Benefits
- Salary: Dependent on qualifications, ranging from $54,571- $107,686.
- Benefits include: Up to nine weeks of school closure breaks, paid sick/personal leave days, paid holidays, participation in Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), employer contribution for health insurance, professional development opportunities
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $54,571.00 - $107,686.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Physical education: 3 years (Required)
- working with children from diverse backgrounds: 1 year (Required)
License/Certification:
- Oregon TSPC Teaching License (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Portland, OR 97217: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
