3rd/4th Grade Teacher
At Mighty Oak Academy
This role is for the 2026 - 2027 school year
ABOUT US
Are you excited about teaching? Do you have a passion for the next generation and want to invest in our children? Do you see the injustices and inadequacies in the current education system and don’t know where to start to make a difference?
We are Mighty Oak Academy, a startup community school in the West End of Louisville KY, a traditionally underserved neighborhood where students have been left behind for decades. We are looking for educators that want to make a change in our neighborhood and for our children who deserve better. If you want to think outside the box on how we approach education, are willing to learn new ways to meet students where they are then we are the school for you. We are a school that uses a non-traditional education approach to meet our students where they are, unlocking their passions to ignite their love of learning and guiding them to excel at their own pace. If you believe in the larger education system and think investing in the same system that has been around for decades is working, then MOA is probably not the place for you.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Elementary Teacher reports to the Head of School and is responsible for facilitating a child-centered learning environment that is driven by the individual interests and/or passions of the students. Our teachers are the backbone of the education provided at Mighty Oak Academy. We have high expectations for both our educators and our students. The culture at Mighty Oak is centered around academics and community. We are seeking educators who believe change is possible, are willing to think differently about schooling, and are motivated to invest deeply in children and community. If you are energized by innovative practices, relationship-driven teaching, and helping students discover their passions while learning at their own pace, MOA is the place for you! Educators who prefer conventional, one-size-fits-all approaches may not find this environment to be a good fit. Teachers are expected to participate in learning about the community as well as community events and programs to better understand their students and help build a culture love and empowerment.
Teaching at Mighty Oak Academy
Our priority is loving our students to help them reach their potential and we understand that our educators are a key aspect of ensuring that student success. We value our educators and seek to also meet their needs as well.
We are looking for educators that are willing to make a change in our neighborhood where our children deserve better. Our teaching positions include:
- 7 weeks of out-of-school breaks for educator wellbeing
- Full 30-minute no duty lunch break
- 1 hour paid planning time after school (can also be used to support your professional development)
- Instructional, behavioral, and classroom support staff
- A behavior interventionist team for social-emotional support and coaching
- Freedom to differentiate instruction based on student needs
- Competitive benefits, including 401(k) with match, health, dental, and vision insurance
- 15 days PTO as well as 6 paid holidays
RESPONSIBLIITES
- Create and maintain a safe, loving, and engaging classroom environment
- Observe and support each student as an individual, guiding exploration of interests through multidisciplinary learning
- Deliver instruction in whole-group, small-group, and individualized formats
- Use qualitative and quantitative assessments to inform responsive instruction
- Design and facilitate project-based learning experiences
- Integrate social-emotional learning practices into daily classroom routines
- Collaborate with colleagues on curriculum design, problem-solving, and school-wide projects
- Partner with instructional, behavioral, and related service providers to support diverse learners
- Communicate regularly with families, including documentation and outreach as needed
- Participate in professional development and the ongoing design of the MOA educational model
- Meet individually with students to support growth and ownership of learning
- Fulfill additional duties as needed (e.g., dismissal, field trips, community events)
- Facilitate classes daily with students at different levels of learning abilities and/or grade levels.
QUALIFICATIONS
- You have a bachelor’s degree
- You have a minimum of 3 years of experience as a classroom teacher and hold deep and diverse instructional competence.
- Experience with non-traditional or alternative educational approaches strongly encouraged
- Strong Elementary experience.
- Minimum of one year Elementary teaching experience.
- You embody the characteristics listed below:
CHARACTERISTICS
- Passion for teaching and joy in student growth and discovery
- Deep care for children and belief that learning happens through relationships
- Commitment to differentiated, student-centered instruction
- Strong communication skills and ability to connect with diverse learners
- Understanding that behavior is communication and should be met with curiosity and care
- Flexibility and willingness to adapt instruction when approaches are not working
- Alignment with Love City values: community investment, humility, love without judgment, and dreaming big
- High standards for personal and professional excellence
- K–5 teaching certification not required, but preferred
- Growth mindset and openness to learning new educational models and practices
- Training or certification in alternative models (e.g., Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, Project-Based Learning) a plus.
- Ties to the Portland or West End Louisville communities a plus.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms. We are in an old three-story building with no elevator. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.
COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY
Compensation is commensurate with qualifications and experience. We have structured our compensation to provide the most level of flexibility as well as appreciation for the work educators perform. All our positions are hourly. Our school year for staff starts at the beginning of August and goes through early June. We build planning and break times into the daily schedule, and staff are scheduled to work 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Staff can accrue up to 15 days PTO throughout the year. We also offer a set number of holidays throughout the year; these do not include winter break and spring break. If staff wish to be paid over non holiday breaks when school is closed, they can take PTO. We strive to provide a highly competitive hourly wage which we feel, when paired with the flexibility of being hourly along with PTO, holiday pay, and health care provide a generous compensation package. Starting hourly rates for this role are based on qualifications and experience on the following scale:
- Bachelors Degree - no teaching certification $24
- Bachelors Degree - teaching certification $26
- Bachelors Degree - Teaching certification minimum 5 years experience $28
- Masters Degree - teaching certification $30
- Masters Degree - Teaching Certification minimum 5 years experience $32
Calculating Annual Pay
Our teaching positions are non-exempt hourly with teachers being paid for 8 hours of work a day. Teachers are not paid for days they do not work, such as school breaks and over the summer. To calculate what the annual equivalent for the hourly rate would be we use the following formula.
Total number of paid school days = 175
Training Days prior to start of school = 5
Parent Teacher Conference Days = 3
Paid Holidays = 6
Total possible paid PTO days = 15
Total paid days in a school year = 204
We then multiply the total days by 8 hours a day by the hourly rate to get the annual equivalent. For example the hourly rate of $28 an hour would work out to:
204 x 8 x $28 = $45,696
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $24.00 - $32.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Elementary Teaching: 1 year (Required)
Work Location: In person
