Freshman Seminar - Jefferson

Job Title Freshman Seminar InstructorLocation: Jefferson High SchoolFTE: 1.0Position Funding Source: MSAP GrantCompensation: Teacher SalaryGeneral Scope of Responsibilities:The Freshman Seminar Teacher is responsible for delivering a coherent, engaging, and student-centered Freshman Seminar experience that supports students in their successful transition to high school and future planning. This role emphasizes building strong relationships with students while supporting their emotional, behavioral, and academic development as they begin to define their identity as learners and future-ready graduates.The Freshman Seminar Teacher will implement curriculum aligned to the Portrait of a Future Ready Graduate and ensure students engage in guaranteed experiences including career exploration, Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) development, and real-world, problem-based learning. The teacher will collaborate with academy teams and district staff to ensure consistency, alignment, and continuous improvement of Freshman Seminar coursework and student experiences. A central responsibility of this role is supporting students in becoming on-track by the end of 9th grade through intentional monitoring, relationship-building, and instructional practices.Supervised by: Building AdministratorEssential Duties and Responsibilities:Build and maintain strong, supportive relationships with students to foster belonging, engagement, and a positive transition to high school while supporting their social, emotional, and behavioral developmentDeliver Freshman Seminar curriculum aligned to the Portrait of a Future Ready Graduate, including career exploration, ICAP development, professional skill-building, and real-world, problem-based learning experiencesCreate an inclusive and student-centered classroom environment grounded in equity, cultural responsiveness, and high expectations for all studentsCollaborate with Freshman Academy staff, teachers, academy teams, and district staff to:Monitor student progress related to attendance, behavior, and course performance, and collaborate with academy teams to support students who are at risk of falling off-trackEnsure alignment and consistency of curriculum, instruction, and guaranteed student experiencesParticipate in the district-level calibration of coursework, including common expectations, student work, and assessment of competencies aligned to the Portrait of a Future Ready GraduateEngage in PLCs and team meetings to plan, reflect, and improve instructional practices and student outcomes through ongoing feedback cyclesSupport the implementation of case-based and real-world learning experiences in collaboration with the Case Experience Lead and academy teachers, ensuring alignment between seminar and core content areasCommunicate regularly with families to support student success and engagement, and facilitate student participation in community-connected learning experiencesEngage in ongoing professional learning and reflect on instructional practices using student data and feedback to continuously improve outcomesPosition Notes:Freshman Seminar Teachers play a critical role in ensuring students are on-track by the end of 9th grade, both academically and socially. This role requires a strong commitment to student-centered practices, relationship-building, and collaboration across teams, as well as active participation in the ongoing development and refinement of the Freshman Seminar experience.WORK ENVIRONMENT:The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made too enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. The position requires the commitment of professional working hours that may require the employee to extend beyond a typical 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. workday. The employee will frequently work in different areas of the classroom including in/at desks, on or near the floor, standing, in movement while supervising indoor and outdoor activities, etc. The employee will usually work in indoor temperatures but will work outdoors when supervising students outside of the classroom.The information contained in this job description is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individual holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.The Cedar Rapids Community School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The district does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability.Federal law obligates an employer to provide reasonable accommodation(s) for the known disabilities of applicants, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship on the employer. If you or someone you know requires accommodation in the hiring process, contact the Executive Director of Human Resources, at 319-558-2747.