HEALTH TEACHER

Common Ground High School is the nation’s longest-running environmental charter high school, founded in 1997. Our 230 students form an inclusive, powerful community of learners and leaders. These students benefit from a unique learning environment: an urban farm and 20-acre site, home to state of the art school facilities, adjacent to West Rock Ridge State Park, and located in the City of New Haven. We strive to create a learning environment grounded in foundational building blocks: rigor, responsive relationships, relevance that’s rooted in the local community and environment, and real roles & rights. Common Ground’s graduation rate consistently surpasses the state average, and between 97 and 100% of our students are accepted to college each year.

Common Ground High School is part of a community nonprofit organization that also operates an urban farm and community environmental education center. As a whole, Common Ground is a center for learning and leadership, inviting people across ages and identities to connect to their urban environment, build community, grow into their full potential, and contribute to a just and sustainable world.

About the Position

We are seeking an experienced, compassionate, and well-organized educator to join our team as a Health Teacher. This position is a 1 FTE position for the 2024-2025 school year. Candidates should possess or be eligible to possess a CT Teacher License for Health PK-12 (043); additional certification in Physical Education PK-12 (044) is preferred.

This position is

Placement on that salary scale will take prior work, relevant experience in consideration. Staff members at Common Ground are represented by UAW local 2110 with a collective bargaining agreement in progress.

The Health Teacher will:

• Deliver rigorous and engaging Health instruction that meets the requirements of the State of Connecticut Health & Safety graduation credit.

• Create and maintain a positive learning environment for active participation of all learners.

• Administer periodic assessments to measure student growth and progress.

• Implement effective classroom management skills that build a welcoming and productive classroom culture.

• Actively participate in professional development and work collaboratively with colleagues to improve instructional practices and student learning.

• Build meaningful and professional relationships with students and their families.

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the school leadership

We are looking for Health Teacher candidates who demonstrate some or all of the following:

• Previous experience teaching in an urban, high school setting.

• Knowledge of the changes to the Connecticut graduation requirements for 2022-2023 for Health and Physical Education.

• Previous experience creating, developing or identifying a curriculum to cover a wide range of health topics.

• A proven track record of building relationships with high school students and an ability to effectively manage a classroom during challenging discussions.

• The candidate MUST be comfortable and able to deliver curriculum and lessons on difficult topics such as (but not limited to) suicide, suicide prevention, sexual health, sexual assault, abuse prevents, race and identity, LGBTQ+ identity.

• Knowledge of trauma-informed instruction and possesses a belief that all students can learn and be successful.

• A passion for our social justice mission and commitment to equitable and sustainable change

We are also excited to consider candidates who have:

• Values and embraces collaboration, communication, and has capacity to work effectively within a team that includes multiple teachers and community partners.

• Experience working directly with racially, economically, academically diverse high school aged young people, and with low-income young people and people of color in particular. Knowledge about and passion for working for an organization that is committed to social justice, the dismantling of systems of oppression, and creating a just, equitable, and inclusive culture.

• Experience working with Google applications, online course management platforms, and other online learning tools.

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