Who we are and why it matters - Manhattan Charter School (MCS) is a high performing charter school located on the Lower East Side in New York City that is committed to providing every child with the tools and support necessary for success. Operating as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, MCS has been consistently high-achieving since its founding in 2005. Manhattan Charter School 2, a replication of MCS, is expanding on the work already being done at MCS and believes that by working together more students will achieve high academic levels. MCS2 opened in August 2012 and is located a few blocks away from MCS.
Manhattan Charter School has 270 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. MCS2 currently has 180 students in kindergarten through third grade, and will grow by one grade each year to reach the same size and make-up as MCS. There are no more than 24 students in an MCS class because we believe much of our success is due to our small school size, and intimate school culture and learning environment. Each school's principal greets every student by name, every morning, and knows every family. In addition, every teacher knows every child. This intimate environment creates a community of collaboration, communication and accountability for both students and teachers.
MCS focuses on providing a rigorous curriculum of core subjects to help students achieve high academic levels. Though MCS adheres to New York State Learning Standards, its teachers have flexibility when developing their curriculums. Likewise, MCS is committed to offering a well-rounded education program to all students, which it believes helps students develop critical thinking processes, problem solving abilities and supports their learning in the core subject areas. All students receive music instruction each and every day. Other enrichment programs include French, Art, and Physical Education, and hands on experiments in science studies.
Additionally, students explore the historic Lower East Side neighborhood as part of their humanities studies. The Lower East Side is a centrally located, and culturally diverse, neighborhood in Manhattan. Long a fixture of the immigrant experience in New York City, many ethnic groups have resided here over the years as they worked to build a new life for themselves and their families in America. Through walking tours of the neighborhood, students learn about the Lower East Side's evolution from an area of commercial success and tenement living to the vibrant neighborhood it is today.
The majority of MCS students are minority, live in the neighborhood, and qualify for free lunch. Through its work MCS is demonstrating that all children, regardless of race or economic status, can succeed when given equal access to quality education. The schools pride themselves on delivering rigorous, standards-driven instruction and fostering a culture of high expectations, while maintaining a strong sense of camaraderie among students and teachers.
What our teachers mean to us - At Manhattan Charter School, we believe teacher effectiveness is the key to high student achievement. Teachers receive a circle of support and time for developing their craft that includes:
- Targeted Professional Development that is built into the school calendar: 2 weeks before the school year starts (3 weeks for new teachers) + 2 half days each month + 1 week at the end of school year
- Daily support and feedback from content area experts in writing, literacy and math, and instructional coaches
- In addition to building a robust network of on-staff expertise, MCS is committed to investing in teachers by sending them for specialized training and experiences based on teacher individual needs, interests, and areas of specialization (including using outside consultants with specialized know-how)
- A full-time Instructional Assistant that is pursuing a Master's in Education in each class
- An operations team who have set up operational processes that support teachers rather than burdening them
We are looking for Lead Teachers to start in August 2015 for the 2015-16 school year.
Specific Lead Teacher Responsibilities
- Executes the mission of MCS including: high academic achievement; integration of the core learning disciplines; the application of critical thinking skills and ethical standards to learning; and living and problem solving through individual teaching and learning practices
- Believes that every child can and will achieve high academic standards, and provides consistent support to our students no matter how challenging the individual situation may be. Consistently reflects on self, as well as instructional practices, to achieve these academic goals
- Plans student learning and individual achievements based on long and short-term goals, and program objectives
- Selects and uses effective instructional methods and learning materials
- Establishes a cooperative relationship with all assigned students
- Manages the classroom in a positive manner and keeps students on task
- Attends, participates, and facilitates team meetings and professional development opportunities, as well as common planning times
- Communicates and collaborates with peers, sharing student work, methodologies and strategies, as well as coordinating lesson topics with other teachers in order to create a coherent curricular design that achieves the overall purposes of the school program
- Prepares, administers and reviews all required student assessments
- Meets regular and predictable attendance requirements
- Performs other duties, as deemed appropriate, by the Principal
