Aspen Prep Academy

Description

Scheduled specifically for one day per week (currently Tuesdays), this role focuses on movement exploration for young children (K-4th Grade), guiding them to build confidence in their own bodies and learn to collaborate with peers. Grounded in ideas grown and inspired right here at Aspen Academy, the program provides a safe environment for students to practice self-awareness and connection. While drawing inspiration and roots from yoga, ballet, and pilates, this role focuses on non-dance mind-body practices and mindful movement-utilizing school-provided curriculum.  

Part Time - Tuesdays, 8am - 2pm, for the school year

Onsite

Starting rate   $32.93 to $49.32  (based on education & experience step and ladder, max 9 years teaching experience credit)

Why Aspen Academy?

Located in the southern metro area of beautiful Denver, Colorado, at Aspen Academy, we're not just a school; we're a community committed to shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Our dedication to Next Generation education sets us apart, as we equip students with the enduring life skills they need for future success. We look at learning as a way to ignite the personal passions and interests of each and every student. Our unique leadership, finance, and entrepreneurial development (LiFE) program prepares students for life. Students thrive as they build lasting relationships with peers and teachers through small class sizes and a community focus.

Our Essentials Program offers performance-based courses that continue to build leadership, confidence and pride for each student. We realize world language, performing arts, visual arts, technology and fitness, along with the academic content classes, create a space for students to grow and learn in all areas of their school life as well as discover their individual passions and gifts.

We embody and promote the community's values in our thoughts, words, and actions, serving as committed and supportive co-leaders in realizing Aspen Academy's vision and mission:

• Our values: Be Kind. Do Good. Work Hard. Make the World Better.
• Our mission: We edify and inspire students and educators to grow, learn and lead.
• Our vision: We are a national leader in innovative and transformative education.

Essential Functions

Academic Teaching

• Provide effective, engaging and well planned instruction in the assigned domain. 
• Exhibit mastery and enthusiasm for the assigned subjects and classes.
• Plan and implement an appropriately focused and balanced curriculum for each student that adheres to the school's curriculum and rigorous standards that embrace a multidisciplinary approach
• Prepare and develop dynamic and engaging activities, materials, and lessons to meet the learning objectives (skills and content) of the curriculum and standards.  
• For each shift, provide timely end-of-day documentation and feedback to the Lead Instructor (e.g., updates on student dynamics, seating/pairing adjustments, and progress on rotation unit timelines) to ensure seamless continuity of instruction for the remainder of the week. 
• Facilitate movement exploration activities that empower young children to develop self-confidence in their bodies while fostering teamwork and collaboration with peers. 
• Deliver a mind-body curriculum rooted in the principles of mindful movement, pilates, and ballet using fully provided curriculum materials. 
• Create and sustain a classroom environment where every student is fully engaged, appropriately challenged, and adequately supported.
• The classroom environment adheres to "Love and Logic Principles". Classroom policies should be consistent with school policies.
• Use school-prescribed instructional methodologies, including Differentiated Instruction, Socratic Instruction, Inquiry-Based Instruction, Knowledge-Building Instruction, and Flexible Grouping based on student interest assessments and universal benchmark assessments.  
• Be results focused and accept accountability for results, take initiative, and identify and overcome obstacles.  Each individual must demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit which includes seeking, gathering, and analyzing relevant data and making sound decisions.  It includes seeing and acting on opportunities as well as taking needed risks and practicing continuous process improvement.  

LiFE (Leadership, Finance, and Entrepreneurship) Coaching

• Model, uphold and champion the highest standards of personal and professional conduct in alignment with our commitment to developing leadership, financial, and entrepreneurial mindset mastery in our students. 

Curriculum and Assessment 

• Implement a variety of assessments that measure progress towards standards, including universal school and/or domain-wide assessment.
• Use assessment data to refine curriculum and instructional practices to meet the school's performance standards.
• Use quantitative and qualitative data to inform and adjust instruction to ensure high-quality differentiated instruction.

School Life

• Actively contribute to and champion a culture that is committed to diversity, inclusion and cultural competency through continuous personal and professional growth, inclusive professional practices, and the integration of diverse perspectives in pedagogical approaches.
• Fulfill assigned monitoring duties (i.e., recess, lunch duty, etc.).
• Lead and/or participate in school events occurring during school hours and occasional events (i.e., Back to School Night, Community Picnic, Education Events) that may occur after school hours.
• Promote and maintain a positive and productive relationship with the school, team members, students and families to support our quest to be the best place to work. 

Professional Development

• Regularly devote time and energy required to grow in the craft of effective teaching.  
• Embrace coachability and a mindset of continuous growth. Be open to and enthusiastically involved in adopting innovative approaches to teaching, feedback from colleagues, and feedback from school administration.
• Embrace, collaborate, and lead in the school's professional development programs.
• Participate actively in the school's faculty and all team meetings and professional learning communities.
• Other duties as assigned.

More about Aspen Academy

Aspen Academy is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace committed to providing an environment of mutual respect, where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and military and veteran status.

Apply Today!

To join us in our mission to provide an unparalleled education that equips students with the knowledge and skills to excel in a changing world, apply here.

Requirements

Qualifications

Demonstrated excellence in:

• Cultivating students' curiosity, engagement, growth, and performance in academic, intellectual, social and emotional domains
• Facilitating early childhood movement exploration, mind-body practices, or somatic learning environments. 
• Creating safe, inclusive spaces that promote somatic confidence, mindfulness, and peer collaboration. 
• Written and oral communications skills
• Strong time, organization and project management skills
• Social and emotional intelligence 
• Cultural competency
• Google and learning management systems  
• Grant permission for a credit check and criminal background check.

Education, Experience, and Certifications

• Required: Bachelor's Degree.  Master's Degree preferred
• Preferred: teaching certification or license
• 3-5 years of teaching  experience
• Evidence of content expertise. Background or training in movement instruction, somatic practices, children's mindfulness, or mind-body disciplines (e.g., foundations in yoga, pilates, or ballet). 
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Grant permission for a criminal background check upon hire.
• Meet physical demands to perform essential functions of the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions: Ability to work full-time, including occasional evenings and weekends; work in person/in the school building; speak for long periods of time. Regularly required to stand; walk; use hands; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, or crouch. Frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds; occasionally life up to 50 pounds.