Description

The First Academy is a ministry of the First Baptist Church of Orlando and affirms the church’s doctrinal statements, including the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, as faithful expressions of historic evangelical Christianity.

Due to anticipated enrollment growth, The First Academy is seeking a nurturing, professionally skilled Lower School Teacher (Grades 2–5) to foster a vibrant learning environment where academic excellence and spiritual formation go hand in hand. The ideal candidate will be a versatile educator who views the classroom as a mission field, capable of delivering a rigorous, core-subject curriculum encompassing Bible, literacy, mathematics, social studies, and science through a distinct Biblical worldview. We are looking for a teacher who excels at differentiated instruction, meeting the unique developmental needs of elementary learners as they transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." The successful candidate will be a master of classroom management who builds strong partnerships with parents, utilizes engaging hands-on instructional strategies, and inspires students to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.

Core Instructional Competencies
Biblical Foundation: Leading daily Bible lessons that move beyond storytelling to life application, helping students memorize Scripture and identify the "Fruit of the Spirit" in their own lives.

Worldview Mentorship: Guiding students to apply a Christian worldview to real-world scenarios, helping them identify the difference between biblical truth and secular ideas.

Balanced Literacy: Implementing research-based reading strategies, including small-group guided reading and writer’s workshops to develop robust vocabulary and composition skills.

Mathematical Fluency: Using manipulatives and mental math strategies to help students move from concrete operations to symbolic representations and problem-solving.

Differentiated Instruction: Utilizing assessment data to tailor instruction for diverse learners, ensuring that every child is appropriately challenged and supported.

Classroom Culture: Creating a Christ-centered environment that prioritizes character development, conflict resolution, and mutual respect among peers.

Requirements

Required Education: Possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. A Master's degree in Education or the specific subject area is preferred.

Subject Expertise: Degree emphasis in the area of instruction or a directly related field is strongly preferred.

Communication Skills: Possess solid, professional communication skills, both written and verbal, for effective interaction with students, parents, and colleagues. This includes the ability to present complex information clearly and engage in constructive dialogue.

Organizational Skills: Exhibit strong organizational skills, including efficient time management, meticulous record-keeping, and the ability to finish tasks in a timely manner and manage multiple classroom responsibilities simultaneously.

Collaboration: Proven ability to effectively partner and collaborate with colleagues, administration, and parents to support the holistic development of students.

Confidentiality: Absolute ability to maintain confidentiality pertaining to all sensitive school, student, and personnel matters, adhering to ethical and legal standards.

Work Ethic: Demonstrate a strong work ethic, professionalism, reliability, and punctuality.

Instructional Technology: Experience with and aptitude for using current educational technology to enhance classroom instruction, student engagement, and professional tasks.

Learning Management Systems (LMS): Such as Canvas or Google Classroom.

Productivity Suites: Including Google Suite for Education and/or Apple iWork Suite.

Hardware/Equipment: Expertise in operating devices such as MacBooks, iPads, and Interactive Whiteboards, or similar classroom presentation technologies.

Certification Requirement: Hold or be eligible to obtain a valid teaching certificate:
Licensure by a regional accreditation agency (e.g., ACSI) is highly preferred.
Valid/Professional State Teacher's Certification (e.g., Florida Teacher’s Certification) 
Eligibility for a Temporary State Certificate within 30 days of employment, with the expectation that a permanent certification is secured within three (3) years.

Teaching Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of successful classroom teaching experience in the subject area is recommended.

Demonstrated Ability: Possess demonstrated expertise and ability to manage, instruct, and motivate students, or provide equivalent proven subject expertise through related professional work experience.