4th Grade Teacher

St. Mark’s seeks a passionate and dedicated 4th Grade Language Arts Teacher to join our Lower School team. This role is ideal for an educator who is excited about fostering a love of reading and writing through a structured literacy approach and who is committed to creating a supportive and engaging learning environment. The 4th Grade Language Arts Teacher will report to the Head of Lower School. 

Duties 

• Plan, prepare and implement lessons and activities to meet the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical needs of children who are nine to ten years old.
• Teach a structured literacy English Language Arts program through differentiated instruction.  
• Create a positive, inclusive, and structured classroom environment where students feel safe, respected, and encouraged to take risks in their learning.
• Promote student independence by providing opportunities for self-directed learning, problem-solving, and collaboration with peers.
• Utilize relationship-centered approaches to classroom management that value clear expectations, consistency, and restorative practices when misbehavior occurs.
• Develop and maintain positive and proactive parent relationships that foster a supportive home-school connection including updates about student progress. This includes in person conversations, email correspondence and phone calls as needed as well as school scheduled Fall and Spring parent-teacher conference days.
• Create an effective learning environment through functional and attractive displays inside and outside of the classroom.
• Work closely with the other lead 4th grade teacher on grade level programming.
• Guide the work of a shared Teaching Assistant with the other 4th grade lead teacher.
• Effectively supervise students through scheduled duties such as recess, lunch, arrival, and dismissal.
• Participate and contribute in weekly team meetings.
• Assume other responsibilities as assigned by the Head of Lower School.

Required Skills and Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.
• A deep understanding of educating the whole child.
• A passion for teaching and learning with a collaborative spirit.
• A minimum of three years of teaching experience.
• Genuine affinity for working with children and families in a highly engaged community.

• Knowledge and experience of working in an independent school.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Works in a sometimes highly stressful environment dealing with a wide variety of challenges.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
• Physical agility to lift up to 50 pounds; to bend, stoop, and reach overhead.
• Work primarily in a traditional climate controlled classroom environment.
• Work intermittently in outside weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold.

Acknowledgments

In the event you are invited for an interview, the following items are required for further consideration:

• A copy of your college transcript.


• A completed and signed Background inquiry release. This is a criminal check that is required of all employees by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. St. Mark's Episcopal School will provide this document to you.


• Evidence of citizenship or a legal work permit.

I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION I HAVE LISTED IS CORRECT. I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY BE REQUIRED AND THAT THE SUBMISSION OF THIS APPLICATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE AN INTERVIEW OR JOB OFFER. I UNDERSTAND THAT ST. MARK'S WILL KEEP MY APPLICATION ON FILE FOR ONE YEAR.

WE ARE AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

I understand that the School is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices, including but not limited to selection, hiring promotion, transfer, and compensation to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, religion, handicap or disability, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

I authorize former and present employers, and professional, work, and personal references listed in the application and any other individuals I may name, to give the School or its designee any and all information concerning my previous employment and any pertinent information they may have, personal or otherwise and release such parties from all liability for any damages that may result from furnishing same to the School. I also authorize the School to provide truthful information concerning my employment with it to future employers and I agree to hold it harmless for providing such information.

I understand that the School reserves the right, to the extent permitted by law, to require drug and alcohol screening tests of an applicant or an employee either prior to employment or any time during employment and I hereby give my consent to any such tests. I consent to the release of the results of any such tests to the School or its designee. I release the School and its designee from any and all liability and damages which may result or arise from any drug test or the provision of information in connection with such a test.

I understand that this employment application and any other School documents are not promises of employment. If I am hired and not employed pursuant to a contract of employment that contains a specific duration of employment, I understand that my employment will be on a trial period for ninety (90) days from the date of my hiring and that I will remain an at-will employee thereafter. I further understand that, if I am employed, I can terminate my employment at any time with or without cause and with or without advance notice, and that the School has a similar right. I understand that no manager, representative, or agent of the School has any authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time, or to make any agreement contrary to the foregoing, except that the Head of School may do so in writing. If I am hired under a contract, the contract will control the terms of my employment.

The information given by me on this application and during the interview process is true and complete in all respects, and I agree that if the information is found to be false, misleading, or unsatisfactory in any respect (in the School’s judgment) that I will be disqualified from consideration for employment or subject to immediate dismissal if discovered after I am hired.

THIS APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED “ACTIVE” FOR A MAXIMUM OF ONE YEAR. IF YOU WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYMENT AFTER THAT TIME, YOU MUST REAPPLY. DO NOT SIGN UNTIL YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THESE STATEMENTS.

By completing this application, I am acknowledging that I have read and accepted the statements above.