2025-2026 Teacher, Academy of Exploration

Springfield Public Schools; Springfield (MO); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in education is seeking a passionate teacher for the Academy of Exploration. This role involves guiding secondary age students in their academic and personal growth, ensuring a safe and engaging learning environment. You'll develop lesson plans, collaborate with fellow educators, and communicate effectively with parents to foster student success. If you have a knack for inspiring young minds and a commitment to educational excellence, this opportunity could be your perfect fit. Join a supportive community dedicated to nurturing the next generation of learners!

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university required.
• Job-related experience with increasing levels of responsibility is required.

Responsibilities

• Instructs students in academic, interpersonal, and daily living skills.
• Collaborates with staff and community partners to enhance student outcomes.
• Assesses student progress and provides feedback to students and parents.

Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Classroom Management

Lesson Planning

Assessment Techniques

Collaboration

Communication

Critical Thinking

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

2025-2026 Teacher, Academy of Exploration

Job Title: Teacher – Academy of Excellence (Choice Programs)

Pay Grade: Teacher Salary Schedule

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports to: Choice Programs Principal

GENERAL PURPOSE

This position is responsible for providing support to the instructional process by serving as

a teacher with specific responsibility for ensuring secondary age students' success in academics,

interpersonal skills and activities of daily living. Supervising students within the classroom

and other assigned areas; developing lesson plans, learning units and delivering group an

individual student instruction within established curriculum guidelines; collaborating with other

teachers, other professional staff, community partners, partner liaisons and administrators in

addressing instructional and/or classroom issues; and responding to a wide range of inquiries

from students' parents or guardians regarding instructional program and student progress.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Instructs students improving their success in academic, interpersonal and daily living skills
• through a defined course of study.
• Monitors students in a variety of educational environments providing a safe and positive
• learning environment.
• Manages student behavior providing a safe and optimal learning environment.
• Assesses student progress towards objectives, expectations, and/or goals providing
• feedback to students, parents and administration.
• Collaborates with instructional staff, other school personnel, parents and a variety of
• community resources improving the overall quality of student outcomes, achieving
• established classroom objectives in support of the school improvement plan.
• Advises parents and/or legal guardians of student progress for the purpose of
• communicating expectations; student's achievements; developing methods for
• improvement and/or reinforcing classroom goals in the home environment.
• Administers developmental testing programs, subject specific assessments, etc. for the
• purpose of assessing student competency levels and/or developing individual learning
• plans.
• Counsels students improving performance, health status, problem solving techniques
• and a variety of personal issues.
• Demonstrates methods required to perform classroom and/or subject specific
• assignments providing an effective program that address individual student
• requirements.
• Directs student teachers, paraprofessionals, volunteers and/or student workers
• providing an effective classroom program and addressing the needs of individual
• students.
• Facilitates student learning achieving success in academic, interpersonal and daily
• living skills through defined lesson plans.
• Maintains a variety of manual and electronic documents files and records providing up-
• to date information and/or historical reference in accordance with established
• administrative guidelines and legal requirements.
• Participates in a variety of meetings and workshops conveying and/or
• gathering information required to perform functions.
• Prepares a variety of materials documenting student progress and meeting mandated
• requirements.
• Reports health and safety issues to assigned administrator and appropriate
• agencies maintaining students’ personal safety, a positive learning environment and
• complying with regulatory requirements and established guidelines.
• Responds to emergency situations resolving immediate safety concerns and/or directing
• to appropriate personnel for resolution.
• Responds to inquiries from a variety of sources resolving issues, providing
• information and/or direction.
• Collaborate with community partners, parents, and co-teacher to plan and arrange
• authentic learning experiences for students aligned to Missouri Learning standards and
• curriculum learning goals.
• Performs other related duties as required/assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
• Job related experience with increasing levels of responsibility is required.

Certificates, Licenses and Other Special Requirements

• Possession of Missouri Teacher Certification.
• Must pass a Criminal Background Clearance, the results of which must be satisfactory

to the District, required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of basic math, including calculations using fractions, percentages,
• and/or ratios; read technical information, compose a variety of documents, and/or
• facilitate group discussions; and analyze situations to define issues, draw conclusions and
• create action plans.
• Knowledge based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of
• the job include appropriate codes, policies, regulations and/or laws; age
• appropriate activities; lesson plan requirements; stages of child development; and
• behavioral management strategies.
• Skill to perform multiple, technical tasks with a need to routinely upgrade skills in order to
• meet changing job conditions.
• Skill based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job,
• including: applying assessment instruments; operating standard office
• equipment including using pertinent software applications; and preparing and
• maintaining accurate records
• Ability to schedule a number of activities, meetings, and/or events; gather, collate,
• and/or classify data; and use job-related equipment.
• Ability to work with others under a wide variety of circumstances; working with
• data utilizing defined but different processes; and operate equipment using defined
• methods.
• Ability to work with a significant diversity of individuals and/or groups; work with data
• of widely varied types and/or purposes; and utilize job-related equipment.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with internal and
• external stakeholders.
• Ability to apply critical thinking/problem solving to improve work processes.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality; set priorities; meet deadlines and schedules; work
• with detailed information; and adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to set high expectations for self and others; set and monitor progress toward
• goals; and utilize and offer effective feedback for continuous improvement.
• Ability to work as part of a team; adapt to changing priorities; and apply logical
• processes and analytical skills.
• Knowledge of curriculum writing, experiential learning, project-based, and place-based
• learning is preferred.
• Interest and experience in animal husbandry, gardening, and agricultural topics are
• preferred.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Work environment is split between inside learning and outdoor experiences in which
• students and teacher might be in the field for 3-4 hours of learning once a week in all
• weather conditions.
• Teachers provide care for animals, garden and other site development which might
• Work environment is primarily inside, where the noise and temperature levels are
• moderate.
• The work is light work that requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or
• up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.
• Must possess the physical ability to perceive the nature of sounds, make
• rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes, express or exchange
• ideas by the spoken word, substantial movements (motions) with the hands, wrists,
• and/or fingers, and discern letters or numbers at a given distance.
• Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: balancing, climbing,
• crawling, crouching, feeling, grasping, handling, hearing, kneeling, manual dexterity,
• mental acuity, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping, talking, visual acuity and walking.

About the company

Springfield Public Schools, also known as the Springfield R-12 School District, is a public school district headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, United States.