Lead Teacher

Arcadia Schools•Houston, TX

About The Position

Arcadia High School is a new open-enrollment public charter school serving students in the Alief community of Southwest Houston. Arcadia’s model is built around a reimagined Teacher Team structure with differentiated roles, Expert Teacher, Lead Teacher, and Teaching Fellows, that creates a clear career ladder and daily embedded coaching for adults, while providing small learning communities and strong support for students. Lead Teachers are a key part of this ladder, growing toward the Expert Teacher role while mentoring Teaching Fellows on their team. Arcadia High School students are empowered to achieve their highest potential and graduate prepared for college, careers, and leadership in their communities. Through a research-based team-teaching model, high-quality instruction and student-centered learning, we provide consistent, targeted support to meet the unique needs of every student. Our collaborative classrooms inspire academic excellence, critical thinking, and passion for lifelong learning, equipping students with the skills, confidence, and resilience to succeed. Teachers receive continuous professional development, fostering exceptional instruction and a thriving educational community. Strong partnerships with families and the community ensure students benefit from a supportive environment that drives achievement and growth. The Lead Teacher is a core classroom teacher on an Arcadia Teacher Team. Each team includes one Expert Teacher, one Lead Teacher, and three Teaching Fellows supporting a group of approximately sixty students. The Expert Teacher provides overall instructional leadership; the Lead Teacher co-plans and co-teaches the double class block, provides targeted small-group instruction, and serves as a mentor for Teaching Fellows. Lead Teachers participate in lesson preparation and rehearsal with the Expert Teacher, receive daily embedded coaching, and support Teaching Fellows to grow as future teachers. This role is designed as a key step on the career ladder from Teaching Fellow to Expert Teacher, with regular opportunities to take on increasing instructional leadership over time.

Responsibilities

Deliver high-quality, TEKS-aligned instruction in a core content area.
Co-teach with the Expert Teacher and Teaching Fellows, using clear roles and smooth handoffs during each lesson.
Provide targeted small-group instruction and support, especially during the second section of the core block when students are regrouped based on data and demonstrated needs.
Use a variety of strategies to promote deep thinking, discussion, reading, writing, and problem-solving with grade-level content.
Maintain a classroom environment that is safe, structured, and focused on learning, with clear routines and expectations.
Participate in weekly lesson preparation meetings with the Expert Teacher to internalize upcoming lessons, rehearse key parts, and anticipate student misconceptions.
Engage in weekly lesson rehearsal with the Teaching Team, practicing delivery, checking for understanding, and student discourse.
Take part in daily or weekly data meetings to analyze student work and assessment results, identify trends and gaps, and plan reteach and extension for the next class block.
Help regroup students for the second half of the double block based on data, ensuring that students receive the right level of support or challenge.
Maintain accurate, up-to-date student data and grades in the school’s systems.
Serve as a day-to-day resource and informal coach for Teaching Fellows, especially during lesson prep and live instruction.
Model effective instructional and classroom management practices during co-teaching and small-group work.
Provide Teaching Fellows with clear expectations and feedback on their roles in the classroom, including support with planning, materials, and transitions.
Collaborate with the Expert Teacher to give Teaching Fellows increasing leadership opportunities (e.g., leading parts of lessons, running small groups, facilitating warm-ups) and help them prepare for those responsibilities.
Build strong, positive relationships with students, learning their strengths, interests, and goals.
Reinforce school-wide expectations and routines in alignment with Arcadia’s discipline policy and core principles.
Partner with the Director of School Culture, Counselors, and other staff to support advisory, grade-level culture efforts, and individual student needs.
Communicate regularly with families about student progress, classroom expectations, and upcoming learning experiences.
Participate fully in Arcadia’s professional development, including summer training, weekly PD, data meetings, and quarterly staff development days.
Engage in regular coaching cycles and T-TESS evaluation, using feedback to refine instructional practice.
Collaborate with colleagues across content areas and grade levels to align practices and support students.
Uphold all school policies and professional expectations, including attendance, communication, confidentiality, and timely completion of responsibilities.
All members of the Arcadia team will perform other job-related duties as assigned to meet the needs of the school and our students.