Transitional Kindergarten Teacher, District, Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA [SY 2025-2026]

Salem Public Schools•Salem, MA

36d

About The Position

About Salem Public Schools, where belonging leads to opportunity. Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4,000 students in 11 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging, equity, and opportunity in everything we do. We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. We invite you to learn more about our strategic plan and core priorities on our website at https://salemk12.org/. Program Description: Provide a short-term, intensive general education bridge for students who are not yet prepared to meet the academic, social, or emotional demands of a traditional kindergarten. What You'll Do: Facilitate a structured program and class environment that promotes developmentally appropriate learning and personal growth. Establish effective rapport with students to motivate them in developing the skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary for a strong kindergarten foundation. Build positive relationships with parents, staff, and sending schools to support each student's transition and success.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree (Required); Master's Degree (Preferred)
Required Massachusetts teaching certification/licensure in Moderate Disabilities PreK-2 or PreK-8
Licensure in either Early Childhood PreK-2 or Elementary 1-6 is also a plus
Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement (Required within 1-year of start date)
Ability to meet the expectations of the Massachusetts Standards and Indicators of Effective Teaching Practice
Deep knowledge of the CASEL framework and proven ability to develop social emotional skills with young learners

Nice To Haves

Experience in urban schools
Experience working with diverse learners
Demonstrated experience in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) strategies strongly preferred
Bilingual language proficiency (Spanish/English) strongly preferred
Proficiency with technology (blended learning, teacher/family communication, Google G-Suite Apps, etc.) desirable.
Current authorization to work in the United States

Responsibilities

Teach core content aligned with Massachusetts Curriculum Standards.
Develop hands-on, engaging lessons using district curricular resources and adapt materials to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Provide individualized and small-group instruction tailored to each student's learning needs.
Design academic tasks that provide opportunities for multiple means of expression, engagement, and representation to meet diverse student needs.
Utilize instructional strategies such as play, inquiry, group discussions, and student pair-share activities.
Explicitly teach, reinforce, and integrate social emotional learning skills such as self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills and responsible decision-making skills throughout the school day.
Actively engage with children to foster a positive and healthy learning environment where students feel safe taking risks, building self-esteem and emotional literacy, and developing resilience
Build a positive classroom environment that supports the academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs of students.
Actively model and reinforce expected behaviors, integrating teaching and re-teaching opportunities as needed.
Facilitate developmentally appropriate academic and social activities for Kindergarten students throughout the day.
Structure transitions between classroom activities, ensuring clear expectations for student movement and tasks.
Establish, review, and model classroom agreements and rules daily to support a positive classroom environment.
Implement and consistently apply classroom management strategies, ensuring students understand expected responses to behaviors.
Ability to follow intervention plans
Assess students' academic and social-emotional growth using common assessments, DESSA screening, and anecdotal notes.
Maintain accurate student records and track progress to ensure readiness for kindergarten.
Communicate regularly with parents through conferences and other means to discuss student progress and provide updates.
Collaborate with sending schools to ensure a smooth transition back to the student's home school and access to any wrap-around services.
Maintain professional competence through ongoing professional development and in-service coaching.