Lower School Orton-Gillingham Grade 2 Teacher

St. Paul Academy and Summit School (SPA) seeks candidates for the position of an Orton-Gillingham Certified Educator for a Lower School teaching position.

About St. Paul Academy and Summit School:

St. Paul Academy and Summit School (SPA) is a coeducational, non-sectarian, college preparatory day school serving more than 920 students in kindergarten through grade 12. Our two campuses are located approximately a mile apart in St. Paul, Minnesota, serving Grades K-5 on our Goodrich Campus and Grades 6-12 on our Randolph Campus. The school draws students from St. Paul, Minneapolis, and throughout the eastern and western suburbs.

Our mission-shaping the minds and the hearts of the people who will change the world-is a promise to our students and our families, and it pushes us to be thoughtful about everything we do. It inspires us to be our best and reminds us that we have the responsibility to respect the unique potential in every child. Our mission gives us purpose and represents our greatest aspirations and values. But most of all, it reflects our deep belief in the talents and capabilities of our students. All candidates are expected to carry out the mission of SPA. SPA is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse faculty and staff, and maintaining a workplace culture in which all are treated equitably.

For additional information about the school's curriculum, community, and culture, please visit our website at www.spa.edu.

About the Lower School:

When you walk through the front doors of our Lower School, you'll immediately feel just how special a place this is for students in Kindergarten through Grade 5. From the welcoming Living Room just inside the front door (often warmed by a cozy fire in the fireplace), to the bright and spacious classrooms and hallways adorned with student artwork, to the five acres of open green space just outside our back door, the Lower School is designed around the academic, social, and emotional needs of young children. Our culture is defined by our warm and welcoming community, our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and our innovative curriculum.

Our small classes, 7:1 student/teacher ratio, and team-teaching model are the building blocks of the Lower School experience, along with the TOOLBOX social/emotional program, which gives both children and adults a common language for community values and problem-solving.

For more information about the Lower School, please visit the Lower School section of our website.

Position Begins: August 2025

Status: 1.0 FTE, Exempt

Department: Instructional Faculty, LS (gr. 2)

Salary Range: $46,000-$65,000 based on years of experience and level of degree

Benefits:

Benefits include a comprehensive health insurance plan through HealthPartners, Nice healthcare (a free virtual and in-person health plan), dental insurance, vision insurance, life and disability insurance, generous paid time off, and free lunch during the school year. The retirement plan is through TIAA and has a generous matching contribution. The School offers a robust program of professional development, career growth, and leadership opportunities. A sabbatical program is also available. Tuition remission is also available for children of employees as well as complimentary before and after school care.

Position Description:

St. Paul Academy and Summit School seeks candidates for a Lower School Grade 2 Orton-Gillingham certified teacher. The ideal professional is someone who is innovative, collaborative, devoted to culturally competent learning, and possesses a deep understanding of neurodiversity. In a dynamic learning environment where children's curiosity and creativity flourish, there must be caring, interested, and highly skilled educators who know, understand, and appreciate the developmental journey of children overall, as well as each individual child.

This is a full-time position beginning in August 2025. This teaching position is an integral part of the Center for Learning and Teaching. The person in this position will report to the Director of the Center of Learning and Teaching. A successful candidate should demonstrate the ability to establish a supportive and engaging student environment and work collaboratively with parents/guardians. They will possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills and have experience and a desire to work within diverse communities and across cultural differences. Candidates should thrive in and welcome an environment where life-long learning and the ongoing pursuit of seeking professional development in best practices are valued and expected.

Required skills:

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  Bachelor's degree in Special Education, or a related field; with supervised experiences and coursework in childhood is required.

  
  
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  Experience in Gifted Education is preferred but not required.

  
  
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  3+ years of teaching experience in elementary grades

  
  
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  Ability to differentiate instruction and materials to meet the needs of all students

  
  
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  Work collaboratively as part of a teaching team, other colleagues, and parents/guardians

  
  
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  Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills with colleagues, students, and families; a collaborative style, approachable demeanor, and a demonstrated ability to establish rapport and trusting relationships with people from diverse identities and cultural backgrounds.

  
  
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  Create developmentally appropriate curricula through an Orton-Gillingham lens

  
  
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  Establish a supportive and engaging classroom environment for students.

  
  
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  Orton-Gillingham Associate level certification is required

  
  
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  Experience working with students who have been diagnosed with dyslexia, learning disabilities, and/or ADHD

  
  
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  Knowledge in the following areas:

  
  
  
  
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    Training in the Orton-Gillingham approach to multisensory language therapy

    
    
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    Knowledge of Orton-Gillingham math, grammar, reading comprehension strategies, and writing instruction.

    
    
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    Training in a multi-sensory approach to mathematics instruction

    
    
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    Strong positive classroom management skills

    
    
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    Strong technology skills and knowledge of assistive technology for students with language-based learning differences

    
    
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    Strong report writing skills and ability to write informative (and diagnostic and prescriptive) student reports

    
    
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    Experience with reading/writing workshop models preferred, but not required

    
    
  
  
  
  

As importantly, we seek candidates who are committed to developing and practicing cultural competence in their teaching and able to operate effectively in diverse environments while also interacting successfully with people from widely varying backgrounds.

How to Apply:

The position includes a competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate with experience. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume, statement of teaching philosophy, and a list of references.

SPA is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse faculty and staff, and maintaining a workplace culture in which all are treated equitably.