25-26 Founding 8th Grade SPED Lead Teacher

We are seeking talented, committed, culturally competent Founding 8th Grade SPED Teachers to join our growing middle school campus, KIPP North for the 25-26 school year! 

Submitting this application considers you for all 2025-2026 opportunities for which you are qualified. To browse immediate openings, please Home - KIPP Philadelphia.

About KIPP

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools committed to partnering with students and families to disrupt systemic educational inequity and create a future without limits. Over 120,000 students attend one of the 280 KIPP schools that operate in 27 regions across the United States. KIPP Philadelphia Schools Public Schools (KPPS) is a part of the national KIPP Public Schools network and currently leads seven schools serving approximately 2,800 students in North and West Philadelphia. By 2030, KPPS will lead ten schools serving approximately 4,000 students. 

Our Mission

Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. 

Life at KIPP Philly

We know that talented, committed, culturally competent teachers and leaders have the power to amplify our children’s potential by creating a school experience that affirms their identities, values their individuality, and challenges them each day. We’re all about  creating a professional environment full of joy, candor, care and community where excellent educators can be their authentic selves, receive top-notch development and grow alongside peers who are equally committed to the work. Educators at KIPP –

• Are committed to anti-racism, equity and inclusion
• Are rewarded for their impact and hard work through performance bonus pay structures 
• Have access to upward mobility and career growth through our strategically designed, research based leadership pathway programming.
• Are part of a close-knit, diverse community of educators working together in service of children 
• Show up as their authentic selves, inspiring our children to do the same
• Believe school should be a joyful, affirming space for both children and adults
• Believe that strong relationships and precise preparation are critical to increasing learning outcomes
• Are supported as a “whole person” – mentally and professionally – through  1:1 coaching, high quality professional development and strong team relationships.  
• Enjoy a competitive, comprehensive health benefits package, a 403B retirement matching program, tuition reimbursement to pursue certification, and free access to financial advising services

Become a Founding Teacher: KIPP Catto

KIPP Philadelphia Octavius Catto Elementary opened in August of 2022. It is located at 4601 Market Street, a historic building in the heart of West Philly. In its first year, KIPP Catto opened with Kindergarten and 1st grade, and plans to expand one grade level at a time, eventually becoming a K-4 school. Octavius Catto was  an educator, an athlete, a civil rights activist, and a proud Philadelphian; he was killed in a political uprising, fighting for what he believed in. 

We look at the life of Octavius Catto as a life that burned brightly. Therefore, we use a flame as a metaphor for our work. We know every flame is unique and our job is to make the flames in our students burn even brighter and more vibrantly. Any flame needs fuel, which we see as our families, staff, and community. Flames also need oxygen to thrive, which we think about as student experience and instruction.

Dr. Amanda Hill-Hennie will serve as the school’s Principal. Amanda has been a Principal in Residence at KIPP West Philadelphia Elementary Academy and is the current principal of KIPP Catto.

Additional information

Compensation 

• Teacher salaries at KPPS are equitable and transparent. To maintain equity, teacher salaries are determined by a combination of years of teaching experience and certification status. All candidates are welcome to ask their recruiter how their experience and credentials will translate to their salary. 
• All full-time team members at KPPS enjoy a comprehensive health benefits package (including vision and dental, a telehealth option, and flexible spending accounts) for themselves and their families as well as a 403B matching program for retirement savings and free access to financial advising services. 
• Uncertified teachers have access to $2500 in tuition reimbursement to pursue certification at a Pennsylvania-approved certification program.

Note To Applicants

KIPP Philadelphia Schools is an equal opportunity employer.  Employees are selected on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.

Job Description

Classroom Responsibilities

• Ensure that all children feel affirmed, valued and challenged every day 
• Create rigorous, engaging unit and daily lesson plans leveraging provided curricula/resources (in most cases)
• Infuse core values into daily lessons and every school practice, implementing school-wide student culture systems and positive classroom management strategies
• Maintain a productive, organized, safe, neat and focused learning environment
• Regularly analyze student work and academic data to adjust lessons, refine curricula and inform instructional practices
• Provide necessary accommodations and modifications for growth and success of all students
• Maintain accurate student grades/records and strong lines of communication with families regarding students’ growth and progress
• Model and implement all school policies within the classroom
• Serve as a role model for students

Special Education Responsibilities

• Develop, monitor, and evaluate the effectiveness of special education programs and other student supports (Intervention, 504, ELL, etc.)
• Maintain IEPs, 504s, Evaluations, and ELL programs; ensure services are delivered with fidelity.
• Lead Child Find efforts and drive intervention and evaluation processes
• Liaison with parents via trainings, meetings, and consultations
• Provide case management for Special Education caseload and provide instruction to students receiving special education supports  

Professional Responsibilities

• Take ownership for the development of your craft (meet 1x/1-2 weeks with an instructional coach, implement feedback, engage in active practice, etc.)
• Actively engage in all school-wide professional development 
• Serve as a positive, contributing member of a grade team, collaborating with colleagues to tackle common challenges and implement grade-wide initiatives
• Share candid, solutions-oriented feedback with peers and school leadership on a regular basis
• Embody KPPS core values: Children First, Cultural Competence, Ownership, Community
• Enroll in/complete a teacher certification program (if applicable)

School Responsibilities

• Attend designated school functions outside of school hours (Back to School Night, Report Card Conferences, Community Events, etc.) 
• Contribute to the planning and execution of all school-wide events
• Develop strong relationships with the families of students through home visits, participation in school events and phone calls home
• Perform necessary support duties including (but not limited to) bus, lunch, and dismissal duties
• Chaperone field lessons/field trips
• Additional responsibilities may arise during the school year. They will be communicated to all employees with as much notice and flexibility as possible.

Qualifications

Who You Are: 

• You love and see the high potential of all children
• You have experience driving student growth and achievement and to create a warm, inclusive, rigorous learning environment
• You have passion for facilitating professional learning, including a desire to continuously grow and learn as a leader
• You operate with cultural competence and a commitment to inclusion, anti-racism, and the eradication of anti-Blackness 
• You believe that teachers are the primary drivers of student growth, learning and achievement
• You have high expectations for students and teachers; and the ability to motivate, inspire and hold others accountable
• You are solutions-orientated and have an eagerness to adapt in order to solve problems

Qualifications & Credentials: 

• 2+ years of full-time teaching experience (outside of substitute teaching) in an urban setting strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Pennsylvania State certification Level I or II strongly preferred. If uncertified, must –
  • enroll in a PA-approved certification program within one year of hire
  • submit transcripts upon hire (required for emergency permit application)
• Complete all required criminal and child abuse background checks prior to start date:
  • PA State Police Clearance
  • PA Child Abuse Clearance
  • Cogent Federal Fingerprinting

Additional information

Compensation 

• Teacher salaries at KPPS are equitable and transparent. To maintain equity, teacher salaries are determined by a combination of years of teaching experience and certification status. All candidates are welcome to ask their recruiter how their experience and credentials will translate to their salary. 
• All full-time team members at KPPS enjoy a comprehensive health benefits package (including vision and dental, a telehealth option, and flexible spending accounts) for themselves and their families as well as a 403B matching program for retirement savings and free access to financial advising services. 
• Uncertified teachers have access to $2500 in tuition reimbursement to pursue certification at a Pennsylvania-approved certification program.

Note To Applicants

KIPP Philadelphia Schools is an equal opportunity employer.  Employees are selected on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.