Metro

SCHOOL

The Mission of North Lakes Academy is to graduate students who are confident, skilled scholars and citizens. Our expectation is that students and teachers excel in core academic and artistic disciplines, develop a sense of purpose and path, and value a united community built through appreciation of diversity.

Since 1999, North Lakes Academy has provided a personalized learning environment designed to meet a wide variety of academic needs. With strong core subjects and a full complement of liberal arts courses, NLA provides quality learning in a responsive learning atmosphere.  In 2008, NLA was granted approval from the state of Minnesota to expand to serve students in grades 5-12. The first graduating class was the class of 2011.

North Lakes Academy is one of the oldest charter schools in Minnesota, one of the last teacher-run school boards in the United States, and one of only a few education options in a large land-area district on the border between suburban and rural Minnesota.

WHY US?

+ We help students discover their passions and stay confident learners throughout their lives.

+ We’re a fast-paced, collaborative working-environment that’s also thoughtful about designing reflection and resetting time for teachers and students.

+ We think about what we can do better and faster than other area schools on a daily basis and learn quickly from other models of innovation (See our Becoming Program for one example).

+ We’re a friendly and creative team with diverse backgrounds, who are all really kids, parents, coaches, and entrepreneurs at heart.

+ We’re a interesting school that feels more like a startup, a workshop, and a family.

+ We’re close to Highway 35 and easily accessible from the metro area or surrounding suburbs (Many teachers commute from the cities, surrounding suburbs, and even Wisconsin).

+ We design flexible professional development experiences.

+ We provide exceptional medical and dental benefits.

+ We work with teachers to choose a personalized technology setup.

TEACHER EXPECTATIONS: LANGUAGE ARTS

We are building the next generation of U.S. and global citizens and we’re looking for leaders to help architect, design, and reimagine the future of education for students and the adults that love them.

As a part of the teacher-leadership team, you will work directly with executive directors and school directors to make amazing experiences for high schoolers. You’ll oversee the work of curriculum, classroom, and collaboration to engineer a beautiful, scalable, and reliable experience across our 5-12 school platform and programs.

+ Responsibilities and Experience

Help lead the design of the language arts experience with colleagues on both campuses
Use and improve curriculum mapping content to provide the best educational opportunity
Plan, innovate and reflect on lessons throughout the year through admin observations, staff observations, and peer observations
Hold accountability and expectations high to demand the best performance possible from the student body and each other

+ Skills and Star Qualities

Demonstrable experience designing personalized language arts curriculum.
Ability to see the bigger picture while iterating strategically every day.
Direct experience helping kids learn by doing in innovative ways.
Collaboration within the department and between disciplines.
Growth mindset based on problem-seeing and problem-owning

FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO EXPECT (OR INCLUDE IN YOUR COVER LETTER)

1. What was the last hard thing you taught yourself, either at work or in your non-work life?

2. What leadership skills are you working on? What skills are you trying to develop to be more effective? What have you done to develop that skill?