Grade 8 Social Studies Teacher (26-27 SY)

Job Description

Job Description

Who We Are

Since its founding in 2010, Challenge Preparatory Charter School (Challenge Prep) has provided students and families with a successful academic program in Far Rockaway, Queens. We currently serve over 1200 scholars from Kindergarten to 12th grade across 3 sites. Our school’s mission is to prepare students from the greater Far Rockaway community to excel academically, to demonstrate mastery of the NY State Learning Standards, and to achieve their career aspirations. Challenge cultivates and supports the intellectual, aesthetic, social, emotional, and ethical development of its students and prepares them to be responsible 21st century citizens. To accomplish its mission, Challenge offers a rigorous instructional program in a safe, supportive, technology-infused and data-enriched and social-emotional learning sequence, authentic field experiences, career counseling, and college coursework.  It is understood that we are one organization with multiple sites, and it is expected that all members of the team collaborate to support all of our scholars.

Understanding the Role

Every member of the Instructional Team at Challenge Charter Schools plays a critical role in ensuring our students have the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose - college, career, and beyond. Our educators are passionate advocates for their students and their families, working tirelessly to ensure that our students have access to opportunities. We are especially committed to attracting and developing individuals who share the life experiences of our students because we believe the best work we do is grounded in the realities and experiences of our families and students. As the High School Social Studies Teacher, you will deliver exceptional instruction and assess student growth. You are dedicated to constant learning and proactively provide academic and cultural support to your school and team.

• Assume a high level of personal responsibility for the progress of all students
• Create academically rigorous and culturally relevant lesson plans, materials, and assessments, and differentiate as needed
• Execute specially designed lesson plans that are guided by clear objectives, focus on conceptual understanding, and are assessed routinely for student mastery
• Teach engaging, rigorous, and relevant lessons daily
• Communicate effectively with all stakeholders, including scholars, families, and staff
• Commit to a school culture of consistency by implementing school-wide systems, structures, and procedures while reflecting on one’s own implicit biases
• Reflect on various data sources to improve your practice
• Take on a proactive role in creating a positive, structured, results-oriented, and fun school that supports the needs of students of various abilities and experiences
• Collaborate with colleagues to create, implement, and refine schoolwide and classroom-based systems, routines, and procedures
• Ensure that classroom time is utilized through sound management practices and by developing strong and trusting relationships with students
• Develop, implement, and/or manage individualized behavioral intervention plans to support students in meeting established academic and non-academic goals
• Actively participate in opportunities to strengthen their own pedagogical skills as well as contribute to the learning of colleagues
• Contribute to the school’s smooth and efficient operation by fulfilling required administrative duties and responsibilities and maintaining open and proactive communication with colleagues

• Dedicated to working in communities that have historically been underserved and under-resourced
• Committed to thoughtfully engaging in identity work necessary to take a culturally responsive approach to pedagogy and relationship-building with students and colleagues
• You possess an exceptional level of patience and focus to overcome challenges and achieve results
• Strong classroom management skills: you can set high expectations in the classroom and keep scholars engaged
• Classroom presence: you are clear and precise when sharing new content with students and can effectively lead students through inquiry-based class discussions
• Detail-oriented, and highly organized
• Bachelor’s degree required in education or History-related field, Master’s Degree in Education, preferred
• New York State Teaching Certification required
• Strong understanding of History and how to apply skills to real-world problems
• Experience working with high school school-aged children in an academic or youth development setting
• Experienced teachers must show a proven track record of achievement in the classroom

• Employees at Challenge Preparatory Charter School are provided with a generous salary. Our salaries are highly competitive, set through a lens of equity, and based on an individual’s skills and experiences relevant to the role.
• A starting Teachers' salary ranges from $62,000 - $72,000, based on experience.
• As a regular full-time employee of Challenge Prep, you will be eligible for benefits that include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match and Paid Family Leave.
• We also offer flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care, and transit.
• Flexible and reflective leadership: dedicated to staff development, team cohesion, and shared responsibility for decision-making, development, and team-wide priorities
• Driven and passionate colleagues who contribute to a professional and collaborative work environment
• Opportunities to sit on various committees and participate in initiatives central to key organizational decisions and strategic planning
• Professional development: weekly PD, year-round training, and the ongoing coaching by professionals

Salary is based on qualifications and experience.

School Sites

Grades 6-8: 15-20 Central Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Selection Process

Phase I - Virtual Interview with the HR Recruiter 

Phase II - Demo, Panel Interview, and Interview with the Senior Director of Secondary Teaching and Learning 6-12

Final - Reference Check, Offer, and Contract

Work Year

This full-time position begins in mid-August and goes through the end of June.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Challenge Charter School is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, particularly in the Far Rockaway area, and committed to educating students. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our relentless work. Challenge Charter School offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth. Learn more about our mission, team, and the exciting things happening at Challenge by visiting

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.