[2026-2027] Middle School SEL Teacher

Role Overview

The Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Teacher fosters students' social, emotional, and behavioral development by delivering engaging, developmentally appropriate SEL instruction while helping create a positive, joyful, and inclusive school culture. The SEL Teacher equips students with the skills needed to build healthy relationships, regulate emotions, solve problems, make responsible decisions, and persevere through challenges. Working closely with school leadership, teachers, counselors, families, and student support staff, the SEL Teacher proactively supports student well-being and contributes to a safe, affirming, and academically focused learning environment.

Classroom Responsibilities

• Ensure that all students feel affirmed, valued, emotionally safe, and challenged every day.
• Create rigorous, engaging unit and daily standards-aligned Social Emotional Learning lesson plans using adopted curricula and evidence-based practices.
• Teach and reinforce competencies including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
• Create an inclusive classroom environment that promotes belonging, emotional safety, and positive identity development.
• Model and explicitly teach conflict resolution, emotional regulation, goal-setting, and restorative practices.
• Collaborate with classroom teachers to reinforce SEL strategies across instructional settings.
• Analyze student participation, behavior, and social-emotional data for progress monitoring and using SEL, behavior and attendance data to inform instruction and targeted supports.
• Differentiate instruction and provide appropriate accommodations to meet diverse student needs.
• Facilitate small-group and individualized SEL interventions for students who need additional social-emotional or behavioral support.
• Maintain accurate records and communicate regularly with families regarding student growth and development.
• Serve as a positive role model while consistently implementing KPPS culture systems and school-wide expectations.

Professional Responsibilities

• Take ownership of your professional growth through regular coaching, implementation of feedback, and reflective practice.
• Actively participate in all school-wide professional development and professional learning communities.
• Collaborate closely with counselors, social workers, school psychologists, deans, special education staff, and instructional staff to support students holistically.
• Support the implementation of restorative practices, positive behavior supports, and school-wide culture initiatives.
• Share candid, solutions-oriented feedback with colleagues and school leadership.
• Embody KPPS Core Values: Children First, Cultural Competence, Ownership, and Community.
• Complete all required certification requirements, if applicable.

School Responsibilities

• Attend designated school functions outside school hours (Back to School Night, Report Card Conferences, Community Events, etc.).
• Contribute to school-wide culture initiatives, student celebrations, and wellness programming.
• Build strong relationships with students and families through consistent communication, family engagement opportunities, and outreach.
• Perform assigned school support duties including lunch, arrival, dismissal, and other supervisory responsibilities.
• Chaperone field lessons and school trips as needed.
• Additional responsibilities may arise during the school year and will be communicated with as much notice and flexibility as possible.

Who You Are:

• You believe every child deserves to feel safe, seen, valued, and capable of success.
• You are passionate about supporting students' social, emotional, and behavioral growth alongside their academic achievement.
• You excel at building strong, trusting relationships with students, families, and colleagues.
• You create joyful, structured, and inclusive learning environments where students develop confidence, resilience, and self-awareness.
• You operate with cultural competence and demonstrate a commitment to equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and the eradication of anti-Blackness.
• You remain calm, solution-oriented, and student-centered when navigating challenging situations.
• You are collaborative and enjoy partnering with educators to strengthen school culture and student outcomes.
• You possess strong classroom management and relationship-building skills.

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Pennsylvania teaching certification in Elementary, Secondary, Health & Physical Education, School Counselor, School Social Worker, or a related certification preferred.
• 2+ years of successful experience working with K–12 students in education, counseling, SEL, student support, or youth development strongly preferred.
• Experience implementing social-emotional learning curricula, restorative practices, PBIS, or trauma-informed instructional practices preferred.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams (counselors, social workers, special education staff, administrators, etc.) preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build positive relationships with students and families from diverse backgrounds.
• 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

Compensation:

• The salary range for this position is commensurate upon experience and certification status:
  • Uncertified Range: $56,500 – 79,000+
  • Certified Range: $60,000 - $88,500+
• 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 $5,000 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.