Middle & High School Health & Physical Education Teacher (2026-2027 School Year)

Middle and High School Health & Physical Education (PE) Teacher

Overview:

The mission of is to empower students to transform the world. Students at Truth will graduate ready for success in college, career, and life. They will serve as active agents in the construction of peace. They will know who they are, what they want, and where they are going. They can walk into any space, find their place, and make a powerful contribution. Truth achieves this vision through a Montessori education built upon student-led classrooms with a learning environment deliberately designed to enable student engagement in meaningful, authentic work and to foster a close-knit community where students pursue justice and practice stewardship.

Truth serves a culturally diverse population of 6th to 12th grade students

Position:

Sojourner Truth PCS is seeking a motivated and innovative health and physical education (P.E.) teacher proficient in instruction related to team and individual sports, personal fitness, and other types of movement at both the middle and high school levels. Additionally, the teacher should be prepared to teach D.C. high school health standards as defined by OSSE. Applicants should be inspired by and aligned to Truth’s mission, and excited by the opportunity to expand their influence and the role of the teacher by guiding students through goal-setting, the creation of learning plans, and reflection.

Truth strongly believes in the expertise and abilities of its teachers, and also that a culturally responsive and culturally sustaining curriculum should be created by those who work in the community and understand the interests and needs of the students therein. To this end, teachers at Truth contribute significantly to the curriculum design process.

Teachers, like all other staff, should be fully invested in Truth’s two Design Principles:

• Students need to be prepared for life, not just for school.
• Each student’s identity, voice, perspectives, and choices matter.

Responsibilities:

Content Expert with Curriculum Design Skills

• Create a classroom environment that makes every single student feel welcome and appreciated;
• Comfortable planning and teaching classes that provide instruction on various elements of health, movement, and fitness;
• Collaborate with other elective teachers and Humanities and STEM colleagues to plan and implement a thematic, interdisciplinary curriculum that prioritizes the development of key skills and habits of learning rather than just breadth of content;
• Teaching content sessions;
• Co-planning and co-teaching as appropriate with an ESL teacher and/or a Special Education teacher;
• Differentiate lessons and tasks to support and challenge a diverse range of skills

Reflective Practitioner

• Actively engage in ongoing professional development
• Continually reflect on the effect that our biases may be having on students and their experience in and out of Truth;
• Regularly analyze and adjust curriculum based on student products and colleague feedback;
• Demonstrate a growth mindset with respect to new strategies and the consideration of feedback

Qualifications:

• Montessori experience or expertise is not required, but applicants should be motivated by the mission to set a national model for a high-quality, urban public Montessori secondary school;
• Demonstrated support of the philosophy behind competency-based learning;
• Desire to collaborate, co-plan, and co-teach;
• Ability to respond positively to coaching and feedback;
• Openness towards innovation in instructional strategies, alternative assessment methods, blended learning, supports for English language learners, supports for students with disabilities, and cooperative learning;
• Demonstrated commitment to the potential of all students to succeed in rigorous educational settings;
• Training, or willingness to engage in deep training, in the Montessori method;
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; Master’s degree preferred

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements outlined here are indicative of what is needed for an employee to effectively carry out the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations can be provided to assist individuals with disabilities in performing these essential functions.

Physical Requirements

Detailed Description

Standing/Walking (80-90%)

• Frequently required to stand and walk for long periods, while supervising, instructing, and participating in physical activities with students.

Running/Quick Movements (20-30%)

• Occasionally required to run or make quick movements during demonstrations, drills, or games.

Lifting/Carrying (10-15%)

• Must be able to lift and carry sports equipment, which can range from light items (5-10 lbs.) to heavier equipment (up to 50 lbs.). This includes setting up and breaking down equipment for classes.

Bending/Crouching/Kneeling (30-40%)

• Frequently required to bend, crouch, and kneel when setting…