K-3rd Grade Lead Teacher

Start Date: August 2026

Role Type: Full-Time, 10 month

Location: Washington, DC

FLSA Status: Exempt

Positions

At DC Prep, Kindergarten-3rd grade lead teachers lead ELA, Math and SEL instruction. There is a dedicated science teacher for each grade level. Starting in 3rd grade, teachers are departmentalized in ELA and Math.

WHO WE ARE

DC Prep is a high performing network of public charter schools serving over 2,100 preschool through 8th-grade students across six campuses in Wards 5, 7, and 8. We’re proud of the high bar we set for ourselves to achieve results–our students deserve our best! We recognize that how we support our students to be successful is just as important as the results we achieve, which pushes us to reflect on questions such as:

How can we facilitate our students’ academic, social, and emotional development?
How can we support our team members’ professional growth and personal ability to do this work long-term?
How can we engage our students’ families as our own?

While this work is hard, it’s worth it – we believe in the transformative power of education, the can-do-itness of our students and staff, and the joy that comes from engaging in meaningful work with people we care about and trust!

Here’s how we drive results

Rigorous academic focus. Our Preppies receive the highest level of academic preparation through standards-based instruction, daily targeted interventions, and meaningful assessments.
Social-emotional learning. We have always had a dual mission of academic and social-emotional skill development. Our research-based SEL curriculum is integrated into daily instruction, helping students leverage their personal values to strengthen their self-awareness, social awareness, and responsible decision-making skills and create a school-wide culture of empathy and reflection.
Commitment to reflection and refinement. Our results tell us that we are moving in the right direction, but there’s further to go to ensure that every student receives a transformative education. As a team, we regularly reflect on our programmatic model to see what’s working and where we can get better.

Are you interested in learning more about the DC Prep Way? If so, check out our website to find out more about what we’re working towards and how we’re doing it.

WORKING AT DC PREP

DC Prep's faculty and staff are passionate, talented, and uncompromising with a mission to make sure all students succeed at a high level. Every aspect of our organization and program is designed – and continually refined – to ensure that goal. DC Prep students spend approximately 25% more time in school than other DC public school students. DC Prep’s supportive, stimulating, and professionally rewarding learning environment continuously develops and motivates high-performing educators. DC Prep's staff and school leadership promote meaningful relationships between faculty and students, enable excellent teaching, and foster professional collaboration. The end result: great outcomes for students.

LEAD TEACHERS AT DC PREP

Our lead teachers lay the foundation for our Preppies’ academic success and social emotional development by:

Planning thoughtfully and teaching joyously. You’ll adapt our rigorous, standards-based curriculum to meet the particular needs of your students, thinking about both how to scaffold rigorous learning and how to infuse your kiddos’ day with joy. You’ll feel right at home, given your innate desire to spark a love of learning in your students!
This means planning both for grade level instruction–which ALL Preppies receive–and planning small group instruction to meet kids where they are so they can access grade level instruction
Using data intentionally. You are constantly thinking about how to help Preppies achieve ambitious goals. To track progress towards goals, you’ll analyze academic and classroom culture data to inform your instruction and target focus areas for your students.
Investing in their own learning. We support our teachers’ ongoing professional growth through weekly professional development opportunities, as well as weekly observations and feedback conversations.