Latin School of Chicago seeks a full-time faculty member to teach Computer Science in the Upper School beginning in Fall 2021.

Computer Science Skills

An ideal candidate will be comfortable teaching programming, software development, and computational thinking skills to diverse groups of students with varying levels of experience. We view the particular programming languages used to be tools for skill development, not the only focus. Currently, our curriculum includes the following programming languages and styles:

• Scratch, Python, NetLogo, Java, C++, HTML/CSS, JavaScript

• Object-oriented programming and functional programming techniques

More specific information on the content covered our courses can be seen in the department summary (attached). 

The ideal candidate would be comfortable teaching skills independently from any specific programming language. Some of the skills we value most can be seen in our Standards of Practice document (attached).

Teaching & Learning Skills

An ideal candidate will be as passionate about education as they are about computer science. Our department strives to be flexible and innovative while providing a rich, equitable, skills-based curriculum to all of our students that reflects current practices in computer science and education. An ideal candidate would be familiar with or interested in many of the following initiatives and practices:

• A commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and experience in equitable teaching practices like the Learning For Justice Framework for Anti-bias Education
• Standards based assessment and grading
• Backwards planning techniques like Understanding By Design
• Project-based learning and inquiry-based learning
• Facilitating and supporting student collaboration and reflection
• Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) practices like Yale’s RULER

Other Professional Skills

Latin School of Chicago is a fast-moving, collaborative, and innovative school. An ideal candidate will have the following additional qualities:

• Commitment to continuous improvement and professional development
• An enthusiasm for spending time with students in and outside of the classroom
• Critical thinking and reflection skills to assess and improve existing processes
• Strong communication skills, including spoken and written communication
• Comfort interacting with a variety of stakeholders, including students, families, administrators, and faculty

Computer Science Teaching

This faculty member will teach 4 sections of Computer Science in both the fall and spring semesters. The faculty member will work with the department chair to determine which of our semester courses they will teach. An ideal candidate would be comfortable teaching all or almost all of our course offerings.

As a member of a newer, growing department, this faculty member will also be an active participant in curriculum development. This includes reviewing existing curriculum, collaborating to revise existing curriculum, creating course materials, and suggesting ideas for innovative new lessons, units, and projects. An ideal candidate would be familiar with the K-12 CS education landscape, including Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Standards.

Other Responsibilities

As a full-time upper school faculty member, this faculty member will have additional responsibilities as determined by the department chair, division head, and head of school. Some of these responsibilities include:

• Attend department meetings, division meetings, and all-school faculty/staff meetings
• Serve as advisor or co-advisor to a group of approximately 8 students
• Attend and supervise students during assemblies, gatherings, and other school functions
• Sponsor or co-sponsor a Project Week opportunity annually

Additional Opportunities

An ideal candidate would be interested in being involved in the department and the division beyond these basic expectations. These opportunities are flexible and range from year-to-year, but might include:

• Sponsoring student clubs or activities
• Sponsoring student independent study projects or senior projects
• Participating in Professional Learning Communities (PLC) and other professional development opportunities
• Attending and participating in Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) meetings
• Teaching summer school courses, either for credit or for enrichment

Candidates should apply online at www.latinschool.org/employment by submitting: 

• A letter of interest indicating why they are particularly interested in and qualified for the position
• A current résumé
• A statement of educational philosophy

Latin is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community are encouraged to apply.

Computer Science @ Latin School of Chicago

At Latin, we consider Computer Science to be a key part of a liberal arts education. To support this, Computer Science is required in all divisions. In the Lower and Middle Schools, computer science is integrated into the core curriculum. In the Upper School, all students are required to take 1 semester (0.5 credits) of computer science during grades 9 - 11. Students have the option of taking additional classes beyond the 1 semester as desired.

Curricular Goals

• Liberal Arts Curriculum - Computer science is a liberal art. Computer science and computational thinking are tools of the modern world that should be practiced by all, just like English or Math.
• Equitable and Accessible - All students should have access to high quality computer science education. We know that marginalized communities have not always held equal access to computer science education and aim to make our curriculum accessible to all our students.
• Inter- and Multidisciplinary -  We do not do computer science in a vacuum. We use computer science to solve problems from a variety of disciplines. We inspire students to see how computer science applies to their own interests.
• CSTA Aligned - While we write our own curriculum, we align our work with Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards to ensure high quality education that will prepare students for their futures.

Computer Science Faculty

The Computer Science Department spans all three divisions and works together as a united JK-12 department. There is 1 full-time faculty in both the lower and middle school and 2 full-time faculty members in the upper school. This team works closely with other departments and faculty members as needed to support our curriculum.

Upper School Course Offerings

Computer Science Principles 1

• Students introduction to Computer Science at the high school level. We use Scratch, NetLogo, Python and other programming tools to explore the fundamental concepts in programming and computer science, including writing code, designing algorithms, and analyzing computational solutions.

Computer Science Principles 2

• A continuation of CSP1, students build upon their Python programming skills to explore how to build more complex programs that include simple data structures and libraries. In this process, they are introduced to a variety of fundamental algorithms in computer science. Students transfer their programming skills to other domains, including web development and database design.

Principles of Programming Languages

• This course introduces intermediate students to the differences between different programming languages and styles. In particular, the course is focused on comparing object-oriented programming to functional-programming and considering the usefulness and application of each style. Students continue to build stronger programming skills by comparing and contrasting different programming languages.

Algorithms and Data Structures

• This course has advanced students exploring the fundamental data structures and algorithms in computer science on a more rigorous level. Students both implement more advanced data structures (queues, graphs, hash tables, etc) and analyze their use and efficiency in a variety of projects.

Modern Computers: NAND to Tetris

• Intermediate to advanced students learn how computers work at a fundamental level. Students explore computer architecture and computing systems, including assembly languages and compilers. Additional details can be found on the website of the course around which this one is modeled: www.nand2tetris.org. 

Software Development Lab (Blended)

• This course is heavily project-based and student driven. Students learn about software development tools and techniques. Through analyzing open source software projects, students learn about version management tools, software licensing, collaboration techniques, and other real world skills. Eventually, students collaborate to pitch, design, develop, and refine an application of their choice.

Data Analysis & Visualization

• In this course, students take a deep dive into the dashboard creation process and study data collection and prep, building meaningful visualizations in Tableau data analysis software, and crafting a narrative with data. Students also meet professionals in the field to see how they use data to impact their organizations. 

Upper School Computer Science Related Extracurriculars

• Cyberpatriot Team
• FIRST Robotics Team
• Computer Science Club
• Girls Who Code Club
• Maker Club & opportunities to collaborate with the Innovation Studio
• 3-5 Computer Science Independent Study Projects annually
• Additional opportunities for CS connections in Senior Projects and Project Weeks

Computer Science Principles - Standards of Practice

Computational Thinking (Think)

1. I can explain and apply common algorithms and ideas related to computer science. 
2. I can reason about unfamiliar computational solutions and describe what they do.
3. I can write pseudocode to help solve a problem or design a program.

Writing Code (Code)

1. I can use variables correctly in my code.
2. I can use conditional statements correctly in my code.
3. I can use loops correctly in my code.
4. I can define and call functions correctly in my code.
5. I can use correct syntax for a given programming language.

Software Development and Design (Dev)

1. I can use existing code, tools, or ideas as a starting place to build a program of my own design.
2. I can write programs that are logically organized and easy to follow.
3. I can integrate the core 4 programming concepts in my code based on the design of my program.
4. I can create programs that are reliably free from bugs, errors, or other unintended outcomes.
5. I can identify areas for improvement in my programs and determine next steps to fix them.

Communication and Collaboration (Comm)

1. I can cultivate working relationships with classmates possessing diverse perspectives, skills, and personalities.
2. I can provide thoughtful, constructive feedback to my classmates about their work.
3. I can articulate ideas responsibly by observing intellectual property rights and giving appropriate citations.
4. I can describe and justify computational solutions using clear and correct computing terminology.
5. I can reflect upon and accurately describe my learning and current skills.

Habits of Success (Habit)

1. I can submit my work on time.
2. I can follow all assignment instructions and complete all assignment requirements.
3. I can monitor my ability to follow classroom norms and reflect upon areas for improvement.

About The Latin School of Chicago

Mission Statement

Latin School of Chicago provides its students with a rigorous and innovative educational program in a community that embraces diversity of people, cultures and ideas. Latin inspires its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence. 

Latin School achieves its mission by:

• Encouraging excellence in all academic and personal pursuits.
• Creating an educational environment in which the pursuit of academic excellence and intellectual growth is complemented by a concern for the moral, physical, psychological and aesthetic development of each student.
• Developing and retaining excellence faculty and staff.
• Recognizing the fundamental importance of honesty, civility, public service and respect for others and the environment.
• Cultivating resilience, independence leadership and moral courage.
• Sustaining a diverse, inclusive and multicultural community that affirms and values each individual.
• Attracting dedicated families committed to the mission of the school.
• Promoting programs in all divisions that integrate our students with the community. 
• Developing the financial and physical resources to support the school’s needs.

Strategic Vision

Our vision for educational excellence is to reinforce the value of an exemplary liberal arts education that makes learning inquiry-based, personal and inclusive. Our approach expands each Latin Learner’s capacity for purposeful learning—whether in our school, our city or our world.

School Values

• Excellence
• We develop the skills, knowledge and desire to solve complex problems through a global, liberal arts curriculum and master teaching.
• We identify our interests, learn to advocate for ourselves and others and become architects of our own educations.
• We promote physical and emotional wellness because they are essential to the pursuit of educational excellence and our happiness.
• Community
• We support and celebrate one another and take responsibility for our words and actions, because we shape the lives of others in our community.
• We embrace diversity within our school and in Chicago, knowing that it deepens our learning and enhances our empathy.
• We use our resources wisely in order to be good stewards of our community and our world.
• Integrity
• We are honest, fair and fulfill the commitments we make, building a culture of respect and mutual trust.
• We give our best effort, take intellectual risks and learn to persevere.
• We reflect and live with purpose, working toward goals that embody our genuine interests.

Interested applicants should apply using the link below:

https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=46014&clientkey=3E563E597FD948E6EECAC27D3C7A6A18