Elementary Teacher 2026-2027

We are now accepting applicants for an Elementary Teacher.

Reports to: PK-3 Principal (4th Grade Position) or 4-12 Principal (6th Grade position)

Application Deadline: Until position is filled

Start Date: August 1, 2026

Answering the Call

Feeling trapped in the box of the traditional educational model? Ready to rethink rural, K-12 education? Wouldn't it be cool if you could teach in an innovative rural school that cultivates students' creativity and makes learning relevant through real-world experiences? A school in which the content standards are the floor and not the ceiling? A school in which relationships are valued more than compliance? Well, here's your chance!

We are searching for individuals who are comfortable working in an exciting environment, who are risk-takers and are driven to imagine and explore the limitless possibilities for our students, and who are committed to providing an engaging, yet rigorous, project-based/place- based approach to teaching and learning. Successful candidates will be highly collaborative, yet independent thinkers, and will be comfortable "co-working" with their professional peers. Do you want to teach your students on a deeper level and facilitate opportunities for them to develop their passions beyond the core content? You'll be able to do just that at University Charter School. UCS is a diverse, student- centered school that is seeking educators who are prepared to lead and are passionate about UCS's ambitious plans to re-imagine rural education. If you're tired of the box of tradition, apply to teach at University Charter School, where the box does not exist.

University Charter School

University Charter School (UCS) is an innovative PK-12 public charter school that opened in August 2018 in rural Livingston, Alabama. For the 2025-2026 school year, UCS will have ~764 students in grades PK - 12. UCS is designed to be a rural, diverse school that cultivates independent thought, promotes the building of character and civic responsibility, and is committed to preparing all students for personal and professional success through the discovery of individual learning pathways in a rigorous and integrated Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM) focused, project-based and place-based curriculum. The vision of University Charter School is to become a rural model for producing adaptable learners that have a strong sense of place, mission, and rural identity, and who recognize the value of collaboration within a school, across a community, and between diverse rural regions. Our graduates will be prepared to continually meet the demands of an ever changing economy and will be perceived as community leaders and catalysts for meaningful change. We see UCS as a purposeful, place- based, and collaborative pathway to encourage growth and retention in and to restore relevance to our rural community.

UCS is strategically and intentionally located on the campus of the University of West Alabama and was created in partnership with the University of West Alabama. UCS faculty and students will leverage the assets of the University through hands-on partnerships and academic projects with participating colleges and divisions that span health care, education, and the arts, to name a few.

UCS's approach to education is unique in a number of ways:

• Location: The school's location on the University of West Alabama campus in rural Sumter County, Alabama, will provide students with the opportunity to build rich and ongoing relationships with each other and benefit from the programs and opportunities available on campus and in our community. Sumter County, our rural community, has been challenged by a lack of high quality educational opportunities, a decline in overall child well-being, high poverty rates, high unemployment rates, low per capita income, and depopulation. UCS was created out of a partnership between the University of West Alabama and a rural, impoverished community in an effort meet the educational needs of the children. By nurturing the diversity of a divided community, UCS presents a solution to the unique educational challenges that face rural communities by providing a blueprint for others to follow, as well as presents opportunities to demonstrate and implement PK-12 best practices in a rural setting.
• Curriculum: UCS's curriculum is project-based and place-based, which will provide students with real-world local connections to what they are learning in school. Students will also have the autonomy to direct their course of study, allowing them to pursue academic work and projects that inspire them.
• Diverse by Design - Last but not least, UCS will ensure that a diverse group of students can take advantage of all of the opportunities this school will offer.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Successfully plan instruction, deliver high quality instruction, and assess and progress monitor student progress
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and community partners in a co-taught, interdisciplinary instructional setting, to design high quality, purposeful and meaningful learning experiences for students through a project-based, place-based and problem- based approach
• Attend and participate in curriculum design and planning sessions and professional development
• Develop meaningful and supportive relationships with students through a positive youth development lens
• Develop and maintain positive relationships and communication with parents and families
• Monitor students' progress towards performance outcomes and personal learning goals
• Assess student knowledge of the standards using proficiency scales and record grades using a competency based grading system
• Other duties as deemed necessary by the principal to support and strengthen the community
• Bring your "A Game" and have fun. It's what we do at UCS

Qualifications

The strongest candidates will have the following certifications, skills, and experiences:

• An undeniable enthusiasm for and commitment to authentically engaging youth
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Exceptional organizational and planning skills
• AL Educator Licensure/Endorsements or equivalent Out-of-State Licensure/Endorsements (If hired, out-of-state candidates must obtain necessary AL licensure (preferred, not required)
• Evidence of excellence in teaching in a student-centered and rigorous environment
• Experience in a project-based learning environment is strongly preferred, but not required
• Willingness to learn, explore, experiment, question, create, critique, and enhance as we RETHINK RURAL EDUCATION.

Salary and benefits

UCS offers a competitive salary dependent upon degree and experience and comprehensive benefits package including State health insurance and retirement.