TITLE: Spanish Immersion Teacher - Lyseth Elementary

POSITION OVERVIEW: 

Portland Public Schools is seeking an energetic, enthusiastic, creative Immersion Teacher for our Elementary Spanish Immersion Program. The successful candidate must possess native or near-native proficiency in Spanish and have experience and credentials as an elementary teacher. Our immersion program is such that classroom teachers provide instruction in Spanish for the majority of the day and this teacher will need to feel comfortable with and be able to deliver an English literacy block with a curriculum for a minimum of 60 minutes a day. This teacher will teach math completely in Spanish and work to support students in acquiring and speaking in Spanish for the majority of their day.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate at a deep level professionally and develop and implement lessons, curricula, and assessments
• Familiarity with elementary curricula and assessments highly desirable
• Evidence of successful experiences with children in primary grades, including differentiation of instruction and strong student and parent relationships
• Ability to communicate well with parents, staff and teachers in the school
• Skill in working as a member of a cohesive team committed to building and promoting the district's Spanish immersion program

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience teaching in language immersion programs, bilingual education programs, or other sheltered instruction contexts is preferred
• Elementary certification required

CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Maine State fingerprint (CHRC) authorization (more info)
• Maine State teacher certificate with endorsement 020 (K-8) or 029 (K-3) (more info)

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS:

• Schedule: School year, Full Time (1.0 FTE)
• Assignment: Permanent
• Overtime: Exempt position, not eligible for overtime
• Contract: Part of the PEA union (see 2025-2028 CBA here)
• Salary: Based on education and experience per CBA
• Benefits: Eligible for benefits as outlined here

ABOUT LYSETH:

At Harrison Lyseth Elementary in Portland, ME, we work collaboratively to ensure all students feel a strong sense of belonging and are engaged in grade-level learning every day. Special Education teachers are integral to this work, providing both co-teaching support and small group instruction using structured literacy approaches, including Orton-Gillingham through IMSE, with ongoing coaching and support.

We are committed to explicit, systematic literacy instruction in K�2 and use EL Education curriculum across K�5, alongside Illustrative Mathematics to promote inquiry and engagement. Data-driven instruction, professional collaboration, and coaching are central to our practice, supported by literacy and math coaches and a Special Education Coordinator.

Our school is grounded in a commitment to equity and anti-racist practices. We center restorative approaches, value multilingual learners as assets, and engage in ongoing reflection and dialogue around identity and bias. As part of Portland Public Schools, we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for both students and staff, offering strong opportunities for professional growth, collaboration, and leadership development.

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Portland Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws.