Lead Teacher Ricks Center for Gifted Children

Ricks Center for Gifted Children at the University of Denver is an exemplary program designed for gifted children. Established in 1984 Ricks provides nationally recognized gifted education to approximately 200 students ranging from preschool through eighth grade who demonstrate exceptional differentiated abilities and learning. The Ricks Center offers a progressive model of education focused on developing the intellectual social emotional creative and physical needs of the gifted child. Our diverse student body benefits from small class sizes expert teachers a wide range of content offerings an integrated curriculum and a focus on community care and engagement.

Position Summary

The Ricks Center for Gifted Children at the University of Denver invites applications for a Lead Teacher in Early Childhood. We desire a candidate adept at developing relationships with a diverse group of gifted students with varying abilities and therefore can differentiate curriculum individualize and compact instruction and ensure a depth of conceptual understanding. This position requires a dynamic individual who models a passion for and expertise in holistic education and who can collaborate effectively with the division team to develop and implement curriculum track student progress and group students for differentiation. The candidate is dedicated to developmentally appropriate practice and must be highly flexible. The ideal candidate will have a keen understanding of the competency of all children respect for diversity and a deep commitment to reflective practice. Must be comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions be comfortable sitting on the ground and getting dirty and naturally embrace childrens curiosity and creativity. A deep understanding of the gifted child and how to support twiceexceptional students is required.

Essential Functions

Curriculum planning teaching and assessment

• Integrate curriculum and lead teaching team around emergent themes with constructed learning provocations essential questions and higherlevel Blooms Taxonomy activities.
• Implement structures and systems to boost students demonstrations of learning.
• Assess student development creations projects and conversations using a variety of assessment techniques.
• Plan document teach and assess units and lessons that foster student engagement.
• Collaborate with teachers and administration in developing integrated units.
• Utilize a variety of curricula for student engagement and assessment.
• Balance skills concepts and application allowing for student direction and interest in creating projects.
• Integrate gifted sensitivities depth complexity and centers.
• Provide individual and smallgroup instruction to adapt the curriculum to the needs of students with varying abilities and to accommodate a variety of instructional activities
• Instruct students in proper care and use of tools and equipment and to maintain an orderly workspace
• Evaluate each students performance and growth according to gradelevel standards
• Complete report cards and other assessments as needed
• Effectively lead associate teachers and student workers sharing responsibility for planning student development parent communication decision making and other components of the job

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Relationship Building Best Practice and Communication

• Build relationships with students parents staff and other community members including proactive outreach on positive aspects of learning.
• Collaborate with the support team and specialist.
• Grouping students to best fit needs and ensure growth.
• Inform parents of student progress utilizing a narrative approach.

Professional

• Create professional goals and participate in professional learning communities including coaching mentoring and selfreflection
• Participate in schoolwide curriculum alignment scope and sequence planning and yearly strategic initiatives
• Participate in inquiry action cycles focused on student growth
• Engage in our culture of high expectations and continuous personal development.
• Other duties as required

Maintenance and logistics

• Establish and maintain routines and utilize positive collaborative approaches to student behavior management approaching behavior as learning opportunities.
• Organize storage areas and control the use of materials equipment and tools to prevent loss or abuse and to minimize the time required for distribution and collection
• Document practices and create a digital library of resources
• Support the school mission through active involvement in the school community the College of Education and the University of Denver.
• Select and requisition books instructional materials tools and instructional aids and maintain supplies inventory
• Plan and present student work displays and exhibitions designed to exhibit students work in the school DU and the larger community.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the administration

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in education Early Childhood or a related field
• 3 years of teaching experience teaching in Early Childhood
• Experience teaching gifted children and twiceexceptional students
• Experience teaching in a crosscurricular integrated program
• Valid teaching license or the qualifications necessary to obtain one
• Knowledge of social/emotional learning curriculum and special needs development
• Experience in coteaching

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree or Doctorate in Education Early Childhood or a related field
• Gifted endorsement
• Experience leading project based playbased learning

Working Environment

• Standard office environment.
• Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
• Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

• Ability to work in front of a computer for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus.
• Must be able to lift push and pull 50 lbs.

Work Schedule
Monday Friday 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Evenings and weekends as required

Application Deadline
For consideration please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) May 23 2025.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 9.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $55000$65000

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate departmental budget availability internal salary equity considerations and available market information but not based on a candidates sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits including medical dental retirement paid time off tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family or parental status pregnancy or related conditions national origin disability or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race color national origin ancestry age religion creed disability sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family and parental status pregnancy genetic information military enlistment or veteran status and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal state or local law regulation or ordinance in any of the Universitys educational programs and activities and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Workers Rights (POWR) Act; and any other federal state and local laws regulations or ordinances that prohibit discrimination harassment and/or retaliation. For more information please see the University of Denvers NonDiscriminationStatement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.