Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy Teaching Position

[Amir]

We are excited to announce a job opening for a new teaching position in the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy, home of FRC Team 1717. I am hoping that the CD and FIRST communities will be able to spread the word to people who might be interested.

The Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy offers an integrated curriculum of Engineering, Physics, Art, and Computer Technology. Many of the projects are artistic in nature and require the students to draw from all of the disciplines listed above. The courses prepare the students for our senior level capstone mechatronics class in which the students participate in FIRST robotics. We are also developing additional capstone project concepts and we are currently evaluating the possibility of students working on large-scale kinetic sculpture installations that would be placed in our local and surrounding communities.

The Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy recently moved into a 12,000 square foot facility which houses a 3,000 square foot machine shop, a dedicated computer lab, as well as several other classrooms.

Dos Pueblos High School is located in the coastal community of Goleta CA, a suburb of Santa Barbara. Goleta is home to many tech companies and is just 5 minutes from the ocean and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

PM me if you have any questions. The job description is included below.

Thanks for any help you can provide,

Amir Abo-Shaeer
Director, Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy

Robotics and Computer Technology Teacher
Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy

Qualifications

Must possess a valid California Single Subject credential with authorization to teach Physics and/or Industrial and Technology, have an EL Authorization, and proof of NCLB (No Child Left Behind) subject matter compliance. OR may concurrently enroll in a Designated Subjects Career Technical Education Program depending on prior work experience and educational background.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Must be a highly qualified and competent teacher, who has the ability to teach all levels of robotics and computer technology and is committed to the welfare and education of all students
  
  
• Will develop a balanced program with appropriate activities designed to encourage pupils to develop good skills and attitudes
  
  
• Will establish and maintain a standard of pupil behavior needed to provide an orderly, productive classroom environment
  
  
• Will evaluate each pupil’s development in the course(s) being taught and prepare necessary reports
  
  
• Will maintain professional competence through participation in professional learning and/or in self-selected professional growth activities
  
  
• Will work collaboratively in the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy (DPEA) with other teachers in an integrated curriculum environment requiring team-teaching on a daily basis

Assignments

1) Robotics and Computer Technology Teacher (.4 assignment increasing by .2 each year for two years to .8)

The primary teaching assignment is to teach DPEA high school students computer technology and robotics concepts. This is a project-based educational program in which students will be working with microcontrollers and simple electronics and incorporating these components into their projects.

The candidate should be prepared to instruct students in:

• CAD and mechanical design
• Simple circuit design and drawing schematics
• Microcontroller concepts such as IO and real time control
• Microcontroller programming in languages similar to C or Java
• Interfacing sensors and effectors
• Circuit assembly including soldering PCBs and hand wiring
• The use of test equipment such as multimeters, oscilloscopes and power supplies

Other useful skills include:

• C++ programming, with a strong understanding of OO concepts
• PID servo control with feedback using encoders and potentiometers
• Working with motors, gears, and mechanical systems
• Ability to design simple printed circuit boards

2) DPEA IT Specialist - Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) (.2 assignment ongoing)

• Maintain hardware and software assets to ensure that equipment is able to meet the educational demands of the DPEA on a daily basis
  
  
• Identify hardware and software needs required to support the educational goals of the DPEA
  
  
• Work with Dos Pueblos High School (DPHS) administration, Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy Foundation (DPEAF), and with Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) management and personnel to procure these assets
  
  
• Update hardware and software assets on an as needed basis
  
  
• Work with other IT personnel to ensure DPEA compatibility with the DPHS site and SBUSD IT plans and protocols

3) Professional Learning/Curriculum Development TOSA (.4 Teaching assignment decreasing by .2 each year)

• Work collaboratively with DPEA team of teachers to develop integrated project-based curriculum (including physics, engineering, art, mechatronics, robotics, computer technology, product development, and manufacturing)
  
  
• Work with other DPEA teachers to acquire a working knowledge of DPEA disciplines in order to successfully implement project-based curriculum (examples listed below). DPEA teachers benefit from being able to contextualize their specific content area in the scope of a given project

1. physics content related to work, power and energy transfer, electricity and electronics
2. engineering design concepts
3. principles and elements of design (eg. kinetics and motion, color theory, form)
4. aesthetic valuing
5. drill press, manual milling machine, lathe

• Work with other DPEA teachers to acquire content-specific skills related to the project-based curricular demands of DPEA (as outlined above in Computer Technology teaching section)
  
  
• Participate in the senior robotics season (January-April) as an opportunity to gain the skills outlined above and to gain familiarity with the capstone project of the DPEA and understand what the vision for DPEA project-based education is all about (as well as what underclassmen are working toward in their first three years in the program).

Salary

Placement on the salary schedule commensurate with training and experience. Eligible to participate in district health, vision, dental and term life insurance benefit. Current salary schedule at full time: $43,986 – $64,544* (*maximum entry level with seven years experience, 60 semester units beyond BA degree) for 185 day schedule. Currently the 2012-13 school year will be furloughed 7 days thus a 178 work day calendar and thus salary above will be less 7 days.

Effective Date: 2012-13 school year

[sanddrag]

Wow, what a job! Good luck on your search. I imagine it can't be easy to find a teacher of such qualifications, but you've come to the right place.

For folks thinking about this, I've seen the facility and program first-hand during the school day and it's top notch in every way. And from what I saw, the students have great focus and discipline. This is a wonderful opportunity for those who are qualified.

The opportunity to have a small amount of paid time to do IT coordination is awesome (and something I've been hoping for here) as is the opportunity to have a 50/50 teaching and professional development split for the first year, rather than being thrown into a full load of teaching with little to no development/planning time. Kudos to Dos Pueblos for recognizing that the job role of a teacher can be more flexible than just "they must teach a full load of classes."

[waialua359]

Wow, it'll be hard pressed to find a qualified individual with just a basic teaching background even though it may be in Career Technical Education.
There are many mentors who can meet those qualifications, but the real challenge is the art of teaching those workplace readiness and engineering design process skills.

Looks like a great opportunity for someone with lots of experience/passion from the FIRST community. You certainly came to the right place, and I'm sure as director, you'll be a great resource and inspiration for whoever gets hired.

Good luck!

-Glenn