Science Teacher

Vivo Missouri

At Vivo Missouri, we are building something different. Vivo Missouri is a nonprofit, private school network building innovative, recovery-focused high schools designed for young people desiring a substance-free lifestyle and ready to define success on their own terms. Our students are bright, capable, and resilient. They deserve schools built on deep relationships, meaningful work, and real-world learning.

At Vivo Missouri – a small innovative high school in partnership with the Big Picture Learning network – learning is personal, project-based, and rooted in internships, mentorship, and purpose. We hold high expectations and believe transformation happens when students are known well. Our schools align with Big Picture Learning's Ten Distinguishers, and our core values for Vivo staff and students are collective impact, unique autonomy, learning together, and transparent insight.

We are seeking high-energy, insightful, and relationship-driven educators who are excited to build something meaningful and ready to rethink what “school” can look like. If you believe rigor and humanity belong in the same classroom, we'd love to meet you.

Employment Status

This is a full-time, exempt, at-will position. Teachers report directly to the School Leader. 

Position Overview

As a Science Teacher at Vivo, you will teach small classes of students using an individualized, project-based learning approach. You will have the professional autonomy to design meaningful, interdisciplinary work that connects academic standards to authentic problems. You will help students see science not as an isolated subject, but as a tool for understanding and shaping the world around them. We seek educators who value "rigor, relevance, and relationships" in their professional practice, and who can engage families and community members as partners in the education of Vivo students.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan an engaging, authentic, and hands-on project-based learning curriculum that is aligned to the Missouri Learning Standards and meets the individual needs, interests, and abilities of each student
• Foster student growth through Digital Portfolios (DPs), Presentations of Learning (POLs), and Exhibitions of Student Work 
• Design formal and informal assessments that measure student progress
• Articulate each student's progress, educationally and socially, through marking period narratives, phone calls, and meetings with parents and students
• Establish clear objectives for students and employ a variety of educational techniques in pursuit of rigorous, integrated academic experiences and habits of work
• Differentiate instruction based on feedback, needs, and learning levels
• Collaborate with a group of passionate educators in creating and nurturing a school that meets the needs of students looking for a more individualized program
• Build strong relationships within the school community and support restorative justice practices
• Maintain patience and a sense of humor, and celebrate the successes of students and the school

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher
• Certified 9th-12th in Science (Acceptable certifications: Trad, ACP, TAC, or ABCTE)
• (Preferred) At least two years of teaching experience, ideally in a competency-based, Big Picture Learning, Deeper Learning, project-based, or other similar environment
• (Preferred) Experience with Makerspaces, Adobe Creative Suite, woodworking/ woodshop, or other design-based technologies
• Fingerprint background check clearance; current eligibility to work in the U.S.

Salary and Benefits:

• Salary $55-70K
• Participation in the health benefits package
• Eligible for participation in the 401K and Roth plans (eligible for rollover from PSRS/PEERS/KCPSRS)
• Paid time off / Paid sick leave / FMLA
• Approximately 7-8 weeks of summer vacation; approximately 5 weeks of school holidays and vacation throughout the school year

Equal Employment Opportunity / Non-Discrimination Statement:

Vivo Missouri is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. All employment decisions—including hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, discipline, and termination—are made without regard to these protected characteristics.