Job Details

Copper Island Academy is seeking a full-time K-10 STEM Teacher to join our outstanding educational team.

Organization Overview:

Copper Island Academy, located in the picturesque Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, is a public school academy committed to preparing all students for college, work, and life success. We embrace a unique blend of highly effective Finnish education practices with traditional American ideals, fostering an environment that nurtures lifelong skill development.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a student-centered K–10 STEM Teacher to join our dedicated team. This teacher will play a key role in designing and delivering a comprehensive STEM program that builds foundational skills in early grades and progresses to more advanced, applied learning in middle and early high school. The ideal candidate will be innovative, collaborative, and passionate about bringing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to life through hands-on, real-world, and career-connected experiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, mathematics, engineering, or a related field.
• Valid Michigan teaching certificate with appropriate math endorsement(s).
• Experience teaching at the middle school level, ideally in both math and project-based STEM contexts.
• Enthusiasm for hands-on learning and nontraditional teaching approaches.
• Familiarity with or interest in Finnish education principles.

Key Responsibilities:

STEM Instruction & MEERA Implementation:

• Design and deliver engaging, developmentally appropriate STEM instruction for grades K–10, aligned to Michigan standards and CIA’s instructional model
• Lead and support implementation of MEERA (Manufacturing and Engineering Education for All) at the middle and high school levels (6–10), ensuring students build foundational knowledge and applied skills in manufacturing and engineering pathways
• Develop a cohesive K–10 progression:
  • K–5: Exploration, curiosity, foundational engineering concepts, and hands-on discovery
  • 6–8: Introduction to manufacturing and engineering principles, systems thinking, and design-based problem-solving
  • 9–10: Applied engineering and manufacturing projects, career-connected learning, and pathway readiness aligned to MEERA goals
• Integrate Finnish-inspired educational strategies that promote mastery, independence, and a joyful learning environment

Promote Student Independence & Career-Ready Skills:

• Guide students in developing problem-solving, critical thinking, and engineering design skills
• Embed employability skills aligned to MEERA, including collaboration, communication, adaptability, and perseverance
• Create opportunities for student voice, choice, and ownership of learning, particularly in grades 6–10

Hands-On, Real-World Learning:

• Facilitate labs, engineering design challenges, and fabrication-based projects that reflect real-world manufacturing and engineering applications
• Integrate tools and technologies such as prototyping materials, basic fabrication tools, coding, robotics, and modeling
• Emphasize safe tool use, process thinking, and iterative design practices

Career Awareness & Pathway Development:

• Introduce manufacturing and engineering careers beginning in elementary grades, with increasing depth through grade 10
• Connect students to high-demand regional careers in manufacturing, engineering, and related industries
• Coordinate guest speakers, industry partnerships, job-shadowing, and site visits to deepen student understanding of career pathways

Assessment & Feedback:

• Use formative and summative assessments to monitor student growth in STEM knowledge, technical skills, and engineering design processes
• Incorporate performance-based assessments, portfolios, and project showcases aligned to MEERA outcomes
• Provide timely, constructive feedback to support continuous improvement and confidence-building

Collaboration & Program Development:

• Collaborate with colleagues to integrate manufacturing and engineering concepts across content areas
• Partner with the CCISD and local grant recipients to develop and refine MEERA-aligned programming at the middle and high school levels
• Ensure alignment between elementary exposure and secondary pathway readiness

Family & Community Engagement:

• Build strong relationships with students and families to support both academic and career development
• Partner with local manufacturers, engineers, and industry professionals to strengthen program relevance and opportunities
• Showcase student learning through exhibitions, demonstrations, and community events connected to engineering and manufacturing

If you are passionate about inspiring K–10 students through hands-on STEM learning and real-world problem-solving, we encourage you to apply and help shape the next generation of innovators at Copper Island Academy.

Applications must complete an application via the applicant portal and provide evidence of Teacher Certification.

Company Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Medical, Vision, & Dental Plans

• 4% 401(k) company contribution 

• Life, ADD, STD, LTD 100% paid by the employer

• Voluntary Plans Available

For more information on Copper Island Academy, please visit our website at www.copperislandacademy.org/careers/.

CS Partners/Partner Solutions provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits unlawful discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetic information,  military or veteran status, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, height, weight, or any other protected status under federal, state or local laws.