About

Mission and Philosophy

The Ijoba Shules mission is to teach students to be responsible handlers of power in service to the Divine, nation, community and family. We believe that a life is meaningless unless it is lived in service to something greater than oneself, hence one of our school mottos: Not for oneself alone. There are four (4) major tenets that support our mission:

1. Character/moral development
2. A values-based, demanding, but nurturing academic environment
3. Development of a strong, positive Afrakan identity
4. Nation-building mindset

The core values of The Ijoba Shule are reflected in the Sankofa Code of Honor listed below:

1. Honor (Towotowo)
2. Courage (Ilaya)
3. Loyal and dutiful (Seegbekele ati Eto)
4. Rectitude (Iwa-ododo)
5. Compassionate (Aanu)
6. Honesty (Olooto)
7. Courteous (Amaluwabi)
8. Self-control (Isera).
9. Appreciate the arts (Ona-moyi)

The Shule works to help students recognize the proper balance and placement of the self in relation to the group (i.e. class, family, community etc.). We value the richness of our community and the opportunity and challenges it provides for the education of our students. Under the guidance and direction of our dedicated faculty and staff, Ijoba Shule students gain composure, dignity and presence that will guide them throughout their lives.

We trace our roots to the existence of the nations first segregated post-Bellum, one-room schoolhouses through to the growth of Independent Black Institutions (IBI) in the 1960s and 70s. We opened our doors for instruction in Fall 2005.

Sankofa Education

In addition to our character-building and academic mission, The Ijoba Shule, as an outgrowth of Ile Iwa-Pele (House of Gentle Character) spiritual community, is fully committed to the sentiments and practices of traditional Afrakan values, which are integral to the life of the school and our community. The traditional influence manifests itself daily in the practice of libation, ancestral remembrance and respect and Pan-Afrakan confraternity to name a few. The Shule is under the care of Egbe Sankofa.

Meditations

At the beginning of the day and again at the conclusion, our students are provided several minutes to perform their silent breathing meditation, in the tradition of their Kemetic (Egyptian) ancestors. This is a time for not thinking, and instead quieting the mind and just being fully present in the moment.

Shule Saku (Shule Circle)

Our students are taught to listen to each other, and to think and work through challenges as a unit. Shule Saku, brings together the entire Lower School for collective decision-making and planning in a manner that strengthens the community.

Conflict Resolution

Clear and high standards for behavior contribute to the well being of each individual and the community. The Ijoba Shule is committed to teaching nonviolence and creating a community in which all members seek peaceful resolution to conflicts

Community Service

Inherent in the Shules belief that life should be lived in service to something greater than oneself, community service is an integral feature of our curriculum. Service begins in the Lower Shule with various classroom responsibilities and participation in Shule-wide projects.

Prayer and Worship Time

Students are provided time for personal prayer and worship consistent with the tradition that they observe at home. All of our students are encouraged to be spiritual- to believe in something greater than them. We believe that by providing such scheduled time that mutual respect for each others spirituality is enhanced, and each students life is enriched.

Shule Traditions

Beyond the traditions that emerge from the academic program, the community enjoys many other Shule traditions, including the:

Parents Day (September)
Grand Parents Day (October)
Winter Solstice Village Presentation (December)
Kwanzaa Karamu (December)
Olude Ibeji Childrens Festival (March)
BannaKa/Latimer Engineering and Science Fair (May)
Spring Village Presentation (May)
Apa Oranmiyan Character Development Program (June)
Eyin Moremi Character Development Program (June)

Employment Opportunities

Background

The Ijoba Shule opened its doors in the West Philadelphia area in of city in September 2005, and will ultimately serve approximately 180 students in grades kindergarten through twelve. The school day is from 8:00am-4:00pm. There will be a mandatory intensive summer school orientation for incoming students to be held for three weeks during July. The orientation program is designed to familiarize our new students with our codes, daily academic program and The Ijoba Shule Way. There are also plans for a Saturday school, to be held most Saturdays from October to May, and a summer enrichment program, designed for students who need extra help in specific areas, or those students that would like to accelerate their skills in reading and/or math, both between the hours of 9:00am-1:00pm, so stay tuned.

Job Description

The Ijoba Shule is seeking part-time teachers in the following disciplines:

English, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Yoruba, Swahili and other Afrakan languages, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, and Afrakan drumming (Djembe, Sabar, Conga and Bata)

Each teacher is required to perform the following duties:

• Hold high expectations for each student
• Reinforce the Code of Honor at every opportunity
• Reinforce The Ijoba Shule Approved Educational Themes at every opportunity
• Possess an extensive knowledge of subject area
• Exhibit positive rapport with students
• Act as a role model for students
• Create and teach challenging and engaging lessons linked to the aforementioned tenets, codes and themes of The Ijoba Shule
• Demonstrate strong pedagogy and effective classroom management
• Create and foster a positive learning environment
• Establish and maintain strong communication lines with all parents
• Continually improve teaching skills by seeking out constructive feedback and professional development opportunities
• Attend all scheduled meetings (i.e. staff, Student Assessment, Parent-Teacher, Winter and Spring Presentations and others that may occur)
• Believe deeply in the mission and values of The Ijoba Shule
• Other duties as assigned by the school principal

Qualifications

The Ijoba Shule requires the following qualifications for all teachers:

• At least two years of teaching experience
• Experience/strength in content area
• Willingness to work towards Pennsylvania State certification
• Commitment to challenging students to be academically excellent
• Commitment to the design and development of The Ijoba Shule during its start up years

The Ijoba Shule prefers the following qualifications:

• Good Character
• Discipline
• Enthusiasm
• Creativity
• Flexibility
• Stamina
• Attentive to detail
• Bachelors in Education or other related areas, or non-classroom teaching experience

Compensation

Salary will be paid to instructors at a per-hour rate, with additional compensation for extended hours.

Application Process

Interested applicants should send the following via mail, email, or fax:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Statement of Educational Philosophy (one page limit)
• List of 3 Professional References

Downloadable Employement Application

This is a PDF document.
You can get a FREE Adobe PDF viewer by clicking here.

Please note the position you are seeking. Your materials will be filed and reviewed when a position becomes available. Please mail, fax or e-mail your materials to:

Iya Omowunmi Ogundaisi
Principal & Founder
The Ijoba Shule
P.O. Box 42876
Philadelphia, PA 19139

Click here to email the Principal
FAX: 215-747-1185

Trustees

The Ijoba Shule is under the care and direction of Ile Iwa-Pele (House of Gentle Character). A nine (9) member Council of Trustees manages the Shule. The members of the Council of Trustees are listed below, along with their affiliation with the Shule, profession, and their years on The Ijoba Shules Council (as of the 2005-06 academic year).

Ijoba Shule Bylaws in PDF format.

LAURA F. GARRETT
Member of Ile Iwa-Pele (ESKGA)
Years on Council: 4

OBA SEKOU OLAYINKA
Oluwo of Ile Iwa-Pele, Alaase of Egbe Sankofa
Years on Council: 4

MOTILEWA BENNETT
Member of Ile Iwa-Pele (ESKGA)
Years on Council: 4

EKUNDAYO BRIAN JONES
Member of Ile Iwa-Pele (ESKGA)
Years on Council: 4

ADRIENNE COOPER
Parent
Years on Council: 2

DANA KING
Educator
Years on Council: 1

Affiliations
The Ijoba Shule is affiliated with the Council of Independent Black Institutions.

www.cibi.org

Faculty and Staff
There are two (2) full-time faculty members and six (6) part-time faculty members at The Ijoba Shule. The faculty-student ratio is optimal and our classes are kept deliberately small so that all students can be given ample attention and instruction.

FAST FACTS

Profile
We are a college preparatory, coed, Afrakan-centered day school serving grades 1-5 in 2007-08. We plan to add one grade each year until we 12th grade in 2014. There are also plans to add kindergarten and pre-kindergarten.

Location
Our institution is located at 52nd and Walnut, which is the heart of West Philadelphia and the cultural and business hub of the Afrakan American community. The Ijoba Shule is the only independent and Afrakan-centered school in West Philadelphia.

History
We trace our roots back to the "separate-but-equal," one-room school houses of the so-called Negro churches from the 1700s up to the creation of the nations first independent Black institutions (IBI) in the late 1960s. We opened our doors for instruction in September 2005.

Governance
The Ijoba Shule is governed by the Council of Trustees and advised by the Parents Council.