Full-Time Head Teacher (Middle School, Older Group, ages 10-14)

Full-Time Head Teacher (Middle School, Older Group, ages 10-14)

Southshire Community School is a student-centered K-8 progressive school located in North Bennington, Vermont with approximately 30 students in total. At Southshire an emergent curriculum is used and is driven by the children’s interests and inquiries. We work towards empowering students to become engaged, confident, lifelong learners and valued community members.

Southshire was founded in 1987 by a local group of parents and teachers. They sought an educational program to address the whole child, to recognize and nurture the intellectual, emotional, physical, and social aspects of each child as an individual. Today, children at Southshire are supported in a culture of respect, progressing at their own pace and held to expectations of excellence.

About the Role

Southshire Community School is seeking a passionate, and dedicated, full-time middle school teacher for our older group. The person in this role will be the primary teacher for all subjects for the older group of approximately ten students at Southshire which includes students 10-14 years old. They should understand and promote the Southshire Community School’s mission, vision, objectives, and policies both within and outside the immediate school community. This role is part of a teaching team that supports mixed aged, progressive education in a K-8 setting.

Southshire has a strong philosophical commitment to classroom community. Working together, teachers are expected to develop, implement, and evaluate emergent, thematic curriculum for a specific group of children while interacting with all students and teaching workshops designed to support the skill development or interests of the larger classroom community.Applicants must be dedicated to supporting student success, and eager to work closely with fellow staff members and parents to support and engage each student in their learning and growth along with the community as a whole.

Job Details

• Full Time: School year is September through June, summer requires prep time for school year.
• Fair Labors Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Exempt
• Reports to: Head of School

Job Duties:

Curriculum Development and Teaching

• Promote and sustain the child-centered approach to learning that supports the individual needs of the children.
• Create and implement thematic emergent curriculum units.
• Developing and implementing creative curricula.
• Identify, develop and introduce new activities for free activity time.
• Apply principles of independent and progressive education.
• Apply understanding of academic and emotional child development.
• Provide instruction in reading, writing, math, and science appropriate to individual student skill levels and approach to learning.
• Lead productive class discussions to better understand the interests of students at different age levels.
• Actively observe students’ activities, play, and work products to gain insight into student development and learning progress and shares at weekly Staff Meetings.
• Create and maintain thoughtful displays of student work, refreshing them regularly.
• Use various assessment tools/strategies such as observations, children’s work samples, continuums of development, portfolios, etc. to help make instructional decisions for individual students.
• Demonstrate creative spirit and ability to think out-of-the-box.
• Think and act independently to create learning experiences that support the needs of individual students.

Collaboration and Communication

• Apply strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Maintain an on-going dialogue with other teachers and coordinate curriculum integration and implementation including participation in weekly staff planning meetings.
• Apply a flexible, open approach to the individual student’s success.
• Prepare parent reports twice a year documenting student progress.
• Conduct parent conferences on a scheduled basis and/or as requested or needed.
• Partner with parents and caregivers to support the needs of the students and school community during the school day and as needed outside of school hours.
• Participate in school events including all-school meetings, workdays, open houses, annual plays, end of year events, etc.

Administrative

• Maintain weekly records and communicate them to the Head of School.
• Attend and engage in weekly Staff Meeting with Head of School and other Teachers to review records, group themes, curriculum, and other matters.
• Participate in weekly staff development activities including weekly review of children, review of issues, etc.
• Maintain certification in accordance with school, State and other requirements (e.g. FERPA, Mandated Reporter Training, etc.)

Qualifications for the Position:

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s in education or related field (or equivalent).
• A deep understanding of academic and emotional child development.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Pass a criminal background check.
• Able to lift and carry 50 lbs.
• Experience in independent/progressive education preferred.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Southshire Community School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Southshire Community School complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Application Requirements

-a cover letter (1 page),
-resume or curriculum vitae,
-a statement of teaching philosophy (1 page),
-curricular samples (optional at time of application, required of finalists), and
-contact information for three (3) professional references (optional at time of application, required of finalists.)