Primary School (Lower School) Head Classroom Teacher

An exciting teaching opportunity is available at Peninsula School, a leader in N-8 progressive education with a focus on fostering intellectual curiosity, social and emotional learning and social justice in a manner that is interactive and responsive to student interests. Peninsula School is rich in history and fortunate to have a wooded, 6-acre campus. Enrollment is strong, the school has no debt, owns its land and buildings and has a long record of excellent financial management including healthy endowments. The school is in an exciting time as it approaches its centennial in 2025. Peninsula School actively promotes the principles and practices of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the school community. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage people of under-represented groups to apply. We offer competitive compensation and a progressive community dedicated to learning and engaged citizenship.

Job Title: Primary School (Lower School) Head Classroom Teacher (7and 8 year-old position, with possibility of other K-4 openings) The members of the Primary School staff work closely together, sequencing and coordinating curriculum and miscellaneous logistics. All primary classrooms are self-contained with teachers responsible for teaching math, integrated social studies, literacy and social/emotional development. The Primary School program teachers are provided flexibility in their classrooms to enable them to best serve the needs and interests of their students while remaining true to the mission, philosophy and progressive pedagogy of the school.

Primary School Head Classroom Teacher – General Responsibilities

● Support and promote Peninsula School’s mission and values

● Provide a flexible, progressive program for primary children using instructional methods and materials that are responsive and appropriate to the intellectual, social and emotional needs of primary students and that fosters their positive learning and personal growth

● Maintain a cooperative classroom environment that encourages problem solving, creativity, critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity

● Create and maintain a welcoming, safe, equitable and respectful learning environment that honors and values a diversity of learning, cultural, ethnic, racial and sexual identities and lived experiences of the student population

● Manage and monitor student learning

● Remain current on educational research, topics and progressive practices relevant to middle childhood education

● Participate in and contribute to the school’s process of continual reflection and evolution of its program

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

● Recognize and address the unique needs and varied learning styles of all children, ensuring each child’s progress in all areas

● Develop and implement teaching units that explore and examine multiple cultures, ethnicities, perspectives, lifestyles, lived experiences and identities

● Deliver a math curriculum that that is age appropriate and that aligns with the scope and sequence of the Primary School program

● Deliver a literacy program that is age appropriate and that aligns with the scope and sequence of the Primary School program

● Build class community by fostering students’ social/emotional learning

● Organize and lead a school overnight and a camping trip

● Clearly articulate program and developmental goals to parents

● Monitor and document student learning

● Clearly communicate student learning to students and parents

● Maintain open lines of communication with parents

● Work collaboratively and constructively with colleagues

● Provide a model for positive leadership

● Provide guidance and oversight to Assistant Teachers and Associate Teachers

● Examine and evaluate classroom program and teaching regularly and adjust as needed

Other Responsibilities:

● Meet with parents for conferences formally three times a year and provide additional conferences and communication as required or requested

● Organize and facilitate group parent meetings at least twice a year

● Attend and contribute positively at staff meetings, inservice meetings, and other meetings and school events as applicable

● Participate in school committees as needed

Qualifications and Requirements:

● B.A. required.

● Passionate about working with 7- and 8- year old students.

● Experience with and/or aptitude for middle childhood and skilled in building a close rapport with young children.

● Ability to work with a diverse population.

● Embrace progressive education ideals.

● Caring, flexible, creative, organized, good judgment, sense of humor.

● Current first aid or CPR a plus.

Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

● Diversity, Equity, Inclusion – A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and an ability to work with and support a diverse population of students and families. An ability to remain sensitive to the experiences of students, parents and faculty in all situations and integrate feedback into practice.

● Ability to Learn and Teach – Recognizes the importance of learning and motivates others by own enthusiasm. Stays abreast of best practices in schools.

● Relational Skills – Ability to relate well to a wide range of people, including building rapport with students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators. Willingness to work to understand the culture of the school. Knowledge of each child’s challenges and strengths. Skill with conflict resolution, consensus building and decision-making.

● Emotional Intelligence and Maturity – Ability to interact with individuals in heightened emotional states and navigate complex and emotionally challenging situations involving children and adults. A high degree of emotional stability, ability to separate one’s own emotions from a situation, and ability to maintain perspective in the midst of emotional situations is essential.

● Communications Skills – Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituents. Maintains open communications channels with teaching staff, parents and administrators. Able to present information formally and informally in an effective manner both through oral presentations or conversation and through written means. Has a strong understanding of the power of word choice and the need for a high level of tact and professional, accurate communication.

● Time Management Skills – Ability to manage many tasks and projects simultaneously and to prioritize them appropriately.

● Organizational Skills – Ability to balance many tasks and processes, including keeping track of progress on longer term projects or goals, managing details accurately, and following through in a timely fashion.

● Problem Solving Skills – Ability to recognize immediate issues and take decisive action when appropriate. Ability to consider a broad range of internal and external factors when solving problems. Grasps complexities and perceives relationships among different problems or issues. Uses various problem-solving strategies appropriate to the situation, including enlisting others when appropriate.

● Strategic Thinking Skills – Ability to work with others to gather, synthesize, and analyze quantitative and qualitative information and to develop plans for meeting short and long-range goals which support the vision and further the broader strategic direction of the organization.

● Knowledge and understanding of the Mission Statement and purpose of the school

● Proven competency in the classroom, including innovative teaching and recognition of an appropriate response to various learning profiles.

● All prospective employees must be able to clear a background check and TB screening.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, ability to adjust focus, and sound hearing. The ability to speak clearly and coherently is required. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands, talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. On occasion, the employee is required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, or crouch. Employee is required to operate a computer and office productivity machinery, communicate across a variety of media, and work in close proximity to others. The role may also require the employee to work in inclement weather during special activities and work at a desk for extended periods of time. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to listen, physically direct, and speak. The employee is required to sit (sometimes for extended periods); stand; walk on a variety of surfaces; climb stairs, bend and squat when communicating with younger students; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus. The noise and activity level in the work environment is variable, with times of quiet and times of 1/2022 Peninsula School high stimulation and activity. The mental and emotional demands of the position are considerable. The employee will interact with individuals in heightened emotional states and will encounter complex and emotionally challenging situations involving children and adults.

TO APPLY: Peninsula School is an equal opportunity employer and we actively promote the principles and practices of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the school community. We actively support equal opportunity for all people and encourage members of BIPOC communities and LGBTQ+ candidates to apply. Our school is strongly committed to learning about and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all interactions and programs. We offer competitive compensation and a progressive community dedicated to learning and engaged citizenship. We encourage people of under-represented groups to apply. Please fill out an employment application and send it with a cover letter and resumé to HR@peninsulaschool.org.

Tagged as: K-6