Website San Francisco Day School
San Francisco Day School
Upper School (grade 5) Humanities Teacher
Starts August 202At San Francisco Day School, we believe that when intellect and imagination are intertwined, students delight in the discovery of connection, in their academic and creative pursuits, in their relationships, and in all that they experience here.
Every day we help our students emerge as flexible and resourceful learners. Because when we do, our students light up with the call and capacity to take on the complexities of their day and of a diverse world.
Our Mission
At SF Day we ignite curiosity. We cultivate a diverse, nurturing community that encourages learners to expand their perspectives and become their true selves. Students develop as compassionate, creative problem-solvers, prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world.
SF Day Fast Facts
· Independent, co-educational, K-8 school
· Founded in 1981
· Serving 420+ students
· Located in the heart of San Francisco
San Francisco Day School announces an exciting opportunity to become a member of our vibrant school community. We are seeking the next individual to follow their passion by applying for a full-time position as Upper School (5th grade) Humanities Teacher.
Summary:
Upper school teachers teach classes in grades 5-8 (this position focuses on 5th grade Humanities). They may be “lead classroom teachers” who are based in a homeroom for a particular grade, “Specials” teachers (such as English, math, science, social studies, music, Spanish, PE, Innovation, etc.) who teach specialist subjects across more than one of these grades, or a combination of both
The Upper School Humanities Curriculum and Pedagogy
In 5th-grade Humanities, students engage in a variety of texts to develop their reading and writing skills with depth and curiosity. Students practice their critical thinking skills when analyzing stories by asking “Why” and “How,” and practice foundational skills through mini-lessons throughout the year. SF Day utilizes Universal Design for Learning, which focuses on increasing accessibility to all learners through the identification and removal of barriers between students and the material. This curriculum focuses on a wide range of topics, such as analyzing stories in book clubs, identifying what makes a civilization in social studies, creating a complex character in a fictional fantasy setting, and creating five-paragraph essays with shortened annotated bibliographies.
Typical units include:
English Language Arts
How does a character change throughout a story?
Analyzing Nonfiction texts
Fictional Narrative Reading and Writing
Discussing novels in Socratic seminars
Personal Expertise Essays (Five-paragraph)
Poetry
Identifying themes in a story
Social Studies
What makes a civilization?
Hominins
Hunter Gatherers and Early Farmers
Mesopotamia
Ancient Egypt
Ancient China
Responsibilities and Duties:
Plan and teach classes as designated by the Division Head or Head of School.
Provide frequent formative feedback to students.
Support a teaching fellow with planning and systems and routines..
Collaborate with colleagues in pursuit of fulfilling the School’s Mission, Vision, and Values.
Collaborate with colleagues to develop and hone divisional and k-8 curriculum scope and sequence
Attend and participate actively in all meetings and faculty work days called by the Division Head and/or Head of School.
Attend additional school functions, including but not limited to Back to School Nights, Admission events, and Grandparents and Special Friends Day.
Participate fully in the school’s outdoor education programs as directed by the Division Head.
Perform duties as designated by the Division Head, including but not limited to arrival, dismissal, lunch and recess duties.
Participate fully in the school’s substitute/coverage program.
Maintain regular and open communication with parents/guardians. All communications should be copied to the Division Head. Respond to parent calls or emails within 24 business hours.
Proactively inform the Division Head whenever there are significant concerns with a student or significant high points or positive growth worthy of note.
Perform all required administrative tasks in an accurate and timely manner.
Required Qualifications and Skills:
Bachelor’s degree in English, History, or a related subject
Teaching experience in the middle-school age-group.
Experience working with a wide range of students, teachers, and families of diverse backgrounds
Experience with Google Suite (Google Calendar, Google Docs, uploading and downloading digital files)
Solid experience with educational technology platforms
Desire to continue learning in the arenas of pedagogical practice and DEI
Strong work ethic, collaborative skills, flexibility, sense of humor, high emotional intelligence
Preferred Qualifications:
Master’s degree in English, History, or related subject
3 years’ or more relevant experience
Independent school experience
Experience with differentiation techniques such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Experience with Responsive Classroom and Restorative Justice practices
Working Conditions:
90% Indoors, 10% outdoors
Ability to move around the classroom and playground to attend to individual or small groups of students
Occasional requirement to lift more than 30 lbs
Stand for an extended amount of time
Expectations for SF Day Employees:
Promote positive relationships between and among all internal and external constituents of the school by maintaining the highest level of professionalism, including but not limited to those aspects detailed in the employee handbook, and acting in a manner consistent with the School’s Mission and Values.
Collaborate with colleagues inside and outside of the department to advance grade level, departmental and School goals and objectives.
Support everyday needs of the community, including student-facing responsibilities, such as safety drills and recess/lunch duties.
Commit to ongoing professional development and growth to reflect the demands of the position and the strategic priorities of the School. Our school has a generous professional development budget and we strive to model the goal of being lifelong learners.
Serve as an active participant in the school’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Attend all-school, on-campus professional development seminars, participate in all-school “reads”of important literature in the field, and actively participate in modeling our mission and work in DEI.
Attend evening and weekend events as required.
Report and sign in to work no later than 15 minutes before the teacher’s students are scheduled to arrive, and be available on campus until 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 5:00 p.m. on Monday or another day designated as the regular weekly all-community meeting time.
Remain on campus during the school day or leave and sign out only with prior permission from the teacher’s supervisor, and do not pre-plan off-campus appointments when teacher is on-call for substitute/coverage duty.
Provide ample advance notice for planned and approved days-off and record such leave in the appropriate HR platform. Do not schedule such absences immediately before and after a school vacation or on parent conference days.
Per CA statutes, all School employees should be able to pass a Federal and State background check, provide a negative TB test, and maintain professional behavior during the period of employment. The employment offer is contingent upon these requirements.
What could SF Day School offer YOU?
Competitive Salary
Excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits with 100% employer-paid premiums for every employee
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Paid holidays per the employee handbook
403(b) retirement benefit option with a 7% employer match (after 60 days)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Discounted gym membership and on-campus fitness class with colleagues
Transportation and parking benefits
Pet insurance option
Ready to Join SF Day?
San Francisco Day School is committed to equity in its pay practices. The salary range for this role is Low: $63,150 Mid: $101,000 Cap: $138,423. Actual salary will take into consideration a candidate’s years of experience, education, and skills.
SF Day celebrates and welcomes faculty and staff who reflect the broad range of diversity in the Bay Area. We encourage people of color and LGBTQ+ applicants to apply.
San Francisco Day School is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.
To Apply
Please upload a resume and cover letter detailing your interest and strengths relevant to the position here. No phone calls please.
San Francisco Day School, 350 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118
For more information about San Francisco Day School, please visit
www.sfday.org