Lower School Science Teacher

Why Peninsula School? 

Peninsula School, a leader in progressive education since 1925, is a Preschool-8th grade school where children thrive and develop to their full promise as confident contributors in the world. At Peninsula, children learn about themselves and others, discover their passions, and grow intellectually in an inclusive community rich with choices, exploration, and play. In addition to intellectual development and social and emotional learning. Peninsula School has an explicit focus on educating for democracy, student choice and voice, and social justice. Peninsula School is celebrating its centennial in 2025.

The purpose of the Science program at Peninsula School is to nurture student interest in the sciences in a progressive, independent school environment. The Lower School Science Teacher is part of the Specialist team. Specialist teachers work as part of the whole school team, sequencing and coordinating curriculum and collaborating to serve our children. Specialist teachers are provided flexibility in their classrooms to enable them to best serve the needs and interests of their students in alignment with their content specialty while remaining true to the mission, values, and progressive pedagogy of Peninsula School.  The Lower School Science Teacher also collaborates extensively with Head teachers and the Director of Instruction & Belonging to realize a cross-disciplinary program.

Job Title:  Lower School Science Teacher, 75% FTE with benefits

What Awaits You:

• Competitive Compensation: Earn between $53,000 to $71,000, depending on your experience.
• Benefits: Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, life and long-term disability insurance and retirement savings and matching plans, because your well-being matters to us!
• Inspiring Community: Immerse yourself in a supportive, inclusive community dedicated to learning and engaged citizenship.
• Room for Growth: Grow both personally and professionally in an environment that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and supports professional development experiences for our staff members.

The Lower School Science Teacher position maintains four areas of school program: 1. Weekly scheduled science classes in the Preschool & Lower School classrooms (Preschool-4th grade); 2. Daily afternoon Lower School science Activities time (student elective); 3. Day and overnight trips (including camping) for Lower School classes; 4. After-school Enrichment classes twice a week.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Support and promote Peninsula School’s mission and values by providing a progressive science program for Preschool-4th grade using innovative instructional methods and materials that foster a positive learning experience and measurable student growth.

• Create a guideline of curriculum topics to be covered and be in dialogue and alignment with the Director of Instruction & Belonging related to the cultivation of the science program.
• Participate in and contribute to the school’s process of continual reflection and evolution of program, with specific attention to the science program becoming more transdisciplinary and embedded into the daily curriculum of the school.
• Remain current on educational research, topics and progressive practices relevant to Lower School practice and science education.
• Participate in coaching conversations and peer-review on an as-needed basis.
• Meet on a regular basis with the Director of Instruction & Belonging related to program articulation and progress.

Maintain a cooperative classroom environment that encourages authentic application of learning, problem solving, creativity, critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity.

• Teach Preschool & Lower School Science (Preschool-4th grade): 1. Class Instruction – Develop, plan and teach developmentally appropriate science units that integrate STEAM initiatives and project based learning at each level in the Lower School. 2. Collaborate with peers (head and associate teachers) to create a transdisciplinary science program that is connected across subject areas.
• Science Activities – Daily Student Choice Based Schedule Block: 1. Curate and design activities that are inquiry-based that integrate STEAM and project based learning (PBL), and provide students with expanded options for STEAM exploration through lab work, makerspace challenges, campus exploration, and camping. 2. Expand the science program to highlight environmental sustainability and justice.
• Create and maintain a welcoming, safe, equitable and respectful learning environment that honors and values the learning and cultural diversity of the student population.–Maintain an organized, clean, safe, positive classroom space free of clutter.
• Monitor student learning and collaborate with peers and families on student growth and development.–Maintain open lines of communication with parents/caregivers and clearly communicate student learning to students, parents and colleagues.
• Collaborate and communicate constructively with other teaching staff, Director of Instruction & Belonging, Learning Specialists, and all staff members.–1. Coordinate and participate in camping in the Lower School in partnership with Head Teachers. 2. Examine and evaluate science curriculum and teaching regularly and adjust as needed. 3. Attend and contribute positively at staff meetings, inservice meetings,  and school Admissions events. 4. Participate in school committees as needed and specified by the Director of Instruction & Belonging.
• Integrate anti-racist principles and practices into teaching and learning.–Recognize and address the unique needs and varied learning styles of all children, ensuring each child’s progress in all areas.

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

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging – 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.
• Child-Centered:  Ability to center children, the Mission Statement, vision, and values of the school.
• Emotional Intelligence, Regulation, 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.
• Growth Mindset – Recognizes the importance of learning and adopting and modeling a growth mindset. Stays abreast of best practices in schools and in supporting positive child and youth development, enthusiastically seeks out professional growth opportunities.
• 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.
• 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 consider a broad range of internal and external factors when solving problems. Grasps complexities and perceives relationships among different problems or issues. Uses various solution-focused problem-solving strategies appropriate to the situation, including enlisting and seeking advice from 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 student learning and growth and advance the broader strategic direction of the school.

Qualifications and Requirements

• B.A. required
• Experience teaching science in a K-8 setting
• Passionate about working with children
• An understanding of child development
• Adept in facilitating group dynamics among mixed ages
• Ability to work with a diverse population
• Embracing progressive education ideals
• Display initiative, internal motivation, growth mindset, flexibility, curiosity, and a commitment to whole-child learning and growth
• Initial and continued criminal background clearance by DOJ and FBI
• Current first aid/CPR (to be renewed every 2 years)
• Initial and continued tuberculosis clearance (to be renewed every 4 years)
• Mandated reporter per the State of California and Department of Education

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. Employees are 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. Additionally, extensive mobility is required to be able to lead hiking based field trips.

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 high stimulation and activity.

To Apply: Please fill out an employment application (also found on the Join Our Team page of our website www.peninsulaschool.org/join-our-team) and send it with a cover letter and resumé to  HR@peninsulaschool.org addressed to Ayesha Sumbal, Director of Instruction & Belonging.

Tagged as: K-6, Preschool