Website Town School for Boys
Town School for Boys
Full-Time Director of Outdoor Studies (2022-2023)
Since 1939, San Francisco’s Town School for Boys has had a rich history as a school specializing in teaching boys. The school is also known for the New Teacher Institute and its commitment to training teachers new to their craft. The school’s goals include teaching boys to be good citizens, to enjoy their childhood, to develop a positive sense of self, to give back to their greater community, and to develop academic and intellectual skills which will serve them well through their lifetimes. The school prizes its growing diversity of background, religion, and race, as well as the diversity of interests which is so noteworthy in its student and alumni bodies. Located in San Francisco, Town School for Boys is a K-8 independent day school. Since its founding, Town School has been committed to providing the best possible education for boys and is recognized as one of California’s leading independent elementary schools.
Position Description:
Town School for Boys seeks a full-time Director of Outdoor Studies for the 2022-23 academic year who is a collaborative and experienced educator ready to connect our students with the natural world. Our specialized program blends the strength of relational education and place-based learning with the academic excellence of a Town School education. Extending our classrooms from the building into the heart of the Presidio forest helps elevate the curriculum. We broaden the boys’ curiosity and leadership skills through environmental stewardship, teamwork, core routines and storytelling. Developing activities to learn about nature and the environment adds dimension to our rich curriculum. Our Outdoor Studies program uses The Coyote’s Guide to Connecting With Nature as a foundational tool to create safe and healthy classrooms in the Presidio, with strong connections woven throughout the core curricula.
We recognize that the ideal candidate for this position may come from a non-traditional background, and we encourage all interested applicants to apply. The targeted start date for this job is this summer in order to help design curriculum and plan for the coming school year.
Specific responsibilities
- Co-design Outdoor Studies Curriculum and daily schedule
- Plan and prepare daily lessons and materials to deliver hands-on, experiential, and inquiry-based lessons in an off-campus, outdoor setting for boys in grades K-4 (Schedule rotates by day in multi-week terms)
- Partner/collaborate with grade-specific faculty to design direct cross-curricular links and programming between Outdoor Studies and other subjects such as math, reading, writing, social studies, STEM, and art
- Co-teach and lead groups of students in the outdoors, in varying weather conditions, and on uneven terrain, along with a grade-level colleague
- Maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment for students and their teachers
- Implement and model excellent risk management strategies and administer first aid as needed
- Attend full faculty meetings throughout the school year on a weekly basis and meet with administrative leadership as needed
Desired Qualifications and Skills
- Current Wilderness First Responder Certification; minimum of Wilderness First Aid & CPR/AED certification
- Commitment to the school’s mission, values, and vision
- Cultural competency is an expectation of this candidate and includes integration of diversity and global awareness into the curriculum to foster an environment of belonging for all
- Experience teaching and working in the outdoors
- Specialized outdoors training, Master’s Degree in Teaching, Education, Science, Agriculture or equivalent experience
- Ability to partner and work in a collaborative team environment
- Experience directly serving children across grades K-4
- The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to developing and implementing innovative approaches to learning, such as using project-based learning, inquiry, and teaching for understanding/understanding by design to broaden the imagination and ability to problem solve
- Computer and Technical skills as required for job performance and to enhance the learning experiences of staff and students; strong Google suite skills recommended
- Strong ability to organize and execute multiple short and long term priorities
- Ability to effectively plan, prioritize and manage time effectively
- Flexibility and a willingness to learn
- Detail-oriented with strong follow-through
- Excellent and effective verbal and written communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills
- Positive attitude, determination, and a strong work ethic
- Ability to confidently lead groups in a remote outdoor setting
- Commitment to ongoing professional development and learning
- Some physical requirements of this position may include prolonged standing, bending, stooping, walking long distances, hiking, climbing, stretching and may include the need to lift up to 50 lbs; requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity to manipulate outdoor equipment and program activities; requires a normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare, and communicate appropriate student activities/programs
COVID Procedures:
When schools were forced to close their physical doors in the spring of 2020, Town quickly and successfully pivoted to online learning, supported by thorough planning and a nimble team of faculty, administration and board members. In the fall of 2020, Town was the second school in the city of San Francisco to be granted permission to reopen, taking exceptional caution to protect the safety of employees and students. Since October 2020, we have welcomed all grades in the building five days a week. The 2022-23 school year will be held in person, following all SF Department of Health Guidelines. All adult employees of Town School for Boys are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Town School for Boys Mission
At Town School learning is prized, love of school is essential, and boyhood is celebrated.
Philosophy:
As an all boys’ school, Town provides a rich, challenging and rigorous educational experience that addresses the distinctive energy levels and developmental styles of boys. Town values being a diverse community that nurtures integrity, sensitivity and respect in its boys, and prepares them to become productive and contributing members of an ever-changing world.
Town School Values:
Respect: We respect ourselves and others.
- We treat others the way they want to be treated.
- We practice good listening, compassion and empathy.
Curiosity: We are curious.
- We ask questions, think critically and solve problems.
- We seek opportunities to reach our highest potential.
Belonging: We all belong.
- We embrace and celebrate each of our unique stories and experiences.
- We seek to ensure that every member of our community feels an equal sense of inclusion.
Integrity: We act with integrity.
- We have the courage to do the right thing even when nobody else is watching.
- We always try our best and when we fail, we try again.
Joy: We are joyful.
- We make space for play, fun and laughter.
- We know joy can be found in hard work, risk-taking and perseverance.
Statement of Teaching Philosophy:
Our goal is for each boy to be engaged in an environment that weaves together collaboration, critical thinking, integrity, empathy, and creativity. These broad skills, as well as a firm grounding in core academic competencies, offer boys an excellent preparation for their further education. We promote social and emotional learning as a foundation of academic excellence and self-discovery. We prepare students to meet challenges in the world by helping them develop an appreciation for a variety of perspectives from the local to the global. We celebrate diversity by fostering a community of learners built on mutual respect. Learning experiences are inclusive, relevant, flexible, innovative, and adapted to reflect the needs of all kinds of learners. In our joyful, active, and collaborative school, boys flourish.
We achieve these goals through an authentic curriculum that originates in the classroom, travels through the halls, and extends into the world. Our teaching balances traditional methods with key student-centered approaches including inquiry, project-based learning, and teaching for understanding. We stay relevant and current through our testing of innovative, research-based approaches. We model a commitment to lifelong learning, and we hone our craft by pursuing professional development and sharing knowledge with one another.
Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential core values of Town School. The best education for our students requires a diverse experience because a broad spectrum of ideas is essential for understanding different perspectives, challenging assumptions, and inspiring curiosity, to support critical and complex thinking.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where each boy is free to be himself, and where boys are confident and secure in their own identities. We equip each boy with the tools to explore differences in experiences, background, beliefs and ideas. We seek to provide each student with the support and resources he needs to succeed and thrive at Town School.
A diverse and vibrant community is essential. To build and sustain such a community, we reach out to enroll students and families from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, religions, and sexual orientations, and we recruit and retain faculty, staff and administrators from the same broad range of backgrounds. We cultivate an environment where every member of the Town community senses they matter as a significant part of the life of the school. Only when each person feels valued and is engaged may the school and the individual achieve their full potential.
Non-Discrimination Policy:
Town School for Boys admits students of any race, color, religion, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.
Salary and benefits are commensurate with our peer schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and with similar-sized NAIS schools.
To learn more about our faculty culture and community in general, please visit our Employment page.
To apply, please visit our hiring portal. Please submit a resume, cover letter that addresses your qualifications and interest in the role, and contact information for five professional references. The hiring committee will review all applications, and will contact you if we would like to pursue additional information or conversation. Confidential candidates are encouraged to apply; we will not contact any references without your permission.
