Author: AERO Webmaster

Job Announcement

January 2019

Position: Classroom Teacher, 1^st-3^rd grade

Application Window: Apply by April 15, 2019 or until position is filled

Qualifications: Salmonberry School is seeking a loving, attentive, mature teacher with experience teaching primary grades. The ideal applicant would hold a MA or higher and have at least 3 years experience as a lead teacher with children under age 12 in a school or similar environment. Particular expertise in teaching literacy is sought. The candidate should have some knowledge and/or experience in alternative, progressive or holistic education. Excellent communication skills are essential as are strong organizational skills and an ability to coalesce a classroom community of students and parents. The ideal candidate should also model a willingness to learn and an excitement to grow as a member of the highly collaborative faculty team.

Duties: This position is a lead teaching position. Duties include all aspects of curriculum development and implementation, assessment, communication, classroom design and classroom management for 10-15 students age 6-9. This teacher must engage all learners in a wide span of ages, skill levels and learning styles and incorporate all aspects of a holistic approach to learning. They must embody an ethic of care in all aspects of the work. A full or part-time teaching assistant will be provided depending on enrollment and classroom needs.

Dates: This is a permanent position beginning on or about August 24, 2019 and will follow Salmonberry’s academic calendar. The position may be renewed on a yearly basis. The expected commitment is a minimum of three years.

Hours: This is a salaried position. Student contact hours are 8:45-3:05 M-F. Expected work week is 35-40 hrs. This includes required staff meetings 2x/wk as well as special events, festivals and field trips.

Compensation: This is a full-time position for a traditional academic calendar year. Salary is $34,000 – $45000 and includes 10 paid leave days. Additional summer work is also available outside of this contracted position.

How to Apply: Please familiarize yourself with the information on the Salmonberry School website. Then, to apply, send resume and letter to Paul Freedman at head@salmonberryschool.org We will reply within 72 hours.

Statement of non-discrimination: Salmonberry School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its hiring practices on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion or religious creed, disability or handicap, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Little River Community School, founded in 1999, is a K-12 democratic school with forty students (22 full-time, 18 part-time) located on Birdsfoot Farm in Canton, New York. For next year, there are three full-time teachers and two part-time, Aubree Keese (Youngers), Leon Sawyko (science and Olders), Steve Molnar (Olders and special classes), Cathy Giglio (Middles math and special needs), and Ola Aldous (Olders art). We are seeking a full-time teacher to work with us in our Middles program. We currently have fourteen students (8 full-time, 6 part-
time) in the Middle's program in grades 3-6.

We are looking for a teacher with at least several years of experience working with children and an interest in democratic education. In addition to teaching basic academic and social skills to the Middles, the Middles teacher may be asked to share special interests like art, music, other languages, or computer science with students in the Youngers or Olders rooms. It is important to be comfortable with all ages, K-12, though this position is primarily working with the Middles. Teacher certification is not required.

Our ideal candidate would plan to stay with the school for several years or longer. Qualities we are looking for include: a passion for working with children, flexibility, patience, ability to think on your feet, long term interest in teaching, problem-solving abilities, strong communication skills, reliability, behavior management skills, a sense of humor, confidence, and self-motivation.

Little River provides a unique environment where students are trusted and seen as inherently self-motivated to learn about their world. Our teachers facilitate and support the students; quest for knowledge and understanding. Little River has multi-age classrooms where students learn together in cooperation and are grouped by their ability and interests. Little River provides strong academic classes in a small group setting. Some academic and special classes may have all the Middles, and others only three or four. The teachers need to generate excitement and interest with the students. Special emphasis is put on problem solving skills and hands-on experiences. All of the students and teachers come together several times a week in a morning meeting, facilitated by the students, for discussion, to make plans, and solve problems. Middles have two breaks each day for unstructured play. Many of those sessions are spent outside. Each student has an individualized curriculum developed by the student, teachers, and parents. Visit us on the web at www.littleriverschool.org for more information about the school.

Teachers are on-site from 7:30 am – 2:30 pm. After school hours, the teachers have a weekly staff meeting, do class preparations, and complete some administrative tasks. In the fall, we have conferences with each family to make an individualized curriculum for each student. There are all-school meetings every six weeks with the students, parents, and teachers.

Little River follows the local school district's calendar for holidays and snow days. Our final day is just before Memorial Day weekend. There are no classes during the summer months. Staff shares some minimal responsibilities in June and July and we use the month of August for training, preparation, and team building. The starting date is August 6th.

The teacher salary is $27,000- $30,000 a year (first year) with benefits including free tuition for a teacher’s child, a small health fund, and a supportive environment with a lot of academic freedom.

If this sounds like the job for you, please complete an application. You can find the application at www.littleriverschool.org.