Teacher/House Parent Job Description
Description of school: Arthur Morgan School is a small, alternative boarding and day school for 27
students in grades 7-9. Our 100 acre campus, located in the Black Mountains of North Carolina,
consists mainly of woods and meadows, with creeks and a pond; it is surrounded by National
Forest. The school fosters a loving, energetic living/learning community dedicated to supporting
individuality while teaching group cooperation. A balance is sought between academics, outdoor
activities, and meaningful work. Experiential learning and responsible participation in community
are emphasized throughout. Boarding students live in homes with two or three staff members,
and the entire community actively shares work, study, play, and decision-making.
General Responsibilities: It takes a lot of energy to work here. We have intense work
schedules–usually 60 plus hours per week. Our work calendar generally follows a conventional
school year calendar, with some additional work required during students’ breaks. AMS is staff-run
by consensus; we have no director or headmaster. All staff are expected to attend our two weekly
staff meetings, two of our four Board Meetings, and to participate in running the school
cooperatively. Everyone is also expected to attend our weekly student-run All School Meeting and
to participate in work projects with the kids. Most of the staff is also involved in planning and
leading backpacking/outdoor trips, our 18 day field trips, and any other special field trips or
projects/activities we might plan to do.
House Parenting Responsibilities: House parenting is a time-intensive position that involves living
in a boarding house with 4 to 5 students, a co-houseparent, and perhaps an intern. Both couples
and single people are considered for house parenting positions. A healthy, respectful working
relationship is key to all house parent pairs. Responsibilities of house parents include: running the
household (facilitating student’s chores, cooking meals and housework projects), identifying and
working on general care of the house and grounds (including yard work, the maintenance of the
appearance of the boarding house etc.), managing a house budget with a monthly house
allowance, helping students with homework, and having fun with the kids in daily life as well as in
special house activities. House parents act in loco parentis–in the place of parents–and fill the role
of limit setter and authority figure as well as friend and confidant. The position requires the sharing
of one’s personal space (one’s home) and one’s self (being “real”). This usually results in very strong
and rewarding relationships between house parents and the students in their homes.
Additional Responsibilities: House parenting is half of a full-time position and is combined with
other duties to create a full-time position. These other duties can include: teaching core academic
classes (Math, Science, English, Art or Social Studies) or electives (performing or visual arts,
outdoor skills, woodworking, sports and games, etc.); participating in ongoing maintenance of the
school grounds and buildings; leading sports and games; finances and administration; participation
in staff committees; fundraising and grant-writing; cooking and chore supervision. All AMS staff are
people with a variety of skills, talents, and interests, and our jobs cover a wide array of
responsibilities at the school.
Requirements: You must be committed to alternative education; be interested in learning: enjoy
being around teenagers; be able to work cooperatively with other adults; and enjoy a simple
lifestyle that includes physical work and outdoor activities. Experience in the position for which
you are applying is an asset. Willingness to learn about and work within the consensus process is
essential. Flexibility and a sense of humor are also very important. We ask for at least a two year
commitment from new staff members, as it takes a year for new staff to become acclimated to our
program.
Benefits: Staff receive room and board, and a salary of about $16,500. Most staff members have
been able to find affordable health care through the ACA.
To Apply: Please send a resume with a cover letter stating why you want to work at AMS, how
AMS fits into your on-going interests, and describing any relevant past experience. Call for specific
job descriptions, information about openings or with questions. We typically review resumes and
letters of interest every few weeks and phone interview several persons chosen from the pool of
applicants. After a positive phone interview, we invite applicants to interview in person on our
campus for two days and two nights. This visit includes time for both formal and informal
interviews with applicants and includes the opportunity for applicants to work with students and
staff as we progress through our daily schedule. During this process we are interested in staff and
student interactions with and observations of the applicant, and we are interested in the applicant’s
questions and observations of our program.
The Arthur Morgan School, Inc. is committed to equality of educational
opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students or
employees based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion or
sexual orientation or preference, gender identity or expression, or economic status.