Responsibilities:
Interns may live in boarding houses (with 4-5 students and two house parents) and act as “assistant houseparents,” or live with other interns in a non-boarding house residence. Interns have a great deal of responsibility and are fully involved in our program. Responsibilities are adapted to the interest and skills of the intern and needs of the school. An AMS intern has the opportunity to be a part of every aspect of our community but is not be expected to take primary responsibility for leading or shaping any major program or activity. This difference in level of program responsibility creates a distinction between the expectations of a staff member and those of an intern.
The core set of work expectations includes:
house parent assistance and relief or substitute house parenting
student supervision, including free-time supervision, chore supervision, and work projects
planning and staffing wilderness and field trips
participation in one Staff Meeting a week and in All School Meeting
In addition to the above core work expectations, each intern works with the intern coordinator in choosing one of the following areas in which to serve as an apprentice:
-teaching assistant
-maintenance assistant
-gardening assistant
-office assistant
-kitchen assistant.
The intern coordinator works with each intern and other staff to create an apprentice opportunity which will result in a feeling of ownership for the work to be learned, with \the opportunity to design and complete a project within the intern’s area of apprenticeship. While each intern is expected to take on one apprenticeship, it is possible to work in more than one area as opportunities arise and the intern coordinator, the intern and other involved staff agree that the workload is not excessive.
There are many other opportunities for interns to contribute to the AMS community. Some of these are listed below. The intern may choose to take assisting or lead responsibility for the following or for similar duties:
-teaching electives – design and teach, or assist with teaching, classes such as arts and crafts, music, languages, wood and metal shop and outdoor activities
-cooking
-gardening or maintenance
-Thanksgiving Play – volunteer to lead or assist
-building or repairing our facilities
-tutoring – one-on-one student work under a staff teacher’s guidance
Requirements
The most important attribute an intern should have is an ability to relate well with the students – to “hang out” with the kids. Students sometimes describe good interns as “bridges” between staff and students – not quite students, but not exactly the typical staff either. Spending time with students at the house, during free time, etc., as a friend, is important, as is having the ability to assert oneself as a staff person. In light of this, an energetic and outgoing personality is helpful. A background in the following areas might be helpful for the intern, though they are not requirements: art, music, drama, dance, outdoor education, agriculture and gardening, psychology, sociology, and general education.
AMS is staff-run by consensus. We have no director or headmaster. A willingness to learn about and work within the consensus process is essential, as is a commitment to nonviolent conflict resolution. Flexibility, a sense of humor, and openness to new ideas, experiences, and personal growth are also important.
Although we usually ask for a ten-month commitment from mid-August to early June (and you are welcome to inquire about that position), at this time, we are seeking applicants able to start in mid-January with a commitment through early June. Once an intern, you are encouraged to consider applying for full-time work for the 2019-2020 school year.
HOW TO APPLY:
Send a resume and letter, including a statement explaining why you want to work at AMS and a description of any relevant past experience. For a position starting next academic year, there is no application deadline, although resumes received by May 31 will be given priority for the next academic year, and the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate has been found. For a position starting in January, we will be interviewing from now until December 12th. Please call 828 675 4262 for more information about the school, or if you have questions about our intern program.
BENEFITS
Interns receive receive room and board, as well as a small stipend of about $420/month. The position also affords the following:
Hands-on experience with alternative education, working with adolescents and consensus decision-making
Resume-builidng experience in all aspects of running a school and non-profit: administration, teaching, farm & garden, maintenance, kitchen, and more
Freedom to take initiative, to pursue one’s own interests, and to take on responsibility
An intense and rewarding learning experience resulting from participation in our vibrant, supportive community of adults and teenagers living and learning together.
General Responsibilities: 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. The school 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. Additional duties may include teaching electives; accompanying students on 3-, 6-, 8-, and 18-day field trips; leading sports and games; participation in staff committees; cooking and chore supervision. Our work calendar generally follows a conventional school year calendar, with some additional work required during students’ extended breaks.
Houseparenting Responsibilities: Houseparenting 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 married couples and single people are considered for houseparenting 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 house work 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 academic classes (math, language arts, Spanish or project-based classes that incorporate science, social studies and art), 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; participation in staff committees; 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.
HOW 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. You’re welcome to call with any questions. We review resumes and letters of interest frequently and conduct phone interviews for 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.
At this time, we are seeking applicants interested in work starting in mid-January, 2019 and intend to conduct interviews in early December. We are also accepting applications for next school year (2019-2020) at this time.
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED:
4-year degree
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 schoolcooperatively. 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.
Additional Responsibilities: In addition to teaching academic classes (math, language arts, Spanish or project-based classes that incorporate science, social studies and art), staff are asked to participate in ongoing maintenance of the schoolgrounds and buildings; leading sports and games; participation in staff committees; 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.
You may also have the opportunity to team-teach a Social Studies/Science class on a given theme in preparation for an 18-day field trip centered around that theme. At the moment, this position does not include houseparenting (living in a boarding house with students). However, our distribution of staff duties changes every year, and candidates must be willing to houseparent in future years, if the need should arise.
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: AMS offers a progressive compensation package. Staff receive room and most board, excellent health coverage including vision and dental, and various other benefits, as well as a salary of about $15,000.
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. You’re welcome to call with any questions. We review resumes and letters of interest frequently and conduct phone interviews for 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.
At this time, we are seeking applicants interested in work starting in mid-January, 2019 and intend to conduct interviews in early December. We are also accepting applications for next school year (2019-2020) at this time.
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED:
4-year degree
