Position Status: Full-Time

Reports to: Head of School

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge of and experience with Progressive Education
• 3-5 years teaching experience with both onsite and remote teaching
• Bachelor’s degree required. Graduate degree or degree-in-progress related to education is preferred.
• Experienced at planning and implementing integrated curricula
• Experience with using technology to support teaching and learning
• Committed to academic excellence and culturally responsive teaching
• Open and motivated to work collaboratively
• Understands child growth, development, and social needs
• Possesses strong communication and organizational skills
• Exhibits a strong commitment to working in a diverse, multi-cultural community

RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead Teachers will instruct classes in language arts, math, history and science. Depending upon class size, classrooms have either a part-time or full-time Teaching Assistant in addition to the Lead Teacher. Maximum class size is currently 14 students. Must be willing to teach onsite and be comfortable with remote learners and teaching remotely.

Curriculum:

• Coordinate with Head of School, Lead Teacher peers, and Teaching Assistant to implement an appropriate curriculum consistent with the Aurora philosophy, including: instruction of small and large groups of children and regular assessments and evaluations of children.

Classroom environment:

• Set up classroom for onsite and remote learners.
• Keep classroom clean, safe, and uncluttered throughout the year.
• Organize materials at the end of the year for summer storage.
• Report any classroom maintenance problems to the appropriate staff person.
• Help maintain the common areas of the school.
• Demonstrate effective classroom management and record keeping techniques.

Meetings and Committees:

• Attend lead teacher, whole-staff meetings and scheduled staff in-services; rotate chairing and recording at these meetings.
• Act as an educational staff representative to one school committee. (Determined annually during August planning sessions. Exempt first year of employment).

Communication with Families:

• Recognize and respect the primary role of the parents in the education of their children. Thus, strive to facilitate parent involvement and respond to parent/guardian-initiated communication within 72 hours.
• Notify parents in case of child illness/injury/behavior problems (see Aurora Behavior and Communication Policy).
• Hold formal parent/teacher conferences twice a year for each child, as well as other conferences that may be necessary throughout the year.
• Write progress reports twice a year for each child.
• Write and distribute a class newsletter (Grades K-1 weekly; Grades 2-5 every other week).
• Maintain and encourage open communication with parents.
• Work to help parents understand Aurora’s philosophy of learning and how day-to-day teaching strategies and curricula are aligned with school mission.

Field trips:

• Implement and safely carry out class field trips to support learning as related to curriculum.
• Notify the administration in advance of any trips planned, including any materials and registration needed and possible scheduling conflicts.

After-hours school-wide events attendance:

• Back-to-School Night (fall)
• Informational Meeting (Saturday morning in the fall)
• School Open House (spring)
• Assigned Class Performance
• Weekend Assessments (K/1 only)

Substitutes:

• Plan lessons and extensions for substitutes.
• Procuring own substitute.

Miscellaneous:

• Actively engage with each student in a manner that fosters a positive self-concept, an enjoyment and development of academic competency, and a feeling of respect for the Aurora community and beyond.
• Ensure that teaching style, curricula, and interactions with students, parents, staff and teachers reflect Aurora’s mission and core values.
• Understand the limits of professional competencies and make appropriate referrals for the benefit of the student.
• Be responsible for the safety of all children when supervising on schoolyard at recess and lunch. This includes, but is not limited to, consistent monitoring, disciplining, and/or facilitating conflict resolution for the following behaviors such as: use of inappropriate language, teasing, physical aggression, exclusion, etc.
• Assess and evaluate prospective students.
• Organize and monitor parent volunteers.
• Interact with all staff members as equal and respected partners.
• Participate in interview process for selecting new staff, when appropriate.
• Accept accountability and professional evaluation of performance and respond to needed changes in a positive and professional manner.
• Exhibit professional standards of attendance, punctuality, grooming, language, preparation, and relationship to students.
• Notify the office when leaving the school grounds, with or without a class, during school hours.
• Read current Staff/Faculty Handbook in its entirety and submit a signed Acknowledgement of Staff Handbook Understanding form.
• All other duties as assigned by the Head of School.

COMPENSATION: Commensurate with experience.

TO APPLY: Please submit your cover letter and resume to the attention of Katheryn Negrosa, Human Resource Coordinator at hr@auroraschool.org. No phone calls please.  

ABOUT US: Aurora School’s mission is to nurture children’s love of learning by cultivating academic excellence, emotional intelligence and social engagement. Established in 1988, Aurora is an independent K-5 school that combines challenging academics, small multi-age classes, differentiated instruction, and a keen awareness of children's social and emotional development. We are fortunate to be able to focus on a stellar K-5 school experience for our students. All of our energy is invested in best practices for children in the elementary grades in order to foster their development into self-aware, confident life long learners who advocate for themselves and others, throughout school, in our Oakland community and in the world at large. Our talented teachers provide a safe learning atmosphere that extends beyond the classroom to every aspect of the school. The result is that Aurora graduates have a strong and solid foundation for middle school and beyond.

EEO Policy: Aurora School is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, creed, gender, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity and expression, domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, or any other unlawful consideration.