Classroom Assistant

Breakthrough Montessori PCS•Washington, DC

2d•$37,000 - $66,032

About The Position

Breakthrough Montessori PCS classroom assistants are dedicated to public Montessori and are excited to help shape this transformational school. This position focuses on assisting the class through transitions and helps support another assistant and guide in the classroom to help children be as independent as possible. This work includes duties like leading groups of children on walks to and from recess, managing lunch for a classroom of children with the help of another adult, creating activities for and managing a group of children during after-school programming, etc.

Requirements

Have a firm commitment to Montessori pedagogy and implementation and upholding the school’s mission and anti-bias/anti-racist pedagogy.
Commitment to upholding the confidentiality of students and parents
Proven ability to work as a member of a diverse team of educators
Enthusiasm and commitment to our vision and mission
Creative, energetic and nurturing personality
Organizational and interpersonal skills
Timeliness and attention to detail
Punctuality
Ability to effectively direct families to the Guide if they have questions
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Experience working with diverse populations of students, parents, and families.
Minimum requirement is an Associate's degree, but a Bachelor‘s degree in the applicable field is preferred
Classroom assisting experience, preferably in a Montessori environment and/or with young children
Experience collaborating and working as an assistant
Experience with families from diverse backgrounds

Nice To Haves

Fluency in a language other than English is a plus

Responsibilities

Assist in the planning, implementing, and coordinating of the whole group events in a Montessori classroom, focusing on whole group management.
Maintain a prepared learning environment according to the developmental and curricular specifications outlined by the Guide/Teacher, including following a weekly and daily cleaning/ sanitizing schedule to maintain the prepared environment
Work on maintaining the environment and material-making if all students have left aftercare before 6:00 pm.
Set limits and boundaries and maintain appropriately high standards for child behavior in the Montessori context
Ability and openness to being trained by the Lead Guide to maintain consistent limits and freedoms for students according to the Montessori method and manage various behavior needs in collaboration with the classroom team
Participate in weekly group coaching meetings, level meetings, and classroom team meetings
Create and maintain a high-quality afternoon lesson, with an expectation of weekly lesson submissions
Maintain and deliver activities for aftercare, creating programming to share with colleagues for regular rotation, and overseeing group activities with aftercare classes, with an expectation of following lessons as set forth by the Extended Day Coordinator
Observe student activity and base interactions on observed needs and developmental abilities
Communicate effectively with colleagues and the school leadership team
Direct all questions and concerns from families directly to the Guide
Be willing to take the lead when necessary and take the initiative always
Fulfill duties in accordance with the Classroom Assistant Appraisal
Provide a spirit of hospitality at school gatherings, occasional public events, and ongoing family engagement events
Attend and participate in school events outside of regular school hours
Other duties as assigned
Exhibits: self-discipline, independence, responsibility, grace and courtesy, respect for others, care of the environment, care of self, community building

Benefits

We provide employees with a robust leave policy that includes:
Paid personal time off
Paid COVID sick leave
Paid family leave (in addition to DC paid family leave)
Paid bereavement leave
Paid leave for the observation of a religious holiday
Breakthrough invests heavily in the professional development (PD) of our faculty through:
A weekly early release schedule with professional development and collaborative planning time from 1:30-4:30 pm every Monday;
An individual professional development budget of $250/year to pursue additional PD opportunities;
Conference participation and
A Continuing Education grant program that provides grantees up to $20,000 to complete Montessori teacher training, an advanced degree or other license.
Other benefits include:
Health, dental, vision
Retirement (Vanguard Retirement)
AFLAC
For information on Breakthrough Montessori PCS, including more information on employee benefits and our company culture, visit our website at www.breakthroughmontessori.org.