Horizons at Episcopal Academy Lead Lower School Teacher
About The Position
Horizons at The Episcopal Academy (HEA) seeks a dedicated and enthusiastic Lead Lower School Teacher to inspire a lifelong love of learning in children. This summer position runs from June 22 – July 30, 2026 , and is ideal for a passionate, collaborative educator who embraces the Horizons mission and contributes to a joyful, inclusive, and academically engaging learning environment. The Lead Teacher partners closely with a teaching assistant, Reading and Math Specialists, and a Counselor, and is supported by the Executive Director. Horizons values continuity and encourages staff to return for multiple summers as we grow the program and strengthen our community. HEA is a community-centered education program serving students from the Greater Philadelphia area. HEA advances educational equity through long-term partnerships with students, families, schools, and communities. Its core offering is a six-week summer enrichment program on Episcopal Academy's campus, complemented by a growing school-year program that includes tutoring, community service, and cultural programming. HEA is part of a national network of more than 70 Horizons programs across the country. HEA strives to create an inclusive, affirming, and welcoming environment that allows all team members to thrive. As an organization whose central purpose is to mitigate inequities in education, Horizons is strongly committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all forms, and we strongly denounce racism, sexism, and discrimination of any kind. Focus on EDI is central to Horizons National and our National Network, which actively engages in diverse and inclusive partnerships; representative councils and working groups; provides robust professional development opportunities; evaluates internal and external communications with an asset- based lens; and facilitates conversations across different communities to ensure that all Horizons voices are heard and represented.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in education or a related field.
- Completion of all required state and federal clearances; CPR/AED certification required.
- Strong alignment with the Horizons mission and commitment to educational equity.
- Demonstrated success using effective instructional and classroom management practices.
- Ability to engage and support students and families from diverse racial, cultural, religious, and neurodiverse backgrounds.
- Strong organizational skills, flexibility, initiative, and enthusiasm for continuous learning.
- Knowledge of social-emotional learning and strategies that build focus, perseverance, empathy, and self-discipline.
- Ongoing commitment to self-reflection, growth, and understanding how systems impact the communities we serve.
Responsibilities
- Attend orientation and required professional development sessions.
- Design and deliver high-quality, culturally responsive, project-based instruction in language arts and math for the six-week summer program.
- Create a safe, respectful, challenging, and joyful classroom environment.
- Plan and lead engaging lessons, community-building activities, and experiential learning opportunities.
- Support students during swim lessons, field trips, meals, and recess.
- Identify individual learning profiles and collaborate with specialists to meet students' academic and social-emotional needs.
- Mentor assistant teachers and collaborate with volunteers and interns.
- Attend weekly faculty meetings and contribute to program evaluation.
- Maintain consistent communication with caregivers and school-year teachers.
