Lower School Associate Teacher

Convent of the Sacred Heart•New York, NY

1d•$60,000

About The Position

Convent of the Sacred Heart is New York City's oldest independent school for girls. As an independent, Catholic school, educating students in Pre-K through 12, we are part of an international network of 160 schools. We are committed to a set of principles shared by all Sacred Heart Schools. Known as the "Goals and Criteria," these principles articulate the core components of a Sacred Heart education and charge our community with a unified educational mission. At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that each child possesses unique gifts. Our job is to unearth those gifts, nurture them, and empower each child of the Sacred Heart to share those gifts with the global community. Convent of the Sacred Heart is committed to building a community that is anti-racist, anti-bias, fair, inclusive, and welcoming to everyone and seeks candidates who connect to our Mission and Goals . Lower School Associate Teacher Full-Time Beginning Late August, 2026 Position: Lower School Associate Teacher Reports to: Head of Lower School FLSA: Exempt - full-time Salary Range: $60,000, annually Start Date: Late August 2026 The Lower School Associate Teacher Program is a two-year teacher-training program in one grade level designed for college graduates with a bachelor’s degree who are pursuing a career in Early Childhood or Elementary Education. Associate Teachers have the option to apply for a third year in a different grade level, and based on that application may have the opportunity to interview with teachers seeking an Associate Teacher at that time. In addition to the responsibilities listed below, Associate Teachers also participate in the CSH Mentoring Program in which they regularly meet with the Co-Directors of the Mentoring Program and the Associate Teacher cohort. The vision of the program is for Associate Teachers to collaborate with their Head Teachers, so together they can create a space where every child can achieve her greatest potential, and Associate Teachers can further develop their teaching practice. Associate Teachers, Head Teachers, and the Co-Directors work together to set professional goals at the beginning of the year. Through teaching observations, feedback conversations, and ongoing coaching, Associate Teachers work towards their goals. In their second (and potential third) year, Associate Teachers may be given more classroom responsibility at the discretion of the Head Teacher. Associate Teachers may also develop and teach a complete unit in math, reading, writing, or social studies to be evaluated by the Head Teacher and the Co-Directors of the Mentoring Program. Through this program, Associate Teachers may gain the skills, experience, and confidence necessary to succeed in the next step of their teaching career.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, as well as enrolled in or planning to apply for a master’s degree program in Early Childhood, Elementary Education, or an education-related field
Experience working with children, ideally elementary school age
Solid understanding of child development, including cognitive, social, and emotional development
Knowledge of, appreciation for, and demonstrated commitment to anti-racist, anti-bias education, multicultural teaching, and culturally responsive pedagogy
Effective and professional oral communication skills in meetings, on the phone, and on virtual platforms
Effective and professional written communication skills when writing reports, emails, and newsletters
Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
Detail-oriented with systems for personal organization and time management
Experience in teaching with technology, especially Google Workspace and interactive displays preferred
Ability and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances (comfortability with occasionally supporting in coverage across grade levels)
Experience with Singapore Math, Fundations, and Fountas & Pinnell preferred

Responsibilities

Maintain congruence between the school and the mission as articulated in the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria
Nurture a warm and inviting classroom community that promotes a positive and productive learning environment in which each student feels a sense of belonging
Assist the Head Teacher by participating in all aspects of classroom life, including but not limited to classroom management, curriculum design, planning meetings, special events, lesson and project preparation and instruction, and family communication
Differentiate instruction to support group and individual learning, and provide additional support and enrichment to students in small groups and one-to-one as needed
Select and utilize texts, posters, resources, and language that represent a wide range of identities in daily lessons and commit to addressing social justice, diversity, equity, and anti-racist, anti-bias education in the curriculum through lessons, actions, and discussions
Support Head Teachers in preparing for and conducting parent conferences and reviewing progress reports, as well as reporting on the growth, learning style, and behavior of the students
Identify and respond to each individual student’s academic and social-emotional needs in collaboration with the Head Teacher and the Support Services Team, and support in monitoring student progress to determine the effectiveness of interventions
Collaborate with grade-level team members, learning specialists, specialty teachers, and administrators by meeting regularly, sharing resources, and maintaining clear communication in order to support students and to enhance the curriculum, update curriculum maps, and plan and integrate thematic units of study across the curriculum
Perform with care all assigned, ongoing responsibilities (morning duty, roof duty, lunch duty, dismissal, late duty, bus duty dismissal, escorting students to and from specialty classes, etc.)
Attend and participate actively in grade-level, division, and whole-school faculty meetings
Assume the role of Head Teacher if the Head Teacher is absent for any reason
Attend in-house professional development