Primary Lead Teacher

The Discovery School of Jacksonville•Jacksonville Beach, FL

37d

About The Position

The Discovery School is a private, non-profit school that offers a unique educational experience through a gradual evolution from pure Montessori to a blended curriculum, to pure International Baccalaureate (IB) over the course of the child's academic career, serving children ages 18 months through eighth grade. Through a progressive and internationally-minded framework, students receive a firm foundation in academic skills and participate in a wide variety of enrichment opportunities from a dedicated and caring faculty. Students in our toddler and primary program engage in learning in a Montessori-prepared environment with Montessori-trained teachers. Students in our elementary school are a part of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). Our middle school seeks to challenge students with academic rigor in a low-pressure environment. The Discovery School Lead Primary Teacher understands and promotes the school’s mission, vision, core values, and policies both within and outside the immediate school community. The teacher is responsible for providing a Montessori/IB classroom/instructional program that supports the individual needs of the children in accordance with the school’s mission and vision. The Lead Teacher works collaboratively and is responsible for participating in and facilitating meetings with colleagues and families. This position communicates effectively with the Primary Program Coordinator on all aspects of the program to maintain congruence between their program level and the Board-approved mission. The Lead Teacher is also accountable for regularly evaluating the program to ensure the social, emotional, and academic needs of children are met according to FCIS, AMS, IB, and state licensing (DCF) standards. The Primary Lead Teacher is professionally responsible for implementing best practices based on current research in the field of education. The Lead Teacher is responsible for working 1 week of Summer Camp to support admissions/enrollment management in the creation of a robust Primary cohort of families and students. This job requires the employee to spend working hours working directly with children, as well as sitting at a desk and interfacing with a computer, performing tasks necessary for the upkeep of the campus, and working with adult team members and vendors/contractors. In addition, this job may require the employee to stand, bend, kneel, or lift in their regular job duties. Normal Hours: Monday thru Friday that school is in session, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Other hours as required and deemed necessary by the Head of School

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
At least three years of teaching experience.
Deep capability to engage in differentiated instruction strategies for reading and writing.
Ability to make connections across disciplines and respond to students' ideas and inquiries by adapting lesson plans.
Exceptionally strong interpersonal skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to engage in a collaborative community.
Strong English language & literature skills, scaffolding reading-/writing-related work, and providing an evaluation of work to students.
Planning & Organizing
Interpersonal/relationship management skills
Collaboration & Teamwork
Innovation
Integrity and Trust
Adaptability
Attentive listener
The candidate must be authorized to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in education preferred but not required
Montessori training preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Creates instruction that supports the development of the cognitive, emotional, social,and physical growth of the child using the School Curriculum, Montessori Albums, IB-PYP units of inquiry, and current research-based best instructional practices.
Designs instruction that supports the development of the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical growth of the child.
Uses the School Curriculum, Montessori Albums, IB-PYP standards, and current research-based best instructional practices to develop integrated units of instruction that meet both the group and individual needs of students.
Is responsible for maintaining an ongoing dialogue with enrichment teachers and coordinating curriculum integration and implementation with these teachers.
Works with students of various abilities assigned to the classroom, including those with learning differences as diagnosed. The teacher may be required to meet with families and specialists to fully meet each child’s needs.
Uses various assessment tools/strategies such as observations, children’s work samples, continuums of development, Acadience (DIBELS), portfolios, etc., to help make instructional decisions for individual students.
Prepares a peaceful environment in which the furnishings and materials are complete and correspond to the needs of the group; maintains a clean, orderly, and attractive Montessori/IB environment, including the care and maintenance of plants, animals, classroom materials, and equipment.
Communicates needs for the classroom in accordance with school policy, i.e., maintaining an inventory of classroom materials and any additional materials needed.
Creates an environment that demonstrates rapport with respect and kindness for all students and between students.
Promptly reports discipline concerns beyond typical classroom strategies to the Director of Lower School. A meeting with parents should be arranged.
Is responsible for the safety of the children left in his/her charge, within the classrooms, and on the playground, until dismissed to a responsible adult. The teacher is responsible for the appropriate treatment and well-being of all children, based on respect and consistent with the teachings of Montessori. No child should ever be left unsupervised, either inside or outside the classroom.
Is responsible for understanding and implementation of the School Emergency Operations Plan and must follow School-wide security protocols as directed.
Models and teaches conflict resolution and problem-solving strategies in the classroom.
Promotes an understanding and appreciation of all cultures.
Immediately corrects and/or reports any safety issues to the Director of Lower School and/or the Head of School.
Establishes a positive relationship with students’ parents and maintains regular communication with parents with regard to their child’s specific needs.
Reviews and supports all Primary opening of school packets, Summer Packets, Parent Education, and communication in general.
Collaboratively develops, improves, and participates in parent education and school functions.
Provides for parent conferences (2x annually), completes required Progress Reports (3x per year) in accordance with school policy, and responds to parent concerns in a timely manner.
Provides individual and group Toddle Updates to students’ families and participates in parent education programs to help create an understanding of the Montessori and IB-PYP Curriculum and Philosophy.
Assists in the development of and participates in school functions, including but not limited to Open Houses, Parent Orientations, class picnics, and parent coffees.
Models the Portrait of the Graduate
Passionately pursues their professional growth and development
Unabashedly holds children at the center of all decisions and actions
Cultivates an inclusive and vibrant learning community
Discovers and acts on what is possible
Participates in a regular evaluation process, including classroom observations, feedback conferences, and an annual self-evaluation toward goals set by the teacher and/or in conjunction with the Primary Program Coordinator.
Maintains their teaching skills and participates in professional learning activities (both within the school community and attendance at conferences, workshops, etc.).
Participates in collegial activities designed to make the entire school a productive learning environment, for example, age-level meetings, curriculum discussion groups, working committees, mentoring, etc.
Operates within an annual budget and is responsible for submitting an accounting of these funds.
Is responsible for reading and adhering to the guidelines established in the personnel handbook and adhering to all school policies.
Is responsible for complying with all state regulations and requirements of accrediting organizations.
Conducts new student interviews/evaluations and hosts prospective student applicants in the classroom as requested through admissions.
Is responsible for keeping the Primary Program Coordinator updated on events, issues, schedule, and curricular coordination.
Enthusiastically supports new initiatives.
Performs other duties assigned by the Primary Program Coordinator, Director of Lower School, and/or Head of School.
Completes and maintains all records, reports, evaluations, and inventories of student records and tests in a timely manner as may be required by the school.
Is responsible for following up on students absent for more than 3 days and reporting health/family concerns to the Director of Lower School and/or the Dean of Students.
Plans, field trips, holiday and classroom events, field day, and special events as required.
Works with the Room Parent to plan and coordinate in-class activities and events in which parents/caregivers and/or families participate.
Coordinates all classroom volunteers.
Is responsible for communicating between program levels regarding student transition.
Is responsible for the training, supervision, and evaluation of an Associate Teacher who may be assigned to the classroom.
Is responsible for the supervision of any substitute teachers that may be assigned to the classroom.
Participates in the interview process and orientation of new staff members.
Is responsible for keeping the Primary Program Coordinator updated on events, personal and professional issues, schedule, and curricular coordination that could impact their performance.
Collaborates with the admissions office in regards to tours, sharing schedules, and hosting visitors and prospective parents.