Teaching Assistant

Muir Wood Teen Treatment • Petaluma, CA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Muir Wood is hiring a part-time Teaching Assistant, internally titled Academic Coordinator, for its Sonoma Mountain residential program serving neurodivergent boys ages 12–17. The role supports students in staying connected to coursework from their home schools or approved online programs while they receive residential treatment. The Teaching Assistant helps maintain a calm, structured classroom and adapts day-to-day learning support to each student’s strengths, communication style, and sensory needs. This is an academic support role alongside academic and clinical leadership; no teaching credential or clinical license is required.

Academic programming runs approximately 2.5 hours per day, with additional scheduled time for lesson preparation, progress tracking, and school coordination. The classroom supports up to six students. The program currently has six beds and plans to grow to 12. The position is part-time, approximately 20 hours per week, Monday through Friday, around 12:30–4:30 p.m., in Petaluma, California.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Comfort assisting students across varied academic subjects and online learning platforms.
• Strong organization, patience, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting adolescents in a classroom, tutoring, special education, or youth development setting.
• Experience with neurodivergent teens, including autism, ADHD, or learning differences.
• College coursework or a degree in education, psychology, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Support and supervise daily academic blocks for up to six residents, promoting engagement and consistent routines.
• Help teens access and complete assignments from their home schools or approved online coursework, including individualized assistance and basic tutoring.
• Adapt materials, pacing, instructions, and classroom setup to students’ learning profiles, attention needs, and sensory preferences.
• Track assignments, participation, progress, and barriers to learning with academic leadership.
• Communicate with the Director of Academics, Clinical Director, and care team about academic progress and emerging concerns.
• Support coordination with home schools and families under the direction of academic leadership.
• Maintain a respectful, predictable, strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming learning environment.
• Follow program policies for documentation, confidentiality, safety, and escalation of concerns.

Benefits

• Competitive pay for part-time academic support work.
• Small classroom of up to six students.
• Collaborative team environment alongside academic leadership, therapists, and care staff.
• Opportunity to gain experience toward careers in education, special education, psychology, or counseling.
• Meaningful work supporting teens and families.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED