Job Description

Job Description

** **Full-Time ELA Teacher & Program Co-Facilitator ****

The Chicken Coop School at the Farm School

** Job Description**

** About Us:**

The Chicken Coop at the Farm School is a full-time farm-based school for local children in 7th and 8th grades in North Orange, MA. We are one component of The Farm School, which was founded in 1987 with the mission of connecting people to the land. We are a one-room school of 12-15 students. The Chicken Coop curriculum covers a standard range of academic subjects and in addition, students regularly get to work with farmers on seasonal projects right at school. In lieu of a letter-based grading system, we use biannual written evaluations and student presentations of work. The curriculum has room for students to discover and explore their personal interests within each topic. Most importantly, the teachers get to know their students and have time to be joyful with them. Learn more at www.farmschool.org/education.

** About the Job:**

We are looking for a creative and caring educator to join our middle school teaching team at the Chicken Coop School beginning in the ‘26-27 academic year. The Coop has two full-time teachers/program facilitators who teach their own academic subjects and also work closely together to build the school culture and structure in which students learn and grow. We are looking for a talented teacher with an ELA focus to teach Reading Workshop and Writing Workshop. This is a special opportunity for an experienced teacher who is excited to design their own curriculum or bring your expertise to our existing curriculum. In addition to the two classroom teachers, there are adjunct teachers and farmers who make up the rest of the teaching staff. This role additionally functions as program facilitator and administrator with support from members of the Farm School. The specifics of each teacher’s daily responsibilities will be determined in collaboration with the other teacher and the director of the Farm School.

Qualities We’re Looking For:

• At least 3 years of experience lead teaching or co-teaching in a classroom
• Rich experience in your content areas through education and/or applied practice
• Experience designing curriculum
• Ability to set and hold boundaries while also being flexible
• Past organizational and/or personal work in areas that uplift racial equity and liberatory practices
• Excitement about co-leading a small school with another educator
• Experience with or interest in farming or farm education
• Blend of playfulness & seriousness to hold and connect with a diverse group of students
• Excitement to connect lessons to the outdoors and engage students outside in all weather conditions
• Ability to build positive, collaborative relationships with guardians and other stakeholders
• Strong writing skills and general computer skills

_ Note: A teaching license is not required to apply_

** General Responsibilities:**

• Uphold and represent the Farm School mission, vision, values and commitment to work toward Racial Equity and Liberation
• Summer prep meetings and setup of classroom space
• Create a welcoming learning environment that embraces diversity
• Plan and teach classes and work with students 1:1 as needed
• Adapt curriculum and lessons to meet student needs
• Connect farm work to other parts of the curriculum
• Review and give feedback on student work
• Communicate safety protocols and maintain a safe environment
• Help maintain the cleanliness and functionality of physical spaces
• Communicate with families as needed - triumphs, incidents, needed support, etc.
• Co-plan and co-lead Curriculum Night, open houses and other student/family events
• Co-lead parent/guardian conferences 3x a year and as needed
• Schedule and attend field trips, overnight trips, special days, and community service opportunities that can extend beyond scheduled school hours
• Write student assessments twice a year (in lieu of report card grades)
• Supervise students during lunch and recess and transition times
• Co-manage the admissions process for prospective students
• Meet weekly afterschool with the other co-teacher and as needed
• Keep records of curricula for future years and use Google Suite with students
• Participate in feedback, reviews and evaluations as a staff member
• Follow Farm School handbook policies and practices including incident reports
• Up-to-date certifications for CPR/First Aid and Mandated Reporting

_ Note: This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of responsibilities. Roles and responsibilities may change as needed._

** Hours:** This is a full-time position, Monday-Friday, mid-August to mid-June, with occasional events that extend beyond school hours (ex: overnight trip and summer fundraising event)

** Compensation:**

$49,500 annual salary with automatic annual increases, relocation benefits ($500 if moving onsite, $1,000 if living offsite), employer health insurance contribution, SIMPLE IRA contribution, professional development funds, farm-grown food, 6 days of sick/personal time per year, school vacations, and 2% annual retirement contribution.

_ We serve diverse communities of students and we are striving to develop a staff that reflects that. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply to our open positions. The Farm School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national or ethnic origin in any of its school administered policies or programs._

Company Description

The Farm School spans over 200 beautiful acres of farm and forest nestled among the rolling hills of North Central, MA. We are a diverse, forward thinking and creative community. Farmer-teachers work with youth to connect to the land, honor it and steward it. We work to help connect people to the land and bring youth outside to connect to nature through farming. We host over 1500 students per year on the land, donate thousands of farm produce, meat and milk to communities facing food insecurity and provide outdoor land based experiences for youth facing economic challenges.

Company Description

The Farm School spans over 200 beautiful acres of farm and forest nestled among the rolling hills of North Central, MA. We are a diverse, forward thinking and creative community. Farmer-teachers work with youth to connect to the land, honor it and steward it. We work to help connect people to the land and bring youth outside to connect to nature through farming. We host over 1500 students per year on the land, donate thousands of farm produce, meat and milk to communities facing food insecurity and provide outdoor land based experiences for youth facing economic challenges.