Town School for Boys seeks a full-time Reading Teacher for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB INCLUDE: 

This position involves coordinating and facilitating the school’s K-3rd grade literacy intervention program as a member of the reading team.  This requires collaboration with teachers to identify the literacy needs of students, assisting teachers with the collection of data, analysis of data results and placing students in appropriate reading intervention groups.  The position involves assessing and teaching small groups of students in grades K-3rd grade using a pull-out model of instruction and a targeted literacy intervention model using research-based strategies and resources.  There are weekly faculty meetings and weekly lunch and recess duty obligations.  Parent-teacher conferences are held twice each year.  Teachers are expected to attend professional development to enhance personal knowledge of pedagogy and content, especially in literacy, and maintain and submit accurate and up-to-date management records of all students’ progress.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS INCLUDE:

The ideal candidate will have a Reading Specialist Teaching Credential and a minimum of two years of teaching experience providing small group reading instruction to elementary grade students.  The candidate will have deep knowledge of the instruction of reading, writing, and spelling.  Experience with and/or training in Slingerland or Orton Gillingham is preferred as is knowledge of Fountas and Pinnell Literacy and the Benchmark Assessment System.  Candidates should demonstrate passion for working with Lower School students and be knowledgeable about this developmental stage of growth. The candidate should have a strong background in the area of social and emotional learning which is as important as the academic curriculum at Town. We ask that candidates are either comfortable with or willing to be trained in the Responsive Classroom approach. The position involves collaborating closely with other reading teachers, classroom teachers, and the Lower School Head.  Good communication skills are essential.

Instructional approaches should be differentiated to suit a range of learning levels and styles and reflect a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds.  Cultural competency is an expectation of this candidate. Reading teachers should frequently communicate with other faculty and with parents about student progress. Reading teachers are expected to take an active role in the school by contributing to committees, chaperoning field trips, and attending student performances and athletic events.

TOWN SCHOOL FOR BOYS MISSION

At Town School learning is prized, love of school is essential, and boyhood is celebrated.

PHILOSOPHY

As an all boys’ school, Town provides a rich, challenging and rigorous educational experience that addresses the distinctive energy levels and developmental styles of boys. Town values being a diverse community that nurtures integrity, sensitivity and respect in its boys, and prepares them to become productive and contributing members of an ever-changing world.

CORE VALUES

RESPECT: We respect ourselves and others.

• We treat others the way they want to be treated.

• We practice good listening, compassion and empathy.

CURIOSITY: We are curious.

• We ask questions, think critically and solve problems.

• We seek opportunities to reach our highest potential.

BELONGING: We all belong.

• We embrace and celebrate each of our unique stories and experiences.

• We seek to ensure that every member of our community feels an equal sense of inclusion.

INTEGRITY: We act with integrity.

• We have the courage to do the right thing even when nobody else is watching.

• We always try our best and when we fail, we try again.

JOY: We are joyful.

• We make space for play, fun and laughter.

• We know joy can be found in hard work, risk-taking and perseverance.

STATEMENT OF TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Our goal is for each boy to be engaged in an environment that weaves together collaboration, critical thinking, integrity, empathy, and creativity. These broad skills, as well as a firm grounding in core academic competencies, offer boys an excellent preparation for their further education. We promote social and emotional learning as a foundation of academic excellence and self-discovery. We prepare students to meet challenges in the world by helping them develop an appreciation for a variety of perspectives from the local to the global. We celebrate diversity by fostering a community of learners built on mutual respect. Learning experiences are inclusive, relevant, flexible, innovative, and adapted to reflect the needs of all kinds of learners. In our joyful, active, and collaborative school, boys flourish.

 We achieve these goals through an authentic curriculum that originates in the classroom, travels through the halls, and extends into the world. Our teaching balances traditional methods with key student-centered approaches including inquiry, project-based learning, and teaching for understanding. We stay relevant and current through our testing of innovative, research-based approaches. We model a commitment to lifelong learning, and we hone our craft by pursuing professional development and sharing knowledge with one another.

STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY:

Diversity, inclusion, and equity are essential core values of Town School. The best education for our students requires a diverse experience because a broad spectrum of ideas is essential for understanding different perspectives, challenging assumptions, and inspiring curiosity, to support critical and complex thinking.

 We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where each boy is free to be himself, and where boys are confident and secure in their own identities. We equip each boy with the tools to explore differences in experiences, background, beliefs and ideas. We seek to provide each student with the support and resources he needs to succeed and thrive at Town School. 

A diverse and vibrant community is essential. To build and sustain such a community, we reach out to enroll students and families from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, religions, and sexual orientations, and we recruit and retain faculty, staff and administrators from the same broad range of backgrounds. We cultivate an environment where every member of the Town community senses they matter as a significant part of the life of the school. Only when each person feels valued and is engaged may the school and the individual achieve their full potential.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY: 

Town School for Boys admits students of any race, color, religion, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.

Salary and benefits are commensurate with our peer schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and with like NAIS schools.