Upper Elementary Teacher

Curtis is seeking an Upper Elementary Teacher to join a team-oriented, inclusive, and professional learning community. Curtis School is a DK-6 co-ed elementary school whose mission is to “develop, in every child, a sound mind in a sound body, governed by a compassionate heart.” 

We place an equal emphasis on academic, physical, social-emotional, and character education and instill a growth mindset modeled by faculty and staff who are the best in their craft. The Upper Elementary Teacher will be responsible for maintaining a positive learning environment in their homeroom and creating a program that meets the intellectual and emotional needs of each child. The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues in their grade level, under the supervision of the Director of Grades 3-5, to build an engaging curriculum that fulfills Curtis’s mission and values. The candidate must have excellent time-management, organizational, and communication skills, be innovative and creative in instructional planning, dynamic and adaptable to shifting work conditions, and open to feedback. A collegial personality and responsiveness to direction are essential traits, as is a love of working with elementary school-aged children.

Curtis School is fully committed to a diverse faculty and student body. The candidate should possess an abundance of respect and sensitivity around racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and all differences. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Include, but are not limited to: 

• Embracing Curtis School’s Vision, Purpose, Values, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement

• Collaborating with the grade-level team and division colleagues to plan and implement an appropriately challenging curriculum in reading/language arts, math, anti-bias, and social studies 

• Promoting academic, social-emotional, and physical development of children in individual, small group, and whole class settings

• Assessing students using current strategies and tools to inform instruction and give feedback 

• Completing checklists and narrative reports and participating in twice-yearly parent-teacher conferences 

• Supervising children during morning break, lunch and recess, and afternoon carpool

• Integrating meaningful and appropriate use of technology within the curriculum and as a communication tool

• Attending Back-to-School Night, Open House, faculty workshop days, grade-level and division meetings, relevant all-school events, and all mandatory professional development 

A successful candidate will:

• Have a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree and teaching credential preferred)

• Ideally have 3-5 years’ teaching experience (Grades 3-5 preferred)

• Have familiarity with the following instructional approaches: Responsive Classroom, backward design, and Singapore math

• Have strong writing skills and the ability to effectively communicate student progress via report card narratives

• Be cognizant of current trends, pedagogy, research, and topics of importance in education and be willing to apply them in the classroom and share with other teachers

• Continually seek professional growth and development 

• Demonstrate professionalism 

• Possess excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with students, colleagues, and parents

• Participate actively in student and community life inside and outside the classroom

• Understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in education

• Have excellent technology skills and experience integrating technology in instruction 

• Provide a portfolio of teaching with examples of innovative lessons or projects that demonstrate creative and critical thinking and/or teach a demo lesson

• Be flexible about working in outdoor weather conditions and able to regularly sit, stand, walk, use hands, reach with arms, talk and hear, and occasionally lift up to 10-25 pounds