Mountaintop Montessori has an opening for a part-time co-curricular teacher in our beloved Mountaintop Innovation and Design Lab (MInD Lab) program, beginning immediately (2023-24 school year). Through exploration of the design process and scientific concepts, the MInD Lab Teacher will be responsible for helping students from grades 1 through 8 gain hands-on experience with innovative thinking in order to help find solutions to community and global problems. We are looking for a passionate, knowledgeable, and creative teacher that will inspire our students. This program has a beautiful, custom designed space in our newest building on campus, and our school has a highly collaborative teaching atmosphere between the Montessori credentialed teachers and our co-curricular faculty.

This position is 14 hours (3 afternoons: Mon/Wed/Fri, 12:30pm-4pm, plus flexibly scheduled planning time) per week during the academic school year, plus an additional 1.5 hours every other week for required meetings. This position also has one week per school year when full time instruction is required. This position is contracted through early June.

Salary range is $14,500  to $16,500 per year

About Our School:

Mountaintop Montessori is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and the American Montessori Society. We offer an exceptional and authentic Montessori education, serving children and families from infancy through adolescence. Our campus is home to year-round programming in which children thrive through experiential learning, interactions with the natural world, and collaborative discovery. Our campus is a 9-acre classroom including multiple gardens, a greenhouse, a certified wildlife habitat, an art studio, and a science/innovation lab.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, mathematics, education, or related field
• Demonstrable related professional experience and/or skills
• Previous experience working with children, preferably a minimum of 3 years experience
• Familiarity with Montessori principles or willingness to learn
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and demonstrate maturity in managing complex situations
• Ability to complete general computer-based tasks such as word processing, email, and online collaboration (via Google Docs), etc.
• As a condition of employment, a criminal background check and fingerprinting are required.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Patricia Colby, Head of School: pcolby@mountaintopmontessori.org. Applications will be reviewed as received.

We offer:

• Competitive salary
• A supportive and respectful work environment
• Professional development opportunities

About the Position:

Desired profile for this position is someone who has experience working with children, has a background in science and/or education, and has the ability to inspire children through creative lessons. An open-mind, a sense of humor, and flexibility are also highly desired. This position works with students ranging in age from 6 to 14 years.

The Science and Innovation Teacher is responsible for (but not limited to) the following duties:

Preparation & Maintenance of Physical Environment

• Guide keeps inventories of all MInD Lab materials and is responsible for ordering of new, as well as replacement of broken/damaged, items.
• Guide maintains the materials and instructional tools in the MInD Lab.
• Guide works to bring new materials into the Lab that are in line with the programmatic goals and outcomes of the program and are developmentally appropriate.
• Guide replenishes consumable materials on an ongoing basis as needed.

Curriculum Development/Lesson Planning & Preparation

• Guide develops and updates programmatic goals and outcomes in alignment with Mountaintop mission and current pedagogical & environmental knowledge/standards.
• Guide creates developmentally appropriate lessons and activities for the Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary levels that are appealing and engaging.
• Guide plans for the Middle School Immersion Week program and creates appropriate lessons and activities, coordinating with local organizations as needed.
• Guide ensures that materials are available and ready for all planned lessons or activities.

Instruction

• Guide uses the MInD Lab’s programmatic goals and outcomes to guide instructional activities.
• Guide demonstrates proper lab safety and communicates safety guidelines to students.
• Guide provides instruction to Lower or Upper Elementary students three afternoons per week.
• Guide implements annual Middle School Immersion Week activities.
• Guide oversees and coordinates visiting instruction groups such as UVA students, What a Good Idea Lab instructors, and other Charlottesville area programs that are invited to Mountaintop.

Communication/Collaboration/Professional Community

• Guide reports to the Upper School Director
• Guide coordinates with Classroom Guides, Co-Curricular Guides, and Charlottesville community members to ensure quality delivery of the MInD Lab program and any associated activities that students participate in, including trips or projects external to the physical Lab space.
• Guide highlights program on a rotating basis with other co-curricular guides via posts to ParentSquare.
• Guide attends staff, planning and collaborative meetings as described in contract.

Note: Position is FLSA exempt

Mountaintop does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, family makeup, marital status, age, socio-economic level, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, learning style, or any other protected category.