Carolina Friends School
Durham, NC 27705
Start Date: August 15, 2019
Carolina Friends School’s Durham Early School seeks candidates for a lead teacher position with our four-year-old group. This teacher will also co-teach with the three-year-old and the five/six-year-old teachers in a mixed-age early school. Our Durham Early School is influenced by Quaker philosophy and pedagogy and inspired by practices in the schools of Reggio Emilia.
Primary Responsibilities:
Planning and implementing an emergent curriculum
Observing and documenting the children and their work
Effectively communicating with parents and other teachers
Working collaboratively with teaching staff
Researching best practices for early childhood programs
Creating and maintaining aesthetically pleasing and organized indoor and outdoor classroom environments
Attending continuing educational opportunities throughout the school year
Degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development or a combination of relevant education/experience
In-depth experience as an early childhood educator
An interest in and curiosity about the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching and learning
Keen observation skills and experience in planning for an emergent/negotiated curriculum
Strong intra/interpersonal skills and organizational and time management skills
Ability to co-teach in a shared classroom
Must be creative and flexible, possess a sense of humor, and able to view one’s work as “nothing without joy”
An understanding of and strong affinity for Quaker philosophy and the School’s mission
Willingness to understand how power and inequality, influenced by race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, ability, etc. impact our students and families
Certification in Infant/Child CPR, Basic First Aid
Thanks to endowment funds raised in the 2005-2008 Next Step Campaign, Carolina Friends School can maintain a strong commitment to competitive salary and benefits*, including the following (as of Fall 2016):
medical plan coverage (100% of employee-only premium paid by CFS) – choice of UnitedHealthcare POS or HMO plans
cash-out waiver credit – for those who opt out of CFS medical coverage (stipend is taxable income)
health reimbursement account to reimburse most of the cost of medical plan deductible
flexible spending accounts for qualifying medical and dependent care expenses
dental and vision plan coverages (staff member paid, with reasonable pre-tax premiums)
accident insurance (staff member paid; reasonable pre-tax premiums)
generous paid-time off (winter break, spring break, holidays, and accrued leave)
life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance (CFS paid)
short- and long-term disability insurance (CFS paid)
retirement plan 403(b) with TIAA-CREF; includes CFS-paid matching contribution based on tenure
employee assistance program (counseling support for personal concerns)
partial tuition remission for up to two staff children (percentage based on tenure)
credit union membership opportunity
use of on-campus athletic facilities
extensive professional development opportunities
*Benefits eligibility based on percentage of full-time hours worked.
Interested candidates should submit, in one complete PDF file, the following to jobopenings@cfsnc.org, with DES Lead Teacher indicated in the subject line:
Cover Letter
Resume
Statement of Educational Philosophy
Names and contact information for three references, with letters to be submitted
Under separate cover, please ask each recommender to send a letter of reference directly to jobopenings@cfsnc.org and indicate DES Lead Teacher in the subject line of the email. All letters of reference must be received in order for the application to be complete.
Review of resumes will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. CFS reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as all materials can be compiled.
APPLICANTS: Please review the Who We Are, Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity, and Important Information for All Applicants sections on the CFS employment opportunities page (https://www.cfsnc.org/about-us/employment-opportunities).
Carolina Friends School actively strives to be a community of staff, students, and families of diverse backgrounds. CFS does not discriminate based on age, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, socio-economic background, family structure, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, or military service in the administration of its policies and program.
CFS is an equal opportunity employer in both policy and practice.
Founded in 1962, we are a Quaker school with students ages 3-18. Carolina Friends School is a vibrant and inclusive learning community empowering students to think critically, creatively, and independently. We foster active exploration and quiet reflection, individual endeavor and collaborative engagement. Inspired by Quaker values — pursuit of truth, respect for all, peaceful resolution of conflict, simplicity, the call to service — we teach our children that it is possible to change the world.
Carolina Friends School’s Early School
As early childhood educators, we strive to align our thinking and teaching with a research-based understanding of how children learn and grow. We foster social-emotional development and healthy relationships by knowing each student well and attending carefully to their needs and interests; we enable meaningful inquiry through class projects and experiences in the natural world; we build community through collaborative work and shared decision making; and we empower student autonomy through structured and unstructured play to enable the development of self-esteem, creativity, problem-solving, and cognitive development. Ours is a pedagogy of joy, in a culture of belonging and perpetual learning.
Inquires should be emailed to jobopenings@cfsnc.org, with DES Lead Teacher indicated in the subject line
Together, we are empowering exceptional education.