Lakeside School, an independent coeducational day school located in north Seattle, Washington, is seeking a long term Middle School Personal Development substitute for the 2021 fall semester. This 0.75 FTE assignment will begin in mid- to late August and continue through January 14, 2022. At Lakeside School, we are committed to academic excellence, diversity, and global citizenship.

Responsibilities
The aim of the Lakeside 5th through 12th Grade Personal Development and Wellness department is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to know themselves deeply, take care of themselves physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually, and to positively engage with others in their local and global communities. To achieve these aims, our curriculum works to empower middle and high school students to build self-awareness, understand their identities and the identities of others, make intentional values-based decisions, and identify and practice behaviors that promote their health and wellbeing. Our curriculum focuses on the following key elements:
 

1. Identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability status, socioeconomic status, and age
2. Identity in community, including topics such as power, privilege, prejudice, and discrimination
3. Relationships, including topics such as friendships, romantic relationships, and communication skills
4. Emotional health
5. Brain development
6. Physical wellbeing, including topics such as sleep, nutrition, and puberty
7.  Positive psychology practices, such as mindfulness, gratitude, and goal-setting

This position reports to the Personal Development and Wellness Department Head and will join a highly collaborative and diverse cross-divisional department.  

Specific responsibilities for this position include:

1. Teach six sections of Middle School Personal Development;
2. Participate in the work of the Personal Development sub-department and the Personal Development and Wellness Department on innovative and inclusive curriculum development, pedagogy, and assessment;
3. Build a culture of equity and inclusion within health education, emphasizing that there is no one “right” way to be healthy;
4. Center identity and skills related to communicating across similar and different identities as a cornerstone for all positive relationship-building;
5. Serve as a co-advisor for a group of students and participate in grade level activities, such as service-learning, field trips, or outdoor trips;  
6. Provide academic support for students outside of class time as needed; and
7.  Attend department, grade level, and faculty meetings and participate in the life of the school.

Requirements and Qualifications 

1. Bachelor’s degree;
2. Teaching experience and/or facilitation experience with a diverse groups of adolescents, preferably with students in middle school or early high school;
3. Strong understanding of and appreciation for the opportunities and challenges of adolescent social, physical, and emotional growth and development;
4. Demonstrated understanding of the primacy of identity in healthy development;
5. Strong cultural awareness, including knowledge of themselves and the perspectives and lenses they bring to interactions;
6. Demonstrated ability to interact respectfully with cultures and experiences other than their own, and cultivate meaningful relationships with colleagues and students across differences;
7. Able to interact with pre-adolescents and adolescents in ways that foster trust and respect, encourage thoughtful reflection, and open and honest dialogue about sensitive and personal topics;
8. Ability to be flexible, organized, and to manage time effectively;
9. Collaborative and possesses excellent listening skills;
10. Embraces a growth and learning mindset, is committed to lifelong learning, and has a passion for constant curricular innovation;
11. Candidates must satisfactorily complete two criminal background checks.
12. Local resident of the greater Seattle metropolitan area.  

In addition, the ideal candidate will be someone who will be eager to engage in three multi-year initiatives that are currently underway in the Personal Development and Wellness department.  First, the department is focused on aligning the curriculum of the middle school with an evolving curriculum in the upper school.  Second, the department is working to incorporate the competencies, mindsets, and skills of Lakeside’s re-envisioning into the student experience of our curriculum.  Third, the department is working to incorporate into each grade level the specific knowledge, skills, and mindsets required for students to deeply understand diversity, equity, and inclusion for themselves and for their communities.