Career Center

Overview The Kew-Forest School is a co-educational independent day school founded in 1918 in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. Today, the School serves approximately 225 students in preschool (3- year-olds) through twelfth grade. The Kew-Forest School student body is one of the most diverse and international at any independent school in the country. Kew-Forest students have varied cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds and a majority are multilingual.

The Kew-Forest School seeks responsible, creative, and compassionate Lower School Lead Teachers for the 2022-2023 school year. The Lead Teacher models integrity, curiosity, responsibility, creativity, and respect for all persons and professional and personal competency related to racial, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, age, sexual, gender, geographic, and ability diversity. The Lead Teacher collaborates with colleagues and the School’s leadership in designing and implementing curriculum within the School’s overall program and Mission. The Lead Teacher reports to the Head of Lower School.

Responsibilities

• Develops daily lesson plans.
• Maintains and inventories classroom and instructional materials.
• Prepares an orderly and clean classroom environment that corresponds to the needs of the group.
• Maintains an environment that meets or exceeds State health, fire, and child-care requirements.
• Works closely with other instructors and participates and assists in interdisciplinary curriculum development and implementation.
• Participates in and supports the greater Kew-Forest professional learning community.
• Mentors Assistant / Associate Teachers, as applicable.
• Initiates growth and change in their intellectual and professional development, seeking observation opportunities, conferences, courses, professional literature, and other learning opportunities.
• Possesses strong content knowledge and understands the developmental needs of children. Instruction reflects research-based best practices that support and challenge each student.
• Interactions with students are predictable, supportive, and respectful of the growing and developing child.
• Maintains current, accurate academic records and offers student feedback in a timely manner. Submits academic records and other records during the year as requested by the Head of School and/or the Division Head.
• Prepares timely written progress reports that reflect student growth in learning goals and provides next steps for achieving mastery. Maintains up-to-date online grading systems, as required.
• Responsible for the safety and physical well-being of the students at all times. Trains and supervises students in the execution of fire and other safety drills. Reports all accidents and incidents immediately.
• Communicates effectively with individual parents concerning their child's specific needs, including conference reports and report cards. Responds to parent questions and concerns in a timely and professional manner. Holds conferences as required by division or as needed.
• When appropriate, communicates regularly with parents via a class newsletter or email and communicates and cooperates with classroom parent representatives.
• Is self-aware and self-monitoring in identifying and solving student, curricular, parent, and school problems. Notifies the Division Head immediately of personal or professional difficulties with students, parents, or staff.
• Cooperates with and participates in professional observation and evaluation and meets annual goals and objectives. Adheres to professional guidelines and standards of professional excellence.
• Assists the School's leadership in developing and implementing Back to School events, parent education courses, Open Houses, and other events, as requested.
• Assists in planning and implementing field trips and other class excursions.
• Maintains current, accurate attendance records.
• Attends faculty meetings and any other special meeting(s), as requested by the Head of School and/or the Division Head.
• Assists with other projects, programs, and planning as assigned or requested by the Head of School and/or the Division Head.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Certification

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree in elementary education preferred.

The ideal candidate is a trustworthy, compassionate, and reflective individual who has:

• A minimum of three years of classroom teaching experience preferred.
• Experience working with a wide range of students with diverse backgrounds.
• A deep understanding of promoting social-emotional competencies in the elementary grades to enhance students’ intrapersonal, interpersonal, and cognitive skills.
• A desire to stay abreast of best practices, trends, and innovative techniques in educating childhood and elementary school students.
• A commitment to developing personal cultural competency and professional growth.
• Possesses strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Excellent listening, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• The ability to identify and respond to students’ needs.

Please send a resume, cover letter, and list of at least three references addressed to Karin Bernstein, Head of Lower School, to lshiring@kewforest.org, and include “Lower School Lead Teacher” in the subject line.

To learn more about The Kew-Forest School, please visit our website: www.kewforest.org.

MISSION

We are The Kew-Forest School.

Our community nurtures lifelong learners from around the world.

Our educators inspire young people to think boldly and find their voices.

Our students support each other and explore thoughtfully as they shape the future.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

The Kew-Forest School believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity. The School prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, culture, background, physical or mental disability, or any other legally protected classes or classifications. No employee or job applicant will be discriminated against in recruitment, compensation, promotion, or termination practices.