Career Center

Laguna Blanca School is a college preparatory, coeducational day school located on two campuses in Santa Barbara, California. Grades EK-4 are located on a quaint campus in Montecito, while Grades 5-12 are located on Laguna’s historic campus in idyllic Hope Ranch. Laguna Blanca emphasizes its core values of scholarship, character, balance, and community in its programs.   

Laguna Blanca School seeks a STEM Coordinator & Engineering Teacher to lead the Innovation Center and facilitate Middle & Upper School electives. This instructor will bring intelligence, creativity, and knowledge of the teaching of science & engineering to the school community. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Delivers excellence in Middle School & Upper School science & engineering classroom instruction and ensures the following:

• Creates multifaceted assessments that not only speak to students’ content acquisition, but the process skills.
• Understands thematic instruction and the use of interdisciplinary units to contextualize students’ engineering & designing education
• Works to intertwine experimental design and inquiry into student’s engineering experiences
• Oversee the school's Innovation Center and partners with the Department Chair for Science and STEM about the spaces’ materials, tools, and programming

Delivers instruction through various modalities including project-based learning methods. The position requires and is not limited to proficiency in the following areas:

• Oversee, mentor, coach, and manage STEM clubs & STEM activities
• Competency with educational technology, including Zoom, Google Suite, and online learning management platforms.
• Ability to contribute to the engineering program, which includes experience with
• computer-aided design
• automated manufacturing tools such as CNC routers, laser cutters, 3D printers, etc.
• integrated engineering projects using Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar microcontroller
• programming for Arduino or similar microcontrollers
• using a variety of hand and power tools found in a shop/ makerspace
• Use of Oculus and programming
• Fluency with the breadth of technology involved in engineering activity and eagerness to stay current with new developments

As a full-time position that will work in the Middle & Upper School divisions, the instructor must have a passion for instructing students. Laguna seeks a teacher who:

• Teaches existing curriculum, and will develop curriculum that focuses students on the design thinking process and meets Laguna Blanca’s pedagogical standards.  Develops a curriculum that is vertically aligned. Is eager to collaborate with colleagues in a process that strives for interdisciplinary connections, enhances existing programs, and meshes with existing courses. 
• Motivates students to attend to long-term projects and equips them with skills to overcome setbacks as they team together to make products, think analytically, and emerge as leaders to contribute to society
• Identifies and designs curriculum material to align with NGSS in all areas of science (technology and engineering, physical science and chemistry, inquiry and nature of sciences, earth, space and life, personal and social) in a progressive manner over the course of Middle & Upper School offerings.
• Creates curriculum to help students work both collaboratively and individually to solve complex authentic problems.
• Creates a classroom environment that is safe, conducive to learning and is appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students.
• Establishes and communicates clear objectives for all lessons, curricular units, and projects. 
• Facilitates, creates, and participates in related admission activities, clubs, competitions, and outreach events.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION: BA/BS degree in Science or Science Education minimum. California Clear Credential Preferred. 

EXPERIENCE: 3+ years of independent/public school teaching or related experience is preferred, as is a teaching credential, but subject area experience and a willingness to develop instructional skills will also be considered.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES:   Knowledge of the current theories, techniques and methodologies of design thinking and engineering.  We require a person with a passion for all things STEM-related and experience operating tools and programs within Innovation Centers geared towards students as designers.  

This position requires someone with a magnetic personality that can draw students into exploring the natural world.  The position will require someone who can adjust to the needs and interests of students and has the ability to learn new and complex technology as it presents itself.

Teachers at Laguna Blanca:

• Encourage a culture of mutual respect and equitable practice
• Exhibit knowledge of student cognitive development and various learning styles
• Communicate effectively with students and families about classroom activities and student progress
• Demonstrate content knowledge
• Set high academic achievement expectations
• Identify and support students’ social, emotional, and behavior learning needs
• Implement project- based learning techniques and strategies
• Facilitate and design effective group work
• Provide timely feedback and collaborate with faculty to offer specialized support  
• Foster student growth through semi-annual Student-Led Conferences (SLC) and presentations of learning.
• Showcase student work within the community
• Scaffold instructional activities that facilitate engaging and appropriate learning opportunities
• Differentiate instruction based on feedback, needs, and learning levels
• Provide opportunities for student engagement through “voice and choice”
• Create relevant and authentic learning experiences
• Implement backward design to align all lessons, activities, and assessments
• Design formal and informal assessments that measure student progress

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times
• Must be able to traverse school facility and lead students to safety in the event of an emergency

Laguna Blanca School does not discriminate based on gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any characteristic that is legally protected under applicable local, state, or federal law. This nondiscrimination policy includes but is not limited to admission, financial aid, educational programs, athletics, and employment.