Career Center

St. Catherine's School is an Episcopal day school in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 1890 enrolling 946 girls age 3 through grade 12.  Located on a 16-acre campus in the western part of the city, St. Catherine's core values include pursuing academic excellence, developing character, nurturing spiritual growth, celebrating individuals, and building community.

St. Catherine's School provides a rigorous education that prepares girls with diverse perspectives for a lifetime of learning, leadership, and service in a global community.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Lower School Religion teacher is responsible for creating a flexible religion program and learning environment designed to cultivate each student’s innate spirituality and personal growth and foster a love of learning. This teacher needs to establish effective rapport with students and motivate and guide students to develop skills, attitudes and knowledge needed for a foundation for lifelong learning and responsible global citizenship. This teacher is expected to stay current with best practices in religious education, particularly with girls’ education. Establishing and maintaining positive relationships with parents and other faculty/staff members is essential. The Lower School Religion teacher is expected to collaborate effectively with other faculty/staff members; to be the Lower School Religion Department Coordinator and collaborate with department members; to support the school’s mission and core values.

Supervisor:     Head of Lower School

Position Status:  Salaried, exempt, full-time, 9 months

Hours of Work:  Standard work week.  Evening and weekend work may be required.

Note:  This position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work to be performed by employees within this classification.  This position description should not be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities required or assigned to an employee in this position. Nothing contained in this position description restricts St. Catherine’s School’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Developing and teaching a curriculum for Early Learners to Grade 4 whose objectives are based on the school’s commitment to its Episcopal identity and core values, Episcopal dogma, research, and knowledge of developmental skills
• Developing lesson plans and utilizing instructional materials that enhance the learning experiences and maximize the available time for instruction
• Serving as lay chaplain to the Lower School through planning weekly chapel services in conjunction with the Episcopal Church calendar and lectionary
• Preaching weekly to students in Chapel in a way that reaches them developmentally across a wide variety of ages and stages
• Supporting colleagues in preparing class-led chapel;
• Implementing curriculum in collaboration with the Religion department
• Establishing and maintaining standards of student behavior needed to achieve a positive learning atmosphere in the classroom
• Providing individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student
• Delivering high-quality, engaging instruction using a variety of strategies, such as inquiry, group discussion, discovery, play, project-based learning and hands-on experiences
• Enhancing an effective environment for learning through functional and attractive displays, bulletin boards and interest centers
• Evaluating students’ academic and social growth, keeping appropriate records and preparing report cards
• Working collaboratively with other faculty/staff members/support personnel (e.g., specials teachers, therapists, counselors, etc.) in assessing and helping students with regard to health, attitude and learning
• Participating in and staying abreast of information coming from Lower School faculty meetings, all school faculty meetings, Religion department meetings and faculty committees as required
• Developing personal and professional short and long term goals in partnership with the Head of Lower School and Assistant Head of Lower School
• Participating in curriculum and professional development programs as required
• Establishing and maintaining positive relationships with families
• Communicating with parents through monthly updates on the approved Lower School platform as designated by the Head of Lower School
• Communicating with parents through conferences, narrative report card comments, emails, and/or phone calls as needed to discuss students’ progress and explain the school program/curriculum
• Selecting and ordering books, instructional aids and materials in coordination with the department
• Maintaining an inventory of instructional materials, aids and equipment
• Attending after school activities and events as required
• Supervising students in out-of-classroom activities during the school day (i.e. carpool, recess, study hall, clubs, and other assigned duties)
• Professional experience and/or a personal commitment to increasing understanding of topics and initiatives related to diversity, access, equity, and belonging.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree in related field from accredited university
• Experience fostering religious and spiritual formation within children is preferred but not necessary for hiring
• Experience leading chapel/church services as a lay leader
• Experience fostering Episcopal identity within a learning/worship environment is preferred but not necessary for hiring
• Demonstrate proficiency with integrating technology into the classroom (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Seesaw, Zoom, SMARTBoard, etc.) is preferred but not necessary for hiring
• Demonstrate adaptability to new and evolving technology, and the ability to show innovation and vision related to the efficient processing of information related to this role
• Demonstrate proficiency with oral and written communication 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle and feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl; talk and hear; engage in moderately strenuous physical activity both indoors and out; and smell. The employee may occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.  Ability to become CPR and First Aid Certified.

TRAVEL

Travel is not a requirement for this role.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

St. Catherine’s School does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its hiring practices. St. Catherine’s School is committed to providing an inclusive educational environment. We actively engage students, families, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Our School community respects the differences in ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. St. Catherine’s fosters in our students, and experts from all others, respect for the dignity and wholeness of every person. For more information about the school’s Access, Equity and Belonging please follow this link https://www.st.catherines.org/about/access-equity-andbelonging.

BACKGROUND CHECK STATEMENT 

Each employee’s employment and continued employment is contingent upon the authorization for and completion of a successful background check – in the School’s ultimate opinion. Such background checks may involve criminal, credit, abuse and neglect and/or driving records. The School may request authorization for a background check at any time. Failure to authorize the School to conduct a background check may result in an applicant not being considered for a position and an employee to be terminated. As a result of their contact with students, employees may also be required to provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 in accordance with the school’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, or request an accommodation. 

CONDITIONAL OFFERS 

An offer of employment for this position is contingent upon the applicant’s right to work in the United States, authorization for and completion of successful background checks as may be requested by the school or required by law, and ability to comply with the school’s COVID-19 vaccination policy, which requires employees to be vaccinated from COVID-19 consistent with applicable law.