Career Center

Position/Title:   Environmental Justice Teaching Fellow

Appointment: Early August 2023 - Mid-December 2023

Reports To:   Director of the Environmental Justice Semester

Laurel School seeks talented faculty and staff who will put our students first and strive to make a difference in their lives.  We seek to attract culturally and academically diverse faculty and staff who thrive on being engaged participants in our community and are committed to anti-racist education and the development of young women as authentic learners and leaders.   The most successful candidates are solutions-driven, are willing to listen to learn, embrace iteration and practice as a necessary part of the product, see opportunities before problems, and thrive in a fast-paced, forward-thinking educational environment. Laurel lives our mission: to inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world.  We continually challenge our community to question existing paradigms and to dream, dare, and do.  

Position Summary:

Laurel School Environmental Justice (EJ) Semester seeks a collaborative, flexible and optimistic teaching fellow to be part of our inaugural cohort of high school students and faculty. The fellow will work closely with two faculty members to design, redesign, and implement an interdisciplinary, learner-centered and experiential curriculum.  The ideal candidate for this position is passionate about people and the planet.  Priority will be given to those whose educational or personal background includes work in environmental activism, sustainability, social justice, and/or community building. This opportunity is designed to provide additional support to the program, while also engaging the fellow in working with students, collaborating with community partner organizations, practicing different modes of advocacy and activism, and incorporating mindfulness and restorative practices to daily life. The position is from August-December with possible extension until June, depending on enrollment.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• Assist with interdisciplinary instruction and supervision of 15 high school students in a community-house setting.
• Contribute to a positive and fun learning and working environment.  Plan and lead some community-building activities.
• Contribute input and perspective to development and continuous improvement of semester curriculum and programming.
• Help students to stay focused during asynchronous learning time.
• Assists with content creation for social media to share student work and drive online engagement.
• Conference with individual students and student teams about action project goals, timelines, and outcomes. Provide feedback and help students ensure projects stay on track. 
• Practice and model mindful teaching and learning, minimizing outside distractions.
• Engage in and lead restorative circles with faculty support.
• Schedule is 7:45 - 3:45, Monday - Friday. Occasional availability for evening and weekend events is a plus.

Required Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in any field 
• A clear desire and interest in addressing the holistic needs of high school students in an educational setting. 
• Experience or interest in environmental justice, sustainability, social justice, mindfulness, education and/or advocacy and activism.
• Desire to collaborate with community members including students, families, colleagues, and community partners.
• Approaches challenges with curiosity and optimism.  Ready to seek and respond positively to feedback.
• Brings joy and humor to their work with others in a variety of settings.
• Enjoys spending time outdoors in all weather conditions; ability to hike flat, forested terrain in all weather conditions.
• Experience with, or willingness to learn about interdisciplinary teaching, design thinking, experiential learning, and learner-centered instructional practices. 
• The candidate must possess or acquire and maintain a State of Ohio issued teaching certificate, non-tax certificate or substitute certificate.  Laurel School can assist with this process.

Salary:

Laurel offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package.  

To Apply:

Please see www.laurelschool.org for further information and a job application.

Work Environment  

Laurel School is a dynamic, forward-thinking, K-12 girls’ school with a co-ed pre-primary division, where every child is well known. As a Facing History and Ourselves School, Laurel is fully committed to equity and inclusion; we actively seek a culturally diverse faculty and staff.

Laurel teachers are committed to:

• The study of research on girls’ education and integration of this knowledge into classroom practice
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
• Anti-racist, multicultural education
• The academic and social development of girls
• Working with each girl to fulfill the school’s mission
• The creation of an inclusive classroom community
• The integration of community-based learning projects at the classroom level and as a part of the whole school community
• Involving parents as partners in the educational process
• Outdoor education and sustainability
• Flexibility and openness to new ideas

Laurel enjoys an outstanding local and national reputation and is home to the Laurel Center for Research on Girls. In a highly competitive school landscape, Laurel is fortunate to be a school of choice in Cleveland. Our emphasis on the whole child and our legacy of excellence in the teaching of girls set us apart. Located in Shaker Heights, OH (15 minutes from downtown Cleveland) with an additional rural campus 17 minutes away, the school has a suburban/rural advantage. The work environment is noted for being family-friendly and flexible. The feeling in the school is joyous, collaborative and innovative. Our curricular philosophy emphasizes community-based, interdisciplinary and experiential learning. Collaboration and reflective practice are key to pedagogy at Laurel. The school is fully committed to a culturally diverse faculty and student body. 

Laurel School is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all personnel and applicants for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; gender identity; national origin; handicap or disability; sexual orientation; or status as a veteran, Vietnam era, or special disabled veteran.