San Francisco, California
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 23-Dec-24
Location: Los Altos, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: 85,000-100,000 K
Categories:
Salary Details:
Science/STEAM LAB Specialist Job Description
This position is full-time and begins August 11, 2025.
Salary Range: 85k to 100k , dependent on education and experience
Competitive Benefits
Applications will be reviewed starting the week of January 13, 2025.
School Profile
Ventana School, a progressive, Reggio-inspired Preschool (2 yrs-5 yrs) and Elementary School (K-5) located on a beautiful campus in Silicon Valley.
At Ventana School, we believe in the infinite potential of the confident, curious child. Children’s questions and perspectives are honored every day as our teachers engage their wonder and creativity. We approach education this way because it nurtures engaged, intellectually curious individuals who are prepared to define their own success and contribute to the world in truly original ways.
Position
Ventana School is searching for a Science/STEAM Specialist. We are seeking an energetic, committed educator who brings joy to teaching and learning, builds relationships with students and colleagues, and knows how to balance direct instruction with inquiry-based project work. This teacher will be a strong collaborator, a thoughtful communicator, and have a good understanding of the developmental needs of elementary students. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys the challenge of creating a new curriculum to capture the intrinsic motivation of students while helping them advance their understanding of the world around them.
The Science/STEAM Specialist reports to the Director of Elementary Education and works in partnerships across the elementary program and preschool programs to build an inclusive learning environment that nurtures every learner's curiosity, creativity, confidence, and independence. The Science/STEAM Specialist provides expertise, with a focus on design thinking, scientific process, creative problem solving, inquiry-based curriculum development, tinkering (including woodworking), and content expertise in physical, life, and earth sciences. This position skews heavily towards supporting the elementary program, so experience in elementary education is highly valued in a candidate.
The Science/STEAM specialist teaches Kindergarten through fifth-grade classes on a three-week, four-day-a-week rotation cycle. Kindergarten through 2nd grades and 3rd through 5th grades alternate rotations. This teacher also facilitates lunchtime tinkering daily for Kindergarten through fifth graders. This way, our students can maintain their passion for tinkering even when they are not in their science rotation.
Ventana's collaborative model necessitates that teachers contribute fully and equally to the development of our Reggio-inspired curriculum and approach. Rather than following a prescriptive curriculum, this position calls upon the teacher to develop an emerging sequence of lessons that correspond to the unfolding inquiry of each grade level. At Ventana, observations, instruction, implementation of inquiry work, and documentation are essential to the satisfactory performance of this job and are planned collaboratively. All Ventana teachers attend to the social/emotional needs of a diverse school-age population and will collaborate and communicate effectively with colleagues, students, parents, and administrators. Ventana teachers are familiar with Ventana School's curricula and utilize specific adopted curriculum materials and methods.
Overview of Responsibilities:
- Engaging students in active learning experiences around the specialist's area of expertise in accordance with program expectations. The curriculum is guided by the Director of Elementary Education and the Head of the School.
- Providing instruction in the area of expertise in accordance with the weekly schedule. Instructional methods include but are not limited to, direct instruction and inquiry-based exploration. Instruction will be in alignment with Ventana's Reggio Emilia-inspired approach, as guided by the Director of Elementary Education and the Head of School.
- Engaging in collaboration with preschool and/or elementary teaching teams (via in-person meetings and email) about curriculum integration and following through with those plans
- Preparing long- and short-term plans around "Big Questions" that connect to classroom inquiry work
- Creating and maintaining a Reggio-inspired classroom environment that is aesthetically pleasing, invites inquiry, and is child-centered
- Differentiating for individual student needs and collaborating with other teachers to determine the best strategies for individual students
- Supporting students in their learning inquiry by listening and respecting their interests, passions, and dialogues
- Maintaining classroom management by implementing strategies that draw on children's strengths and participation
- Facilitating a democratic community of learners through conflict resolution strategies and a view of the child as 'competent' in both solving problems and contributing to solutions
- Making learning visible through weekly blog posts and through documentation in interior and exterior spaces. ·
- Monitoring student progress through consistent observations and developmentally appropriate assessments
- Maintaining positive, open communication with parents
- Preparing written reports for each student twice per year by specified deadline. Reports should meet expectations set out in Ventana's Report Writing Expectations document
- Supervising, as assigned or requested, student unstructured time during recess periods
- Providing absence coverage for other teachers, as assigned or requested
- Attending Specialist Team Meetings and weekly Elementary Staff Meetings
- Fully participating in and contributing to ongoing personal, and professional development through in-service workshops inside and outside of school
- Overseeing lunchtime tinkering pop-up
- Maintaining the tinkering lab supplies
- Developing the woodworking and electrical skills to assist students in carrying out their project designs
- Implementing design-thinking procedures for the science and tinkering projects
- Helping to coordinate and participate in the "Family Tinkering Night."
Must have at least three years of related teaching experience in an elementary school.
Masters degree in related field or teaching preferred.