Aspen Country Day School employs a full-time outdoor educator. This PreK-Eighth Grade school is known for its intentional approach to challenging and nurturing children as they build confidence, resilience, and joy in learning. Vibrant academic, arts, and outdoor programs led by dedicated teachers give students a solid foundation for lives of meaning and purpose. The school welcomes approximately 300 students from throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. It is accredited by the Association of Colorado Independent Schools and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools.
The school’s landmark outdoor program is one of the few in the country to take children in elementary as well as middle school grades into the wilderness for immersion in nature, development of hard skills, and character education. With nearly 30 trips in the field throughout the school year, the program demands excellence in management and execution. The outdoor education team seeks to create safe and inspiring learning experiences that deepen students’ understanding of the school’s core values: character, respect, responsibility, community, and perseverance.
This professional collaborates with the school’s leadership, faculty, and community to ensure that the Outdoor Education program offers thoughtfully sequenced trips that are developmentally appropriate for each grade. This person embraces working with students and faculty in a supportive and collaborative Kindergarten to Eighth Grade environment, assisting teachers to make a lasting and meaningful impact on each student. The position works closely with the Outdoor Education team and in consultation with the Director of Operations.
Performance characteristics
Understanding of Aspen Country Day School’s mission, culture, and graduate outcomes, and the centrality of the Outdoor Ed program to the school’s identity and organizational success
Passion for organization, detail, and high-functioning operations to ensure the success of the program
Commitment to high performance and continuous improvement; strong work ethic
Strong communication skills, verbal and written
Ability to model and foster expedition behavior: self-awareness and efficacy, selflessness, commitment to group goals, tolerance, flexibility, consideration, trust, communication, humility, teamwork, sense of humor
Commitment to building a fun, friendly learning atmosphere that involves students in hands-on activities and encourages them to take responsibility for their own learning
Commitment to own professional growth and renewal
An awareness and attention to all relationships that influence the outdoor experience
Responsibilities regarding safety
Actively promote program safety policies and a safety-first attitude
Be aware of and manage potential risks of the outdoor environment
Know and understand emergency and evacuation procedures for each trip
Adhere to the school’s risk management policies and procedures
Responsibilities for trip execution
Provide effective and efficient support to ensure the success of the Outdoor Education program
Help to prepare each trip for departure with all necessary gear, food, and vehicles
Participate in pre-trip pack checks and orientation sessions for students
Coordinate and integrate training and preparation for trips with with PE classes or classroom teachers
Expect to spend approximately 35 nights in the field with students
Participate in post-trip staff debriefs
Assure all gear is returned, inspected, clean and ready for future trips
Contribute to oversight and development of risk management policies and procedures
Work with the Outdoor Education team to purchase, inventory, and maintain equipment
Drive students as needed to destinations and fill in periodically for local bus routes and ski days
Assist with the identification and exploration of new locations for courses
Respond to field emergencies as needed, including providing or arranging for emergency transportation, communications, supply delivery, or field supervision
Collaborations
Partner with the Outdoor Education team to execute the program throughout the year
Work with heads of Lower and Middle School to establish staffing for trips
Assist PE department with organizing and executing student ski days throughout the winter
Support academic classrooms during the off season and slower times of the year
Manage trip communications to parents, faculty, staff, students in coordination with communications office
Arrange trip transportation in coordination with operations office
Collaborate with school nurse on medical supplies, training, and medicine administration procedures
Certification requirements
Bachelor’s degree
Professional trip-leading experience, preferably in the educational field
Current certification in Wilderness First Responder, CPR, medication administration, and Leave No Trace
Current commercial driving license or willingness to obtain
Physical demands and work environment
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions for the job. The employee must have the physical abilities to perform all tasks associated with outdoor education (e.g. lifting gear up to 40 pounds, hiking with a 40-pound backpack, skiing and pulling a sled, uphill skinning, rock climbing and belaying). The work environment may be outdoors with weather conditions including heat, sun exposure, wind, rain, and snow. While on campus, the employee is required to sit in on meetings and work on a computer for periods of time. The employee is required to walk, reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, talk, and hear. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The wage rate for this position will include a salary in the range of $45,000-$65,000health, dental, disability insurance, and retirement plan benefits. Housing support is a possibility.
Aspen Country Day School provides equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law. The school’s statement of diversity, equity, and inclusion is here.
Aspen Country Day School, through its commitment to rigorous academics, creative arts, and outdoor education, ignites curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking. In an inspiring mountain setting, our nurturing community encourages students to strive for individual excellence and instills in them a lifelong love of learning, sense of purpose, and responsible citizenship. www.aspencountryday.org