Boca Raton, Florida
Posted: 20-Mar-26
Location: Big Sky, Montana
Type: Full Time
Salary: $60,000 - $100,000
Categories:
Required Education:
Position: Writing & Humanities Coach — Grades 5-12
Location: Big Sky, Montana (full-time, in-person)
Start Date: August 2026
Compensation: $60,000-$100,000
About Big Sky Community School
Big Sky Community School is an independent, nonprofit K-12 school in Big Sky, Montana, serving approximately 50 students across two divisions. We pair rigorous academics with hands-on, community-rooted experiences in one of the most extraordinary places in the country. Our 5-12th-grade students pursue demanding coursework through Aeon School's online curriculum while engaging in mentorship, independent projects, and outdoor experiences that develop leadership, curiosity, and resilience.
Big Sky Community School exists for a specific kind of student, one who refuses to choose. Our student-athletes are serious competitors and serious students, and we are built around the belief that elite athletics and rigorous academics do not have to compete with each other. They can, and should, make each other better. We are building the support structures that make that possible. BSCS students value a rigorous education that opens doors while allowing them to explore their passions.
The Opportunity
This is a real teaching role for someone who loves the craft of writing and the depth of the humanities, and who also thrives in a small, close-knit school environment where relationships matter as much as content. Our 5-12 students pursue humanities coursework through Aeon's online curriculum, but the online program alone does not develop writers. That is where you come in. You will teach writing directly, confer individually with students, identify gaps, and push students further than they would go on their own. You will also help build the in-person culture of our 5-12 program: discussions, projects, Socratic seminars, and the kinds of experiences that make ideas feel alive. This is not a supervisory role. You are a teacher who happens to work at a school that does things differently.
What You Will Do
Writing Instruction
- Teach writing directly and intentionally: mini-lessons, individual conferring, revision cycles, and portfolio-based development across grades 5-12.
- Review student writing daily and use that data to identify gaps, target instruction, and push each student forward.
- Build a writing culture in the 5-12 program: students who write regularly, revise willingly, and understand that writing is thinking.
- Differentiate instruction across a wide range of writers, from students who struggle to construct a paragraph to students ready for advanced analytical and creative work.
- Coordinate with Aeon's online teachers on writing assignments, expectations, and student progress.
Humanities & Discussion
- Lead in-person humanities discussions, Socratic seminars, and project-based learning experiences that connect to Aeon's online curriculum.
- Bring history, literature, and ideas to life in ways that an online platform alone cannot — through debate, discussion, and hands-on exploration.
- Design and lead independent projects and January Term experiences rooted in humanities and social studies.
- Support students in developing their voices as thinkers and communicators, not just as test-takers.
MAP Data & Gap Intervention
- Review MAP reading and language scores for every 5-12 student and use the results as a diagnostic tool, identifying specific skill gaps and building targeted instruction around them.
- Track MAP growth across testing windows and adjust your instructional priorities accordingly. The goal is measurable progress, not just coverage.
- Communicate MAP results clearly to families and the Head of School, with a concrete plan for addressing gaps.
Student Support & Culture
- Know your students: their strengths, their gaps, their intellectual interests, and what gets them engaged.
- Lead a weekly Lunch Lecture: a short, engaging talk on a history topic, a big idea, or a moment in time that students would never find on their own. This is one of the signature traditions we are building.
- Support students through Aeon's online coursework. Help them navigate assignments, stay on track, and advocate for themselves with their online teachers.
- Monitor daily progress and flag concerns early to the Head of School, to families, and to Aeon's teaching team.
- Contribute to Friday programming, outdoor learning, community events, and the broader life of the school.
- Pitch in on school operations as part of a small, all-hands team.
Who You Are
- A genuine writer and humanities thinker with real subject depth. You love ideas, and you know how to teach others to engage with them.
- An experienced writing teacher who understands that writing develops through feedback, revision, and relationship, not just assignment completion.
- Someone who can read a student's work and immediately know what to address next.
- A skilled discussion facilitator who can draw out quiet students and challenge confident ones.
- Comfortable using MAP data and other assessments as diagnostic tools. You know how to read results and turn them into instructional action.
- Comfortable supporting a hybrid model. You teach some things directly and support online learning in others.
- Warm, patient, and genuinely invested in the development of each student as a thinker and a person.
- Energized by building something new in a small, mission-driven environment.
- Comfortable with technology: Google Suite, Zoom, Apple OS, and curious/learning about AI-integrated learning.
Preferred Background
A teaching credential or equivalent experience in grades 5-12 humanities and writing is preferred. Deep subject expertise in writing, literature, or history is essential. Backgrounds in independent schools, project-based programs, or writing workshop models are a strong plus. We welcome teachers who want to do meaningful, creative work in a school that gives them the space to do so.
Schedule & Time Off
Full-time position following the Big Sky Community School academic calendar (including both J Term periods). Approximately 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Includes winter and spring breaks, major holidays, and paid time off.
Benefits of Joining Our Team
Big Sky Community School offers competitive compensation based on experience ($60,000-$100,000); health, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off aligned with school breaks; professional learning opportunities; and the chance to live and work in one of the most beautiful mountain communities in the country. And the rare opportunity to help build something genuinely new.
Background Check
All employment offers are contingent upon completion of fingerprinting and an FBI background check and reference checks.
Equal Opportunity
Big Sky Community School is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.
To Apply
Email Jeremy Harder (jeremy@bigskycommunityschool.org) with your resume and a cover letter describing your teaching background, your approach to writing instruction, and why this role resonates with you. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with priority given to submissions received by April 15, 2026.