Camp Corlears Assistant Counselor

Founded in 1968 in the Lower East Side by a pioneering group of parents and educators, Corlears School is a small New York City independent school located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Over fifty years since its founding, Corlears School has become firmly established among independent schools in New York City. The original founding families believed in the progressive approach to education and creating a rich educational foundation for young children where they could explore, question, and take their learning beyond the classroom. Along with this original pedagogical approach, the school has retained a deep commitment to maintaining a community that welcomes and includes children and families from diverse racial, cultural, socioeconomic, gender, sexual identity, and religious backgrounds. The Corlears community values an inquiry-based, constructivist approach to instruction, responsiveness to student exploration, and the role of teacher as a guide to student learning. We are committed to shaping a curriculum that is inclusive of diverse identities and lived experiences. As a general education setting, we aim to create a collaborative teaching environment by supporting the partnership of teaching teams to promote educational equity within the classroom. Our small and dynamic community makes working at Corlears an opportunity for professional growth.

Camp Corlears is the summer camp program for Corlears School. Each summer for six weeks, from the end of June through the end of July, Corlears welcomes young children – both children who do and do not attend Corlears School – to its Camp Corlears program. At Camp Corlears, we focus on classic summer fun, with plenty of outdoor play, arts and crafts, and fun with friends at the heart of our programming. Each camp group is helmed by a Head Counselor (a current or former Corlears teacher), as well as an Assistant Counselor (a current college student with an interest in elementary education), and potentially a Counselor in Training (a middle- or high-school-aged Corlears School alum). With support from Head Counselors and our Summer Camp Director, Camp Corlears offers a unique and supportive opportunity for Assistant Counselors to gain career skills, experience mentorship in a collaborative work environment, and overall have a joyful and fulfilling summer supporting young children.

Reports to: Camp Corlears Director

Essential Qualities:

• Value the school's mission centered in culturally responsive/anti-bias teaching, to equitably support campers who are economically, racially, and ethnically diverse
• Ability to learn and grow through close collaboration and partnership with the Head Counselor

Key Responsibilities:

• Create a safe, inclusive, joyful camp environment that centers campers and promotes growth through positivity and prosocial interactions, utilizing strategies articulated by the Summer Camp Director and Head Counselor
• Assist with the overall management and functioning of the camp group including toileting, handwashing, snack/meal assistance, cleaning/disinfecting materials, yard maintenance, student engagement, supervision
• Assist with administrative tasks (organizing, preparing materials, taking class pictures, etc.) 
• Participate in meetings with the Summer Camp Director and Head Counselor to reflect on camp practices, give/receive feedback, and make adjustments
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills when partnering with families, students, and caregivers 
• Offer meaningful contributions to class newsletters
• Plan and execute at least one activity each week for campers

Experience/Qualifications:

• Enrolled and/or enrolling in fall 2026 in a college or university, preferably pursuing degree related to education
• Some experience working with children, either in a school, camp, tutoring, or babysitting setting

Salary Range and Work Dates:

• Employment period is from Thursday, June 18 through Friday, July 31, with Camp Corlears closed on Thursday, June 19, and Friday, July 3.
• Weekly salary range of $530/week to $601/week for full-day (8:15am to 3:15pm) depending on education level and Camp Corlears experience; half-day (8:15am to 12:15pm) salary range of $318 to $361/week depending on education level Camp Corlears experience.
• Daily hours of 8:15am to 12:15pm for half-day; 8:15am to 3:15pm.

Apply: For new staff: Fill out an online application here. Reach out to camp@corlearsschool.org with any questions.

This and all Corlears School job descriptions are intended to describe the type of work being performed by a person assigned to this position.  It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required by the employee. Job descriptions are subject to change and can be updated throughout the school year.

Experience/Qualifications:

• Enrolled and/or enrolling in fall 2026 in a college or university, preferably pursuing degree related to education
• Some experience working with children, either in a school, camp, tutoring, or babysitting setting

About Corlears School

Corlears, a small, independent, progressive school located in the lively Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, is dedicated to the education of young children through the elementary grades. We seek to cultivate joy in learning through active investigation of integrated curricular themes. Daily practice at Corlears is based on the belief that educating students to be well informed, socially engaged, critical thinkers is essential in order to sustain a healthy democracy. We have intentionally created an intimate environment, well suited to the needs of children through the elementary years, where students can easily navigate both the physical space and social networks of the community. We seek to create an economically and culturally diverse community that reflects our immediate neighborhood and reaches into the city beyond.

Connections working at Corlears School