JOB SUMMARY
St. Johnsbury Academy is dedicated to providing excellent offerings with exceptional teachers to our students in Career and Technical Education (CTE). The Culinary Arts Instructor is responsible for providing students with both the theory and application of practical skills related to the Hospitality and Culinary service fields. The instructor prepares students to successfully complete State proficiency assessments, earn Industry-Recognized Credentials, and meet SJA graduation requirements. Since many of our students also participate in SKILLs USA National competitions, and go on to earn industry-recognized credentials and pursue further education in the Culinary Arts field, the instructor will play a key role in preparing students for those endeavors.
Instruction is delivered through a combination of classroom-based learning and hands-on, experiential learning in a real-world environment, and SJA work-based learning experiences reflect current industry standards and best practices. St. Johnsbury Academy owns and operates the “Hilltopper Café,” a full-service restaurant open to the public where students practice culinary and service skills while making great food for the school and larger communities. The instructor helps to empower students with the technical, academic, and employability skills necessary to succeed in postsecondary education, advanced training, or direct entry into the workforce.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES
• Prepare and deliver syllabi and instructional materials aligned with current best practices, CTE standards, industry skill standards, and graduation requirements.
• Design and implement instructional activities that integrate theory, applied academics, and hands-on technical skill development.
• Establish clear, measurable instructional goals that support diverse learners.
• Provide classroom and laboratory-based instruction, simulations, field experiences, and work-based learning opportunities on the Academy campus or in the larger community.
• Prepare students for State Skills Assessments and industry-recognized credentialing exams.
• Coordinate and supervise work-based learning projects.
• Develop and maintain industry partnerships including collaborating with partners regarding program initiatives and training methodologies.
• Monitor and evaluate student performance, and adjust instruction based on results.
• Communicate clear expectations and provide timely, constructive feedback.
• Maintain accurate student records and submit timely reports.
• Manage classroom and culinary materials and resources.
• Oversee and maintain the baking laboratory, including instruction in baking techniques, food safety, sanitation, and equipment operation.
• Collaborate with advisory committees, colleagues, families, and community partners.
• Promote leadership, teamwork, professionalism, and communication skills.
• Support student career planning and employability skill development.
• Establish high expectations and a positive learning culture.
• Engage students using varied instructional methods.
• Maintain a safe learning environment by enforcing safety procedures, equipment use, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrate SJA’s core values of excellence, safety, integrity, and service to empower and prepare students to enter and succeed in technical career fields.
• Support student life at the Academy in advising, extra-curricular activities, and participation in school traditions and events.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS
• Stay current with industry technologies and safety regulations.
• Build and maintain partnerships with industry, postsecondary institutions, and the community.
• Maintain accurate student records, attendance, assessments, and reports.
• Follow all school policies, regulations, and procedures.
• Participate in Individualized Education Plan (IEP) processes as required.
• Engage in ongoing professional development.
• Supply program data and insights to inform the Director of CTE’s evaluation and continuous improvement of program effectiveness.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES
• Must possess the organizational and communication skills necessary to be an effective teacher
• Proficiency with computer applications.
• Indication of willingness to establish and maintain positive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community business/industry partners.
• Ability to inspire, coach, and mentor students
• Excellent human relations skills, and ability to serve as a mentor and role model for students.
• Ability to build positive working relationships

About St. Johnsbury Academy

St. Johnsbury Academy is an independent day and boarding school in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, founded in 1842 by the Fairbanks family (of platform scale fame) to provide a comprehensive education for their own children and those of the community. From the start, tuition was low enough that any qualified student could attend. In 1873, the school was reincorporated to accomplish the founder’s expanded goal of providing exemplary educational opportunities to a wider range of students, not just those destined for college. In establishing SJA, the founders sought to create an institution that would cultivate the heart and hand as well as the mind, inspire thinking beyond mere acquisition of knowledge, and Develop responsible, compassionate, and intellectually self-reliant citizens. Boarding students have played an important role in school life since the school’s founding, and their influence has expanded as their numbers and international diversity have grown. Today we serve students from over a dozen states and over 20 countries. SJA is also one of the only New England Academies that has always educated both girls and boys. Unlike most other independent schools, the Academy has achi...eved success while maintaining its commitment to serving the educational needs of each and every student from the local community. Vermont’s "town tuitioning" program, established in 1869, allows students in towns without public high schools to attend public or private schools elsewhere with tuition paid by the town. Today, our 800 or so day students come to us from over 50 towns in our region. St. Johnsbury Academy is an equal-opportunity employer. SJA prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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