Seven Hills seeks an experienced lead teacher to join our vibrant faculty as a 5th grade lead teacher. Our school’s unique approach to learning supports cross-curricular integration and the development of critical thinking. Students develop skills and confidence in the exploration of math, science, reading, and writing as they strive to meet high academic standards. Lead teachers are responsible for supporting individual learning styles and encouraging the success of every child. The 5th grade year is designed as a “bridge” between the lower and middle school programs, allowing students to have a seamless transition between levels. Students continue to benefit from a nurturing homeroom teacher environment, yet they also begin to experience elements of the Middle School program, such as electives that are taught by Middle School teachers. As a member of the 5th grade team, the lead teacher would work collaboratively with colleagues to design and implement learning experiences that support student growth and development at a critical stage in their journeys. The position includes the following responsibilities and additional duties as assigned: 

Core Responsibilities: 

• Create a community of learners in which students develop the skills of self-advocacy and resilience while demonstrating empathy and compassion for others.
• Plan, implement, and assess language arts, math, social studies, and science curricula: 
• Collaborate regularly with colleagues (including the math coordinator, librarian, music, art, Spanish, and P.E specialists) when designing the overall program and special projects. 
• Take the lead on curriculum development in the social studies program for both sections of 5th grade, while the other 5th grade lead teacher takes the lead on the science program. 
• Provide a hands-on, inquiry-based, workshop model of teaching, manage collaborative learning groups, and comfortably integrate technology into the curriculum. 
• Provide ongoing communication with families, regularly reporting on student progress. 
• Attend regular staff meetings, participate in grade level team meetings, and take part in ongoing professional development.
• Co-lead and chaperone field trips and an annual overnight trip to Yosemite. 
• Work with the Support Services team and Division Directors in service to the student and family transition from lower to middle school.
• Participate in school and community events to support the school's mission.

Successful Candidates will:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree, Teaching credential and/or other educational credentials
• Demonstrate experience and knowledge of developmental stages of upper elementary school children, with a deep respect for their capabilities
• Be committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Have a demonstrated ability to help provide a differentiated program
• Have excellent and empathic communications skills, often translating concerns for families and teaching staff
• Have experience with inquiry-based teaching strategies and real-world applications 
• Have a demonstrated ability to help establish a classroom culture that is built on strong teacher-student relationships and allows for risk-taking
• Have a comfort level with the use of technology for teaching and learning 
• Have a demonstrated ability to initiate, fully participate in and foster strong collegial relationships
• Be self-aware and able to build on others’ ideas, capitalize on others’ strengths and effectively share 
• Have a demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and improvement
• Have a growth mindset, active sense of humor, warm personality, and excellent organizational and communication skills

About The Seven Hills School

Founded in 1962, Seven Hills is a learning community whose mission is to develop the intellect, engage the spirit, and foster respect for, and responsibility to our world. Our beautiful campus, located on 9 acres of former ranch land near Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek, CA (approximately 35 miles from downtown San Francisco), is home to our outstanding preschool-8th grade program and offers over 420 students the daily opportunity to move freely from engaging classrooms to great expanses of natural outdoor space. We believe every student deserves a whole child education that harmonizes their academic growth and social and emotional development. At Seven Hills, learning is joyful: from the preschool sandbox to the 8th-grade position paper, learning is fueled by curiosity, exploration, and the love and encouragement of trusted adults. Our small class sizes allow for greater differentiation, building strong partnerships with parents, and employing passionate teachers who love what they do and bring creativity to their daily practice of challenging, nurturing, and inspiring each child. Nestled atop rolling hills peppered with oak trees, the campus offers a stunning, clear view ...of Mount Diablo and its adjacent hills. Walnut Creek, a city of over 70,000 people, gives the school access to the vibrant urban life of San Francisco and Oakland as well as beautiful parks and trails of suburban California (in fact, Walnut Creek owns more open space per capita than any other community in the state of California). Sitting at the junction of the highways from Sacramento and San Jose (I-680) and San Francisco/Oakland (SR-24), Walnut Creek serves as a hub for its neighboring cities—Clayton, Lafayette, Alamo, Pleasant Hill, and Concord—and allows Seven Hills to draw students and faculty from a wide geographic radius across over 30 zip codes.

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Connections working at The Seven Hills School