Career Center

Alexander Dawson School Overview: 

Not far from Red Rock Canyon in Southern Nevada sits a mature-for-its-years Early Childhood to Grade 8 independent school with an amazing history behind it and an exciting trajectory in front of it. The Alexander Dawson School is located on 33-acres in the beautiful community of Summerlin—about fifteen minutes west of the Las Vegas airport—and has had the financial and operational support of the Alexander Dawson Foundation since its doors opened in 2000. In the last 20 years, the School has embraced all aspects of student-centered education and modern learning, and it continues to build and improve upon an exceptional core academic program.

Alexander Dawson Lower School:

Guided by the Mission of the School and driven by Alexander Dawson’s strategic plan, the Alexander Dawson Lower School is a place of joyful learning. The Lower School faculty are caring, creative, and knowledgeable teachers who are passionate about whole-child education. As a modern learning institute and a Challenge Success school, Dawson teachers create lessons and learning environments that balance the intersection of academic knowledge, competency skills, and habits of mind. Remaining current on best practices related to competency-based education and Project-Based Learning is a top priority for all Dawson faculty. Lower School teachers, students, and families value the strong sense of community and the personalized learning experiences the School provides through its literacy, math, social studies, world languages, science, art, music, health & fitness, design lab, library, and SEL curriculum. The Lower School culture places emphasis on team dynamics and an ongoing commitment to learning from others. The Lower School program is proud to be accredited by the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS). 

Position Summary:

The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain seeks a full-time fourth-grade teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Working closely with other members of the grade-level team, this educator is responsible for designing a curriculum and creating an environment in which each student feels an integral part of the school community. This teacher is responsible for implementing programs such as Everyday Mathematics, Being a Reader, and Being a Writer. In addition to teaching, the educator will communicate regularly and proactively with students, families, and colleagues, as well as contribute positively to the overall school culture while fulfilling duties as assigned (recess and lunch supervision, etc.) and serving on school committees as requested or desired. Finally, Dawson is looking for a dynamic Lower School teacher who loves primary and intermediate age groups and can inspire our learners to think critically and creatively, question with a deep curiosity about the world, and exude joy for savoring life. This is a full-time, 10-month position that will begin July 23, 2022.

This is a full-time, 10-month position that will begin on August 1, 2022, however, the successful candidate will also be required to attend a new faculty onboarding program from July 18-21, 2022.

Essential Functions: The essential duties and responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to:

Learning Environment

• Supports and values social-emotional learning

• Creates a student-centered, print-rich, and intentional classroom environment

• Redirects students by maintaining mutual respect and dignity

• Interacts with students by making genuine connections and demonstrating warmth, care, and respect

• Conveys high expectations for student achievement through visible instructional goals, learning activities, and interactions

• Maintains a safe and organized learning environment where student voice and ownership is encouraged and valued

• Establishes effective classroom routines and maximizes instructional times

• Involves students in the development of classroom norms

• Exhibits the philosophy that process has as much value as product

• Demonstrates an awareness and is responsive to student needs and behavior; employs a relational discipline approach 

Planning and Instruction

• Uses high-impact strategies rooted in Dawson’s Core Beliefs that  effectively engages students

• Asks questions that require higher-order thinking

• Communicates focus and purpose of lessons with students in written and/or oral form

• Presents activities in a logical and meaningful order

• Exhibits student work in process of development and final product

• Engages students in the development of learning outcomes

• Provides feedback and coaching to students that is timely, specific, realistic, and relevant, and encourages goal setting

• Modifies lessons based on student needs

• Utilizes multiple grouping strategies such as a balance of individual, small-group, and whole-class activities in teaching and planning

• Provides opportunities for the application and transfer of students’ knowledge and skills

• Uses technology to create student experiences that have transformative impacts on learning (SAMR)

• Designs authentic assessments and performance tasks to measure student learning

• Uses data to make informed curricular and instructional decisions

Professional Responsibilities

• Attends and actively engages in divisional and school-wide meetings

• Critically reflects on teaching and learning

• Embraces cultural competency and commits to ongoing growth in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Maintains an effective system for recording student progress where outcomes are continually monitored and assessed

• Maintains positive and caring relationships with families, communicates regularly about student progress and is responsive to concerns

• Provides families with an ongoing window into the student experience and growth process

Competencies:

• Adaptability – Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events; able to balance the demands of a robust teaching schedule

• Communication –Written and oral communication is clear, concise, and professional; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions

• Confidentiality – Maintains confidential information

• Customer Service – Manages difficult or emotional parent situations; responds promptly to family needs

• Dependability – Keeps commitments

• Ethics – Treats people with respect; works ethically and with integrity; upholds organizational values

• Judgment – Exhibits sound and accurate judgment

• Mindset - Presumes positive intentions;  approaches challenges with a growth mindset

• Organizational Support – Follows policies and procedures

• Planning/Organizing – Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently

• Problem Solving – Uses reason, even when dealing with emotional topics

• Professionalism – Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position

• Professional Development - Seeks opportunities for professional development to enhance content knowledge and pedagogical skills

• Safety and Security – Observes safety and security procedures; reports potentially unsafe conditions

• Strategic Thinking – Identifies opportunities for school advancement and growth

• Teamwork - Prioritizes team over individual; maintains an open mind and collaborates in team, departmental, and divisional decisions to ensure that all students succeed

• Time Management – Stays focused and engaged during the completion of time-sensitive tasks; appropriately paces lessons to optimize student learning

Qualifications, Education & Experience:

• Minimum three years teaching experience 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Education or a related field required; Master’s preferred

• Experience working with elementary-aged students

• A strong awareness of current brain research related to the use of technology

Work Environment:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

• The school is open for in-person learning. Employees must follow COVID-19 protocols including wearing face coverings, social distancing, regular handwashing, and limiting in-person meetings.

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.