Full Time Teacher or Assistant Teacher

The Mayapple School is a nature-based preschool program in Blacksburg, VA seeking an enthusiastic, knowledgeable individual to act as Teacher (teaching with a Co-Teacher) or Assistant Teacher in a mixed aged classroom (3-6 year olds).

Teachers at The Mayapple School are involved in all aspects of classroom life. Teachers should have the appropriate disposition and background that will make him or her a good fit for the position and our school, and should be able to:

• Interact positively with children and families, with the belief that all children have inherent worth and are capable of learning. Ensure children and families are greeted each morning.
• Design and maintain organized, beautiful, and clean learning environments, both indoors and out, that are conducive to child use, safety, learning, and challenge.
• Set the tone of appropriate actions and attitude of volunteers, substitutes, and assistant staff through setting a positive example. Co-teachers should work together to ensure all needed tasks are assigned and completed. Guide volunteers, substitutes, and assistant staff through verbal directions and requests; ensure follow through. Meet with the Director to discuss performance of volunteers, substitutes, and assistant staff, including any concerns.
• Use Daily Health Observation with each child and maintain an up-to-date Pediatric CPR and First Aid certificate through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association. Fill out injury reports, perform first aid as needed, and communicate with parents about illnesses and injuries. Maintain injury report files.
• Facilitate problem solving and conflict resolution within the classroom using positive discipline and gentle guidance techniques. Teachers should view problem solving as an opportunity for learning. Learn through observation about children’s inter and intrapersonal emotional lives and plan activities and scaffold opportunities for children to develop social emotional skills and become socially responsible. Maintain and take responsibility for a no-bullying tolerance.
• Facilitate the enjoyment of the outdoors. All staff members should enjoy being outside and be able to maintain their own comfort levels in all weathers. All should view the outdoors as a second classroom and be able to interact with students and participate in classroom life just as they would if they were indoors. Teachers should plan activities and facilitate child-chosen and free play using fixed structures and loose parts, and on field trips such as to forested or natural areas. Teachers should share nature knowledge and/or learn alongside about the natural world with children.

• Use research based, developmentally appropriate teaching practices that encourage critical thinking, creativity, and metacognition in children. Teachers should have familiarity with progressive educational philosophies and methods such as: Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Constructivism. Development and implementation of The Mayapple School’s curriculum should be guided by the teacher’s strong philosophical foundation.
• Lead and plan for individual child documentation, such as child observations records and portfolio maintenance. Meet with parents up to 3x per year during parent teacher conferences to discuss children’s performances; written feedback shall be given to parents at least 2 of these 3 times. Teachers will provide for regular observations of all children and continually strive to improve assessment and communication of assessment.
• Communicate group work and classroom activities through either a monthly newsletter and “Story of the Day” or a twice monthly newsletter. Ensure that parents are informed of special events.
• Teachers will be available by phone or e-mail at other times of the year for family communication for time-sensitive concerns, and address concerns in a timely manner within 2 work days. Each teacher should plan to act as the primary contact to roughly half, but up to 60% of the enrolled families. Teachers must follow communication guidelines set forth in the parent handbook.
• Planning: Use child interest and abilities to plan small group and large group lessons that cover all content areas as described in The Mayapple School’s curriculum.
• • Use project-based learning principals throughout the year, with the goal of student involvement in a large-scale, fully-immersive and extensive project at least twice a year.
  • Teachers should plan field trips to stimulate interest in topics, generally 2 – 4 times a year and attend all field trips. Teachers will communicate with parents about these plans, including taking pictures of students’ activities, such as through a newsletter.
  • On a weekly basis, work closely with other full-time Mayapple School educators to plan and/or share lesson plans, behavioral plans, and other classroom information, while school is in session.
  • Plan for higher order thinking questions and discussions, so that all students are engaged in creating, analyzing, evaluating, and applying their knowledge (upper levels of Bloom’s taxonomy) and multi-step activities or thought processes.
  • Shop for needed lesson plan and other classroom supplies.
• Lead small group and large group activities. Use intentional interactions so students can get the most out of each learning experience. During free choice time, continue using intentional interactions with small groups and individual students.
• Manage the classroom assertively using warmth, empathy, trust in students, and by encouraging learning.  Actively scan the learning environment frequently to take the “pulse” of the group as well as to be aware of individual children’s actions and redirect children as necessary and appropriate. Use pro-active classroom management strategies such as teaching routines; ensure follow through.
• Maintain a safe, playful, and loving classroom environment. This includes creating, maintaining, and overseeing all routines needed to smoothly run the classroom, such as maintaining appropriate teacher: student ratios and sound & sight supervision, and responding to children’s needs.
• Create, maintain, and oversee cleaning routines including daily cleaning of restrooms and high-touch surfaces, deep cleaning, laundering cleaning cloths and occasional other items, shopping for cleaning supplies, and other cleaning as required.
• Participate in professional development and be responsive to Director feedback.
• Teachers should maintain regular school hours as set forth in her/his employment agreement or agreed upon with supervisors, and be punctual, responsible, and professional. Normally, teachers should expect to be at school 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after students are scheduled to arrive or depart, and to remain at school for one afternoon (after school ends) per week for lesson planning with their Co or Lead Teacher.
• Meet with co-teachers weekly after school, twice yearly with all staff, and twice yearly for reviews and check ins with the Director, or as needed.
• Follow school and licensure regulations as found in staff and parent handbooks, and Virginia Department of Education Regulations.
• Attend Mayapple School teacher work days as noted on the school calendar, including orientations and clean up days.
• Prepare for and attend at least 75% of Mayapple School events held outside of school hours, such as school potlucks, open house, etc.
• Manage work time and time off by fulfilling all weekly hours and tracking time off. Request time off with advance notice whenever possible; check in with co-teachers to ensure that at least one regular teacher will be in the classroom during the requested time before looking for a substitute teacher.
• Assist the Director in further duties as capable and within the hours set by the Teacher’s contract.
• Work towards goals as set in the teacher’s previous annual review.
• Adapt to changes in programming, policies, and job descriptions as needed to respond effectively to the current pandemic or other similar situations should they arise.
• Abide by COVID-19 policies as set by The Virginia Department of Education and The Mayapple School. Currently all teachers must wear masks both inside and outside. We are hiring teachers who are either vaccinated or willing to become vaccinated.

Qualifications and Experience. Preferred candidates will have one or more of the following:

• Associates, Bachelors, or Masters degree in Elementary or Environmental Education, Human Development, or a related field.
• 2 or more years experience developing and implementing educational programming in a formal education or nature education setting.

Enthusiastic candidates with the right disposition will be considered. Those who do not meet the above criteria are encouraged to apply and be considered in an Assistant Teacher position with the potential for advancement. We will train the right candidate.

Salary: Successful candidates will be offered a salary the equivalent of $13-$16 per hour, depending upon experience, credentials (and therefore position filled—assistant teacher or teacher). This is a 10.5 month full time position with additional opportunities to teach summer camps.

Benefits:  20 paid holidays including 10 days at the end of December as according to the school calendar; 6 paid sick or personal leave days per school year; tuition reduction for one dependent. Opportunities to attend professional developments.

To apply, send your resume and cover letter to Melissa West at melissa@mayapple.org. You may also send a follow up phone call or text to 540.818.6128 to ensure that your application was received and not sent to spam.

Substitute Teachers

The Mayapple School is currently looking for part time substitute teachers to provide caregiving and teaching services in our multi-age classroom (ages 3, 4, and 5) on an as-needed basis during the 2019-2020 school year.

Our school-year program is the only nature preschool in the New River Valley, and runs from mid August to mid June, with a two week break over the winter holidays.

Substitute Teaching is a great way to be positively involved in our community, and allows our school to continue operating to meet the needs of our preschoolers’ families even when one of The Mayapple School teachers in unable to be at school. Normally, two teachers lead a classroom of 16 students in daily activities. When one teacher is unable to be at school, the substitute teacher will act as an assistant to the remaining teacher. Substitute teachers are not expected to lead classrooms independently.

The Substitute Teacher should have the appropriate disposition and background that will make him or her a good fit for the position and our school, and should be able to:

• Interact positively with children and families, with the belief that all children have inherent worth and are capable of learning. Contribute to a welcoming environment.
• Fill out injury reports, perform first aid as needed, and communicate with parents about illnesses and injuries.
• Facilitate problem solving and conflict resolution within the classroom using positive discipline and gentle guidance techniques. The Substitute Teacher should view problem solving as an opportunity for learning.
• Facilitate the enjoyment of the outdoors. All staff members should enjoy being outside and be able to maintain their own comfort levels in all weathers, including clothing themselves appropriately. All should view the outdoors as a second classroom and be able to interact with students and participate in classroom life just as they would if they were indoors. Substitute teachers should be able to assist competently on the playground with fixed structures and loose parts, and on daily exploration of our forested areas.
• Maintain a classroom environment conducive to resting during afternoon nap times.
• Maintain a safe, playful, and loving classroom environment. This includes cleaning the classroom and restroom, maintaining appropriate teacher: student ratios and sound & sight supervision, and responding to children’s needs.
• Complete needed cleaning tasks such as washing tables and chairs after lunch time, sanitizing bathrooms, sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming, and assisting children with water, food, and bathroom messes or accidents.
• Participate in occasional professional development outside of regular hours. This will mainly involve training before hire. Be responsive to Teacher feedback.
• The Substitute Teacher should communicate with Mayapple Teachers the best way to contact her, any changes in contact information, and be able to be contacted at odd hours (not between 10 pm and 6 am) if she will be available the next day. The substitute teacher should have regular availability for at least four 3.5 hour periods during the school week M – F 8:30 am – 3:00pm, OR 3 full school days. The substitute teacher will also communicate when she is not regularly available or when availability changes.
• Follow school and licensure regulations as found in staff and parent handbooks, and Virginia Department of Social Services Child Day Center Regulations. The Assistant must be at least 18 years old, in good physical condition that allows him/her to complete all job tasks, and provide all required tax forms, background checks, and other necessary paperwork in a timely manner.

Each candidate MUST include a resume AND letter of interest (cover letter). The Mayapple School is willing to train the right individual, with a preference for those who can commit to the entire school year. Although on-location parking is available for staff members, transportation is not necessary– The Mayapple School is located within walking distance from the BT bus line. E-mail your application to melissa at mayapple dot org.

Invited candidates will have an opportunity to review daily routines with and meet classroom teachers during the interview process. Other interview questions/discussion will include individual’s prior job and volunteer experiences (especially working with children) comfort with the outdoors, availability/schedule, and interest in The Mayapple School’s specific model of education.

Salary: starting at $11.00 /hour