Primary Assistant Teacher

Primary Assistant Teacher Opportunity Statement

Founded on the principle of building a school “where children come first,” The Fay School serves approximately 300 students aged 3 years to fifth grade in the Uptown area of Houston, Texas. It is among the best independent elementary and primary schools in the competitive Houston marketplace. By fostering their emotional intelligence and leadership development while providing challenging and engaging academics, The Fay School prepares its fifth graders to matriculate to Houston’s most sought-after middle schools. 

A joyful educational oasis, the school sits on 8.5 acres of naturally landscaped property where children frequently work and play in its beautiful outdoor setting. Many Fay families speak of the immediate calm they feel as they drive onto the campus, delivering their children to this unique student-focused learning environment. To adapt to the evolving landscape of education and plan its direction for the next three to five years, The Fay School engaged in a partnership with Ian Symmonds & Associates, a leading firm in facilitating innovative strategic planning. The plan was unveiled during the 2020-2021 school year, making this an exciting time to be a part of a community focused on the future of education and innovative thinking.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Teacher is a benefits eligible full-time position for the term of the school year, typically ten months from August to June. This position reports to the Principal. Assistant Teachers help to support a flexible program and class environment favorable to learning and personal growth. They build rapport with students and motivate them to develop skills, attitudes, and knowledge in accordance with each student’s ability. Assistant Teachers establish good relationships with parents and other staff members.

Responsibilities include the following: 

• Actively supports the Lead Teacher in implementing lessons using a variety of teaching techniques and learning structures suitable to the age and needs of the students and subject matter by conferring with individual students or teaching small groups.
• The Assistant Teacher must be able to sit on the floor with students while engaging them in activities and may be required to physically assist a child (e.g., carry them, pick them up) in the classroom and while traveling around campus.
• Implements curricula within the context of the School’s overall program and strategic planning goals such as incorporating the use of the outdoors, experiential learning, and leadership development through emotional intelligence.
• Seeks opportunities to teach outside and bring the outdoors into the classroom.
• Performs duties outside of the classroom during set hours. This may include Recess, Morning, Rest Time, Carpool and Lunch duties amongst others. 
• Assumes the role of Lead Teacher in the absence of the Lead Teacher.
• Supports the School and its Leadership Team.
• Maintains and continuously expands pedagogical knowledge using various resources.
• Attends all full day in-service days and Assistant Teacher meetings as required by the Learning Specialist.
• Attends department meetings as requested by the Department Chair.
• Attends all Parent-Teacher Conferences.
• Volunteer for service at one or more Fay community events per year.
• Willing and able to routinely and appropriately use personal smartphone to utilize school apps to communicate, collaborate, and fulfill responsibilities as outlined in this Performance Profile. 
• Commitment to ongoing learning including participating in a summer reading book to be determined by the Principal.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Principal and the Head of School. 

Competency Profile:

• Celebrates diversity and is proactively inclusive of all racial, cultural, socio-economic, religious, and gender groups. 
• Exhibits self-awareness and self-monitoring in identifying and solving student, curricular, and school problems. At the same time, the Assistant Teacher understands the vision, the mission, the strategic plan, and all policies of the school and, when questions or concerns arise, raises them with appropriate colleagues and supervisors.
• Demonstrates effective written and oral communication skills.
• Differentiates instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
• Fosters collaboration among team to build curricula and ensure others are well informed of changes, initiatives, and progress.
• Embraces feedback and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Displays attitudes and actions that contribute to a healthy and collegial teacher culture.
• Supports and actively promotes the organization. Positively reflects the organization’s core values and addresses actions that don’t align with those values. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Experience working with primary aged children.
• Knowledge of Project-based learning (PBL), inquiry-based and student-centered learning preferred.
• Ability to enthusiastically work both indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions including rain, cold, heat, etc. and on various surfaces, some inclined, including grass, dirt, trails, decking, pavement, and concrete.
• Ability to perform sustained standing and walking, navigating stairs, kneeling, lifting, and carrying up to 20 lbs., monitoring children and the immediate environment visibly and audibly and the ability to give audible instructions that can be understood by English speakers in a loud environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Teams and Google.