Friends School Boulder is a progressive co-educational Preschool - Grade 8 day school serving students from the Boulder area. Friends offers a challenging curriculum guided by strong values of collaboration & creativity, mindfulness and social & emotional learning, cross-curricular & project-based instruction, and diversity, social justice & service learning.  Faculty and staff are highly engaged and enjoy flexibility, autonomy, and a collaborative working environment.

Friends seeks an Elementary Lead Teacher who is experienced in the Project Based Learning approach to education, possesses a deep understanding of child development and progressive pedagogy, appreciation for the importance of practicing mindfulness and actively teaching social & emotional skills, and a commitment to diversity social justice & service learning and a demonstration of cultural competency. The successful candidate is devoted to the School’s mission and program and possesses passion and imagination they will bring to our school community.

The Elementary Lead Teacher reports to the Lower School Program Head and is a member of the Lower School team. The Elementary Lead teacher is responsible for their classroom in all areas. This involves developing, implementing, and differentiating a comprehensive age-appropriate curriculum that integrates math, reading, writing, science, history/social studies, into project-based learning units. The Lead Teacher is responsible for cultivating a community of learners in the classroom who respect and care for one another.  The Lead Teacher is responsive and works collaboratively with the other classroom and specialist teachers and administrators. The Lead Teacher participates fully in the life of the school. 

 Lead Teacher Responsibilities, including but not limited to:

• Maintain congruence between the school’s mission and all activities.
• Promote and advance the cognitive, emotional, social and physical well-being of all students. 
• Stay current with research and practices related to child development, different learning styles, Mindfulness-based Social and Emotional Learning (MBSEL), DEIB, innovation, and progressive pedagogy.
• Develop, implement and document curricula that puts the above research into practice and challenges each student to realize their full potential.
• Maintain records of all taught curriculum including detailed planners of Project-Based Learning (PBL) units.
• Implement classroom management strategies in alignment with our philosophy -  informed by Responsive Classroom approaches, with an emphasis on intrinsic motivation.
• Support student learning through community connections, including but not limited to: inviting speakers to visit or planning and attending day or overnight trips.
• Regularly assess and provide evidence of student learning and growth as outlined in the handbook.
• Communicate with families as described in the handbook. Communications may include: Conferences, check-ins, newsletters, family visits.
• Educate parents about the Friends School values and program through all correspondence and parent educational events.
• Connect and work with outside professionals (therapists, tutors, etc.) to meet student needs.
• Mentor and meet regularly with a Teacher Candidate as outlined in TPP Guidelines.

General Expectations for All Employees

These general expectations represent the core responsibilities and set a high standard for all employees at Friends School: 

Alignment with Mission

• In all ways, elevate and celebrate the school and contribute to its success by supporting communications, development, admissions and retention and the overall image of the school.
• Consistently demonstrate commitment to maintaining congruence between the school’s mission and all professional activities.
• Demonstrate commitment to and experience with supporting an equitable and inclusive school culture.
• Proactively foster diversity, equity, and inclusion among students, faculty, and staff.

Collaborate and Build Community

• Actively promote and advance the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical well-being of all students, fostering a nurturing and inclusive learning environment.
• Communicate effectively with parents, ensuring that all correspondence and parent educational events reflect and educate about Friends School values and programs.
• Preserve and participate in school traditions and rituals.
• Support student learning by actively engaging with the community, events, and fostering connections that enhance the overall educational experience.
• Maintain common spaces and outdoor environment and materials attractively and in support of learning.
• Cover classes or responsibilities during absences of other teachers as appropriate/necessary.

Advancing Self and School:

• Participate in regular meetings to address routine matters and stimulate an exchange of educational and philosophically-aligned ideas.
• Engage in ongoing professional development by setting yearly goals, participating in staff development opportunities, and contributing to the exchange of philosophically-aligned ideas in regular meetings.
• Set personal and professional yearly goals with the appropriate supervisor and complete the annual evaluation process in partnership with the supervisor.
• Attend all full-staff meetings and school events (unless excused by HOS).
• Participate in the school’s hiring processes as appropriate/necessary.

Other duties as assigned

How to Apply: 
If you possess the above skills and qualities, please send a cover letter outlining why you are interested in the position along with your resume to jobs@friendsschoolboulder.org. Please indicate Elementary Lead Teacher in the subject line. Final candidates are subject to background check. We will contact top candidates for an interview. No phone calls please.

Qualification Requirements:

• Possess joy, a growth mindset, and a sense of humor and commitment to working collaboratively
• Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree in education preferred
• A minimum of 3 or more years of experience as a lead teacher preferred
• Proven success at working collaboratively
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Excellent organizational and presentation skills
• Technologically knowledgeable and skilled

Friends School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Friends School Boulder

Friends School is a private, independent Preschool-8th grade school located in Boulder, Colorado. We've been educating Boulder's students since 1987. Friends School values all learners. We are a creative, challenging, safe environment where every student is seen, known, and loved. Small class sizes allow us to know each student fully for who they are, meet them where they are as learners, and help them to know themselves and set their own path. Friends students are academically challenged and prepared to enter the world as thoughtful, kind, genuine, self-advocating, confident, and empathetic citizens. A strong balance of rich academic and social emotional curriculum with an emphasis on character development allows our graduates to successfully transition into any high school environment. Our students not only learn the importance of a social emotional education, they actually LIVE it. A Friends School education promises essential foundations for a life of success. Our vision is as clear today as it was 30 years ago: challenging minds, nurturing spirits, honoring individuality.

Connections working at Friends School Boulder