Primary Grade Teacher

MONTCLAIR COOPERATIVE SCHOOL (MCS)

Job Description

JOB TITLE:  Primary Grade Teacher   DATE:  December 2024

FUNCTIONAL AREA:  Instructional Faculty   

REPORTS TO:  Head of School

The Montclair Cooperative School is seeking a progressive, energetic Primary Grade Teacher to join our dynamic team for the 2025-2026 school year, beginning on September 1, 2025.

Founded in 1963, the Montclair Cooperative School (the Co-op) is an independent, progressive, co-educational school, serving approximately 125 students from Early Ages through eighth grade. We are a community of students, teachers and parents dedicated to creating a diverse and nurturing environment where children flourish intellectually, creatively and emotionally while developing exceptional social skills and a deep sense of community responsibility. The Co-op’s whole-child curriculum is interdisciplinary, emphasizing inquiry, diversity, critical thinking and deep understanding, while supporting individualized social and emotional growth.

Reporting to the  Head of School, the Primary Grade Teacher is responsible for planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum and differentiated instruction for students in first grade.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Plan and design developmentally appropriate educational programs and lessons for math, reading, writing, phonics, social studies and social-emotional learning;
• Support students with their social-emotional development with a strong focus on health and wellness;
• Work closely with learning specialists to create and implement both learning support and enrichment activities;
• Provide opportunities that encourage curiosity, exploration, problem-solving, and the use of technology;
• Create and provide a supportive and caring classroom environment in which students can learn and interact positively with one another;
• Conduct informal and formal learning assessments to be responsive to an individualized approach for student growth;
• Assess students’ academic and social growth, keep accurate records and prepare progress reports;
• Communicate with families about students’ learning through frequent updates, parent-teacher conferences, and student progress reports;
• Continue to develop professionally by actively participating in professional development opportunities within the independent school community;
• Develop lesson plans and instructional materials that support individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student;
• Use a variety of instructional strategies;
• Participate in faculty and curriculum development meetings and committees as requested;
• Assess students’ academic and social growth, keep accurate records and prepare progress reports;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Masters preferred
• High level of skill and proficiency in preparing and delivering synchronous and asynchronous lessons on a distance learning platform (Google Classroom preferred) 
• Effective organizational skills including but not limited to lesson planning, implementing units of study, differentiating instruction, designing and implementing assessments
• A working knowledge of and an embracing of a progressive educational approach
• A clear commitment to the mission of the Montclair Cooperative School
• Excellent time management skills and be detail and goal oriented
• Excellent interpersonal skills; must be a strong team player and have some experience working collaboratively with peers to implement an academically robust, engaging, and integrated curriculum
• Solid organizational and problem solving skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Highly resourceful and motivated – a “self-starter” with initiative, energy and enthusiasm and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced and changing environment
• Ability to interact well with people from a wide diversity of backgrounds and cultures

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and a statement of educational philosophy  addressed to  Ana Younghusband, Head of School at [email protected] .Only those selected to be interviewed will be contacted. No phone calls please.