Middle School Classroom Guide

Childpeace Montessori is seeking a Classroom Guide to join our Metro Middle School Program beginning August 2025.

Work hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. during the school year with occasional evening and weekend commitments. This position is salaried, exempt, and benefit-eligible (medical, dental, and vision insurance, and more).

The Middle School Guide has professional responsibility for establishing, maintaining and directing MS Classrooms, in direct collaboration with other MS Guides, rooted in Montessori principles. The Guid is responsible for the well-being of the adolescents while at school, and building supportive, appropriate relationships with parents and colleagues.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Curriculum: The MMM Guide is responsible for:

• Preparing the classroom environment, lesson planning and record keeping.


• Being a generalist with interest in various subjects; modeling intellectual curiosity.


• Collaborating with other MS guides to enhance interdisciplinary nature of MS curriculum.


• Assessing each child’s academic progress through observation and review of work, incorporating additional assessment tools as needed.


• Supporting the academic, social, emotional and physical development of each child.


• Providing classroom systems which promote self-management.


• Regarding each child without prejudice or favoritism.


• Observing, documenting and detecting potential learning obstacles. The Guide will be familiar with the signs of learning disabilities and responsible for seeking out appropriate assessment and instructional strategies.


• Maintaining confidentiality of each adolescent and family.


• Planning class activities such as field trips, volunteerism, etc.


• Providing a system and support for student-led outings into the community.


• Being mindful of requirements for high school and preparing students accordingly.


• Being flexible and willing to guide in multiple subject areas, as needed, integrating personal strengths and interests to benefit the academic community.


• Integrating into the curricula excursions into the city, taking advantage of all that our surroundings have to offer.


• Create relationships with experts in various fields for the purpose of bringing in additional adults for our students to work with.


• Collaborate in planning and leading a 7-10 day Odyssey trip every year (in conjunction with other guides and Adolescent Program Director).


• Collaborate in planning and leading 5-day Spring Trip every year (in conjunction with other guides and Adolescent Program Director).

Care of the Environment: The Guide is responsible for:

• Maintaining cleanliness, order and beauty of the classrooms and all outside, storage, and community spaces used by the adolescents.


• Facilitating the adolescent’s connection and responsibility for care and maintenance of the environment.


• Contributing to communal upkeep to enhance the beauty of the entire school environment by working side by side with students at clean-up times.
  


• Modeling an orderly professional desk space and supporting adolescent’s maintenance of her/his personal storage spaces.

Classroom Management: Guide skills will include:

• Giving clear and precise presentations for individual, small and large student groups.


• Communicating and managing developmentally appropriate behavioral standards.


• Supporting adolescent’s skill in behavioral self-regulation using positive phrasing when sharing expectations.


• Offering tools and language to support adolescents to develop skills of positive peer relationships, collaboration and conflict resolution.


• Managing a problem solving process as necessary.


• Offering to students clear boundaries.

Relationship with Parents: Expectations include:

• Using effective communication tools to build a supportive relationship of trust between home and school. Whenever communicating about the adolescent’s experience, the guide assumes the role of advocate for the student.


• Adhering to professional protocol and school policies in all interactions with parents. Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, demonstrating awareness that one’s conduct is a reflection of the school environment, and using good judgment when forming social connections with parents outside of the professional relationship.


• Organizing and participating in parent education events.


• Conducting formal conferences twice per year, with additional pre-conferences offered before the start of school for new students/families. Offering availability for informal meetings and conferences as needed.


• Writing and sharing copies four times yearly of progress reports with the parents, Program Director and Head of School.


• Providing support for parents by offering professional advice and education about Montessori philosophy.


• Documenting all significant parent meetings, conversations and emails with the adolescent’s family. Updating Program Director of any significant communications.


• Respecting the confidentiality of the parents and details about home life.


• Revisiting the School Partnership Agreement with families in conferences, as needed.

Community Relations: Each Guide is expected to cooperate with the staff and school community as a whole by:

• Arriving at least ½ hour before school begins and remaining on the premises for at least

½ hour after school ends.

• Projecting a positive and professional attitude when fulfilling staff responsibilities and implementing school policy.


• Communicating regularly with Adolescent Program Director and Head of School about classroom life either through a written report or through verbal conversation.


• Communicating directly with the appropriate person any concerns or problems.


• Supporting and implementing the Childpeace staff charter.


• Attending all scheduled staff meetings and scheduled in-service meetings. MMM guides meet a minimum of 2.5 hours after school.


• Being prompt for all scheduled meetings, events and activities.
  


• Completing all transitional paperwork and communication for students moving to high school.


• Contributing to fundraising efforts and activities that support the school community.


• Nourishing alumni, parent and student relationships.


• Maintaining a professional appearance.


• Other duties assigned by the Head of School

Professional Development: The Guide is expected to continue personal and professional development by:

• Completing 24 hours of documented, relevant professional development each calendar year.


• Joining the professional organization AMI (yearly dues are paid by Childpeace).


• Accumulating educational materials and seeking out development opportunities for the purpose of expanding oneself as a resource to the child.


• Participating in staff meetings, setting aside time for peer observations and helping create an atmosphere of respectful collegiality.


• Sharing and receiving suggestions and feedback with colleagues.


• Reading the Staff Handbook and Parent/Student Handbook and agreeing to adhere to all Childpeace Montessori School policies.


• Middle School Guides should aim to maintain a valid teaching credential.

Job Supervision:

• The Adolescent Program Director supervises this position.The Program Director will observe throughout the year, offer feedback and help in setting professional goals. Childpeace Director of Finance and Operations may be consulted for any questions related to human resources.


• Adolescent Program Director sets the schedule for yearly evaluation related to employment and works with HOS to make final decisions regarding employment.


• Middle School Guide takes evaluation and feedback with appropriate professional demeanor.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Ability to perform essential job duties with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to safety or health of employee or others. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree or higher


• AMI 12-18 Diploma preferred 


• M.Ed. or MAT preferred


• Knowledge of the developmental needs and tendencies of the adolescent aged child


• Experience with adolescent age children preferred


• Minimum of 2 years teaching experience required


• Valid teaching license preferred
  

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Background Check/Enrollment in the Central Background Registry


• Food Handler Card


• CPR/First Aid


• Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse & Neglect


• Professional development: Complete 24 hours of documented training each school year.

JOB DUTIES OF EVERY EMPLOYEE:

• Works collaboratively in a team environment.


• Maintains punctual, regular, and predictable attendance. Attends staff meetings and monthly in-service times as required.


• Prioritizes a focus on a child's experience.


• Performs other duties (reasonable to the position) as assigned.


• Maintains professional appearance and demeanor.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Command of language rules and syntax are such that they are appropriately used in written and verbal communication and modeled for children in the classroom.


• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general education periodicals, professional journals, organizational procedures and regulations. Ability to write reports, parent correspondence, and procedure documents. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from parents, staff, and the general public.


• Ability to speak effectively with other employees, parents and children. Ability to write clearly in email, conference reports, or other formats as required by the job.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Command of mathematics procedures are such that they are appropriately modeled for children in the classroom. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Has computer job skills including the abilities to: log on to systems, communicate by email, compose documents, enter database information, create presentations, download forms, and utilize record keeping software, navigate the Google suite of applications including mail, calendar and drive.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral and diagram form.

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.

• Middle School activities require frequent shifts between sitting, walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, crouching.


• Must be able to run with children or run to them quickly as needed.


• Frequent reaching and use of hands, including ability to lift items under 10 pounds.


• Ability to lift a child who is under 100 pounds (in case of safety or medical injury) or assist with moving classroom furniture or materials.


• Close, distance, and peripheral vision are required for observing the children and ensuring their safety.


• Relative physical fitness required for walking outings.


• Must be able to participate fully in Odyssey and Spring Trips

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.

• Position involves outdoor play in a variety of weather conditions.


• Noise level ranges from quiet to moderate during normal activities, but is occasionally loud when children express emotional highs and lows.


• Middle School Guide attends camping trips at various locations with the classroom group.


• Middle School Guide is out in the neighborhood with students on a regular basis.