Job Title: Pre-Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Reports to: Academic Dean

Classification: Full-Time hourly position, Monday-Friday, 7:45-3:45

Start Date: August 16, 2021

At Virginia Beach Friends School (VBFS) we believe in knowledge, character, and community. These touchstones guide students through their VBFS education grounded by the Quaker testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship (the S.P.I.C.E.S). It is the goal of a VBFS education that all students strive to become life-long learners who understand their place in a global community and want to make the world a better place.

Virginia Beach Friends School in Virginia Beach, VA seeks an experienced full-time hourly Pre-Kindergarten Assistant Teacher (ages 3.10-4.5) for hire starting August 16, 2021. The Early Childhood program is largely emergent, responding to the needs and interests of the children in the classroom, grounded in progressive Quaker pedagogy and inspired by the Montessori and Reggio Emilia approach, teaching independence and practical life skills as well as exploring the world through experiential and project-based learning. Through observation and engagement, it is the job of the Assistant to keep the flow of activity in the Early Childhood classroom as fluid as possible creating an optimal learning environment. The Assistant’s main responsibility is to support the lead teacher through working with students directly and indirectly. The Assistant’s goal is to continue to foster a love for learning and carry out the goals of the lead teacher with students on a one-on-one basis or in other small groups. This may mean getting on the floor to assist in an engineering/design project (blocks), or getting messy as you prepare the palettes for the artists in the room.

Responsibilities include:

• Collaborate with the Early Childhood lead teacher and teachers of Art, PE, Spanish, Library, Music, Science, and Garden to ensure the best possible learning experience for all children, share possible activity ideas, share essential information about child and parents’ experience.
• Implement lesson plans effectively, follow teacher-designed plans and goals, anticipate needs, and set up materials for lessons (when possible), as instructed by the lead teacher.
• Assist in providing individual instruction and lead small group learning activities.
• Serve as an assistant teacher to specialist teachers when children have outside classroom experiences like gardening, physical education, art, music, etc.
• Guide and redirect children in their interactions with adults and peers, as appropriate.
• Communicate regularly with the lead teacher with regard to the behavior and progress of students.
• Be present and engaged at all times with children during all activities and address student needs as they arise.
• Supervise indoor and outdoor play and other activities, independently or as directed by the lead teacher. (We try to get outside for lunch and learning as much as possible.)
• Interact appropriately with parents, while referring their questions and concerns regarding their children to the teacher, as appropriate.
• Ensure that safety, immediate physical needs, and bathroom needs are addressed.
• Attend faculty meetings, and professional development, as needed.
• Attend Early School Open Houses throughout the calendar year.
• Fulfill other responsibilities and tasks as needed and assigned.

It is Virginia Beach Friend’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, pregnancy, identity, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, military service, application for military service, or any other status protected by applicable law. It is the intent and resolve of Virginia Beach Friends School to comply with the letter and the spirit of the law in the implementation of all facets of equal opportunity.

This equal opportunity policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, training, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and retirement. Subject to the provisions of applicable law, Virginia Beach Friends School will provide reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental disabilities of a qualified individual with a disability who is able to perform the essential functions of a job with such reasonable accommodation, unless to do so would cause an undue hardship on the operation of the School.