Careers at MCS

Start Date: August 7, 2025

Reports to: Head of School

Employee Classification: Salaried exempt, full-time; 10-month employee

Schedule: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm Mondays - Fridays; IN PERSON ON CAMPUS

About the Organization

Founded in 1965, Montessori Center School of Santa Barbara (MCS) is an independent school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The school boasts sixty years rich in a history of nurturing a lifelong love for learning among children ages 18 months through 6th grade – grounded in the Montessori method. An American Montessori Society Member School, MCS fosters independent, self-motivated, confident, life-long learners, who will become positive forces to care for and transform our world. The school is located on a beautiful garden campus in Goleta, California.

About the Opportunity

MCS seeks an experienced and certificated Montessori Primary Lead Teacher. This is an opportunity to work with our wildly talented and committed staffulty and wonderful students and families as you lead a classroom of approximately 24 students through the Primary years of their early childhood Montessori learning journeys.

Overseeing a Co-teacher, and working in a highly collaborative manner with the whole Primary team, you will carefully curate a welcoming, orderly, beautiful and resource-rich environment and will deliver a high-fidelity Montessori learning experience for our students each day, nurturing their independence, curiosity and love for learning.

Roles & Responsibilities

The Primary Lead Teacher will perform the following duties:

Classroom Environment

• Design and maintain a calm and joyful Montessori Primary environment that nurtures a high quality, developmentally early childhood program – both social learning and academic skills.
• Build warm and nurturing rapport with each of your students and establish strong routines for the classroom that help the students learn how to be independent and thrive within the boundaries of the environment.

Observation & Record-keeping

• Oversee students’ progression through the curriculum, ensuring that each child is pursuing a well-designed program that best reflects their unique learning style.
• Conduct child observations regularly, documenting these through the school’s shared online learning management system (TransparentClassroom).
• Utilize child observations and your data and records to lesson-plan and inform daily choices regarding each child’s support and program.

Family Engagement

• Be an excellent communicator with parents; work to engage parents and caregivers as great partners in each student’s educational process.
• Utilizing school-wide protocols, share data and updates routinely with families regarding their children’s academic and social development.
• Be responsive, receptive and welcoming of parent/caregiver inquiries and feedback.
• Share weekly classroom updates with families, host family gatherings (potlucks, etc.) and classroom visitations, and be each of your students’ families’ go-to person in the school.
• Participate in the life of the school community by supporting annual events including occasional weekend commitments (e.g the fall harvest festival, annual benefit auction).

Teamwork & Learning

• Embody MCS’s core values in your daily interactions with children, families and staffulty.
• Seek out and embrace opportunities for collaboration with colleagues across the school.
• Model lifelong learning: Seek out opportunities for learning and development, including opportunities to learn from peer feedback from your colleagues.
• Be an engaged and committed coach, mentor and manager to the Co-teacher working alongside you in your classroom. Support their learning, development and success.

Qualifications

Successful candidates for this role will evidence the following qualifications:

Experience & Professional Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university
• A Primary level teaching certification from a MACTE-accredited teaching program
• Experience working in a Montessori Primary classroom (3+ years preferred)
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills

Mindsets

• Commitment to MCS’ mission, vision and core values
• Demonstrated capacity to collaborate effectively as a member of a results-oriented, high-performing team
• Passion for serving children of all learning styles and abilities
• Commitment to living out principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Sound professional judgment and decision-making skills
• Capacity to share and receive and implement feedback with grace and agility
• High level of emotional intelligence, integrity and humor
• High level of personal organization, planning and follow-through
• Ability to recognize and embrace that perfect is the enemy of good

Physical Requirements

Duties performed typically in school settings to include:

• Physical stamina to work with school-aged children.
• Frequent walking, kneeling, standing, stooping, sitting on the ground, and occasional lifting, up to approximately 50 pounds.
• Must be able to grasp and feel the attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature and texture.
• Able to move as needed to ensure the safety of the children. Other physical activities may be required.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer information, determining the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to inside and outside environmental conditions, noise and hazards.
• Daily personal and close contact with children to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required.
• Regular in-person contact with parents, faculty and staff members is required.

These physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform successfully the essential functions of this job. MCS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with this commitment, MCS will take steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.

All MCS employees must clear a DOJ/FBI background check (LiveScan), must provide a negative TB test, must know the school emergency procedures, and must perform other duties not specifically stated as directed by the Head of School.

Compensation

This is a salaried, exempt full-time position 40 hours per week, 10 months per year. Compensation for this position is competitive and commensurate with starting annualized salary for experienced applicants ranging from $58,000 to $80,000 annually. Full-time employees of MCS are eligible for comprehensive health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan matching and paid time off (PTO).

To Express Interest

To express your interest in this role with MCS, please email a one-page cover letter and one- or two-page professional resume to Head of School, Vanessa Jackson: v.jackson@mcssb.org. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we aim to make a hire for this role by February 1, 2025.

Start Date: August 1, 2024

Reports to: Associate Head of School, Program

Employee Classification: Hourly, non-exempt, part-time; 10-month employee

Schedule: 12:45 pm – 5:30 pm Mondays – Fridays

Hourly Compensation: $22.50-$28.93 DOE

About the Organization:

Founded in 1965, the Montessori Center School at Santa Barbara (MCS) is an independent school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a rich history of preparing students ages 18 months through 6th grade for academic excellence using the world-renowned Montessori Method. An American Montessori Society member school, MCS fosters independent, self-motivated, confident, life-long learners, who will become positive forces to care for and transform our world. The school is located on a beautiful garden campus in Goleta, California.

Montessori Center School is a non-profit independent school dedicated to providing a high-quality Montessori education to students ages 18 months to 12 years. We have an opening for a part-time, afterschool care assistant teacher position at the primary level (2.5 to 6 years old) for the 2024-2025 school year, starting August 1, 2024.

Responsibilities include supervising children, ages 2.5-6 years old, during nap time and indoor and outdoor games, activities, and free time with warmth, patience, and kindness.

Specific responsibilities of the assistant teacher may include: supervising on the playground, during naps, and in the classroom, modeling Montessori manners (grace and courtesy), preparing snacks, maintaining supply shelves, observing children in their daily routines, and assisting with other projects. The afterschool care teacher will greet and communicate with parents at pick-up.

It is important to adhere to school protocol and school policies in all dealings with parents. The afterschool care teacher should establish positive relationships and communicate effectively with children, staff, administration, parents, and members of the community.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be an energetic and dedicated team player who is caring with a positive attitude, a nurturing personality, and loves working with children. This individual must be able to effectively supervise children in safe learning/play activities and facilitate the development of social skills. 12 core early childhood education (ECE) units are preferred but must have at least 6 ECE units to work. Livescan, measles, and pertussis vaccinations and TB tests are required. Salary depends on experience and educational level.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter, resume, and official or unofficial transcript to apply to Melanie Newhouse, m.newhouse@mcssb.org

Start Date: August 1, 2024

Reports to: Associate Head of School, Program

Employee Classification: Hourly, non-exempt, full-time; 10-month employee

Schedule:  10:00 am to 6:00 pm Mondays - Fridays

Hourly compensation:  $22.50 - $28.93 DOE

Montessori Center School is hiring a full-time (10:00 pm to 6:00 pm M-F) afterschool care teacher in the toddler classroom (18 months to 3 years) for the 2024-2025 school year. 

The afterschool care teacher cares for up to 6 toddlers during after school hours, following the Montessori philosophy and practices set by the head teacher. She/he is responsible for the safety and happiness of the children, diapering and potty training, cleaning and maintaining the classroom materials, and adhering to school protocol and school policies. A confident, professional demeanor is important when dealing with parents. 

Providing a safe and nurturing environment for the children is essential to this position.

The candidate must have completed 12 core Early Childhood Education units (ECE), including 3 infant/toddler ECE units and have experience working with children between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, and must pass a criminal background check. Negative TB test required. 

Compensation is competitive and depends on experience and education. 

Please email a cover letter, resume and official or unofficial transcript to Melanie Newhouse at m.newhouse@mcssb.org

Benefits:

• Dental Insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Montessori Center School is an Equal Opportunity Employer licensed by the DSS (Lic# 426205239)

Title: Library Specialist

Start Date: August 8, 2025

Reports to: Head of School

Employee Classification: Salaried exempt, full-time; 10-month employee

Schedule: 8:30 am - 5 pm Mondays - Fridays; IN PERSON ON CAMPUS

About the Organization

Founded in 1965, Montessori Center School of Santa Barbara (MCS) is an independent school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The school boasts sixty years rich in a history of nurturing a lifelong love for learning among children ages 18 months through 6th grade – grounded in the Montessori method. An American Montessori Society Member School, MCS fosters independent, self-motivated, confident, life-long learners, who will become positive forces to care for and transform our world. The school is located on a beautiful garden campus in Goleta, California.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The Library Specialist will perform the following roles and responsibilities:

Library Environment

• Design and maintain a calm and joyful environment in the MCS library that is culturally responsive and nurtures a high-quality whole-child early childhood program that aligns to the American Montessori Society (AMS) accreditation standards as they pertain to specialist programs and classes.
• Manage the library collection through selecting, acquiring, organizing, and maintaining age appropriate library resources.
• Build warm and nurturing rapport with each of your students and establish strong routines for the classroom that help the students learn how to be independent and thrive within the boundaries of the environment.
• Lead and support great experiential learning opportunities and Montessori “going out” lessons for your students (e.g. guest authors, trips to the Santa Barbara Public Library, etc.), which includes carefully planning, communicating and lead-chaperoning field trips for MCS program levels.
• Support strong school culture among the children by supervising and supporting during common time across various parts of the school day as needed (e.g. arrival procedures, playground time, dismissal procedures, and or after care).
• Maintain a well-organized, tidy and clean physical environment in the library that reflects Montessori principles of order, simplicity and beauty. Manage the library and library parent volunteers.

Lesson-planning

• Design, deliver and store digitally for future use by the school lessons that are appropriate to each program level’s developmental plane and that expose the children to a breadth and depth of topics and skills within your content area.
• Implement strategies and supports to serve the unique needs of every child in your classroom. This includes partnering with the Director of Student Support to design and implement strategies to support neurodiverse children and those with disabilities.

After Care Program & Library Family Hours

• Guide and deliver an after-school program for Primary, Lower Elementary and/or Upper Elementary students as part of the school’s After Care program.
• Hold and promote “Family Hours” 1-2 days/week in the library for students and their families.

Family Engagement

• Be an excellent communicator with parents; work to engage parents and caregivers as great partners in each student’s educational process.
• Utilize school-wide protocols, share data and updates routinely with families regarding their children’s academic and social development.
• In consultation with the Director of Enrichment and Director of Community Engagement, create and post two program update posts for ParentSquare (one fall, one winter/spring) to help parents gain insight into the work you lead with children in your program.
• Be responsive, receptive, and welcoming of parent/caregiver inquiries and feedback.
• Participate in the life of the school community by supporting annual events, including occasional weekend commitments (e.g. the fall harvest festival, annual benefit auction).

Teamwork, Learning & Development

• Embody MCS’s core values in your daily interactions with children, families and staffulty.
• Seek out and embrace opportunities for collaboration with colleagues across the school.
• Model lifelong learning: Seek out opportunities for learning and development, including opportunities to learn from peer feedback from your colleagues.
• Be a great communicator with your colleagues: Attend to the details when completing grow notes or accident reports, and recognize and act on the knowledge that it is often the seemingly small things that can make a huge difference in the daily lives of the children, their families and your colleagues when it comes to careful and timely communication.
• Pursue continuing education opportunities through being an active participant in the school’s learning and development opportunities (L&D days, workshops, etc.) and by seeking out opportunities for ongoing professional development through high quality training centers and resources.

Qualifications

An Employee hired into this role will evidence the following qualifications:

Experience & Professional Qualifications

• Experience managing a children’s library and prior experience working with all age groups you teach in the school (three+ years preferred)
• Demonstrated track record of utilizing various sources of information and data (observations, lesson records and formal assessment) to inform instructional choices and guide work with students to support strong whole-child outcomes.
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing)
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university required
• A Master’s degree in Library Science or Library and Information Science (MLS, MLIS) from a graduate library program accredited by the American Library Association preferred
• Completion of at least 12 core Early Childhood Education (ECE) units

Mindsets

• Commitment to MCS’ mission, vision and core values
• Demonstrated capacity to collaborate effectively as a member of a results-oriented, high-performing team
• Passion for serving children of all abilities
• Commitment to living out principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Sound professional judgment and decision-making skills
• Capacity to share, receive, and implement feedback with grace and agility
• High level of emotional intelligence, integrity and humor; low-ego
• High level of personal organization, planning and follow-through

Physical Requirements

The roles and responsibilities of this position with the school require the Employee to perform the following physical requirements of working in the school environment:

• Physical stamina to work with school-aged children.
• Frequent walking, kneeling, standing, stooping, sitting on the ground, and occasional lifting, up to approximately 50 pounds.
• Must be able to grasp and feel the attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature and texture.
• Able to move as needed to ensure the safety of the children, which includes walking on playground wood chips, grass and sand; running; and jogging. Other physical activities may be required.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer information, determining the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to inside and outside environmental conditions, noise and hazards.
• Daily personal and close contact with children to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required.
• Regular in-person contact with parents and staffulty is required.

These physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an Employee to perform successfully the essential functions of this job. MCS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with this commitment, MCS will take steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.

All MCS Employees must be authorized to work in the United States and must clear a DOJ/FBI background check (LiveScan).

Compensation

This is a salaried, exempt full-time position 40 hours per week, 12 months per year. Compensation for this position is competitive and commensurate with starting annualized salary for experienced applicants ranging from $59,000 to $87,000 annually. Full-time employees of MCS are eligible for comprehensive health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan matching and paid time off (PTO).

To Express Interest

To express your interest in this role with MCS, please email: (1) a well-written, one-page cover letter and (2) a one- or two-page professional resume to Head of School, Vanessa Jackson: v.jackson@mcssb.org. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we aim to make an offer to a highly qualified candidate for this role by June 1, 2025.

Talent Inclusivity & Non-discrimination

Montessori Center School is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse community where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, and local laws. 

We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for our students, families, faculty, and staff. Our Montessori philosophy emphasizes respect for all individuals, and we strive to uphold these values in every aspect of our school community.

If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact Birgit Crable: b.crable@mcssb.org.

Title: Spanish Specialist

Start Date: August 8, 2025 

Reports to: Head of School

Employee Classification: Salaried exempt, full-time; 10-month employee

Schedule: 8:30 am - 5 pm Mondays - Fridays; IN PERSON ON CAMPUS

About the Organization

Founded in 1965, Montessori Center School of Santa Barbara (MCS) is an independent school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The school boasts sixty years rich in a history of nurturing a lifelong love for learning among children ages 18 months through 6th grade – grounded in the Montessori method. An American Montessori Society Member School, MCS fosters independent, self-motivated, confident, life-long learners, who will become positive forces to care for and transform our world. The school is located on a beautiful garden campus in Goleta, California.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The Spanish Specialist will perform the following roles and responsibilities:

Classroom Environment

• Design and maintain a calm and joyful classroom environment that is culturally responsive and nurtures a high-quality whole-child early childhood program that aligns to the American Montessori Society (AMS) accreditation standards as they pertain to specialist programs and classes.
• Build warm and nurturing rapport with each of your students and establish strong routines for the classroom that help the students learn how to be independent and thrive within the boundaries of the environment.
• Lead and support great experiential learning opportunities and Montessori “going out” lessons for your students (e.g. guest speakers, cultural festivities, field trips), which includes carefully planning, communicating and lead-chaperoning field trips for MCS program levels.
• Support strong school culture among the children by supervising and supporting during common time across various parts of the school day as needed (e.g. arrival procedures, playground time, dismissal procedures, and or after care).

Lessons

• Design, deliver and store digitally for future use by the school lessons that are appropriate to each program level’s developmental plane and that expose the children to a breadth and depth of topics and skills within your content area helping students gain strong command of oral and written Spanish.
• Implement strategies and supports to serve the unique needs of every child in your classroom. This includes partnering with the Director of Student Support to design and implement strategies to support neurodiverse children and those with disabilities.

After Care Program

• Guide and deliver an after-school program for Primary, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary students as part of the school’s After Care program.
• Help out in Primary and/or Elementary After Care as needed.

Family Engagement

• Be an excellent communicator with parents; work to engage parents and caregivers as great partners in each student’s educational process.
• Utilize school-wide protocols, share data and updates routinely with families regarding their children’s academic and social development.
• In consultation with the Director of Enrichment and Director of Community Engagement, create and post two program update posts for ParentSquare (one fall, one winter/spring) to help parents gain insight into the work you lead with children in your classroom.
• Be responsive, receptive, and welcoming of parent/caregiver inquiries and feedback.
• Participate in the life of the school community by supporting annual events, including occasional weekend commitments (e.g. the fall harvest festival, annual benefit auction).

Teamwork, Learning & Development

• Embody MCS’s core values in your daily interactions with children, families and staffulty.
• Seek out and embrace opportunities for collaboration with colleagues across the school.
• Model lifelong learning: Seek out opportunities for learning and development, including opportunities to learn from peer feedback from your colleagues.
• Be a great communicator with your colleagues: Attend to the details when completing grow notes or accident reports, and recognize and act on the knowledge that it is often the seemingly small things that can make a huge difference in the daily lives of the children, their families and your colleagues when it comes to careful and timely communication.
• Pursue continuing education opportunities through being an active participant in the school’s learning and development opportunities (L&D days, workshops, etc.) and by seeking out opportunities for ongoing professional development through high quality training centers and resources.

Qualifications

An Employee hired into this role will evidence the following qualifications:

Experience & Professional Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university
• Experience teaching in your specialist content areas and prior experience working with all age groups you teach in the school (3+ years preferred)
• Demonstrated track record of utilizing various sources of information and data (observations, lesson records and formal assessment) to inform instructional choices and guide work with students to support strong whole-child outcomes.
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing)
• Native speaker level written and oral communication skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in the target language of Spanish
• Completion of at least 12 core Early Childhood Education units

Mindsets

• Commitment to MCS’ mission, vision and core values
• Demonstrated capacity to collaborate effectively as a member of a results-oriented, high-performing team
• Passion for serving children of all abilities
• Commitment to living out principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Sound professional judgment and decision-making skills
• Capacity to share, receive, and implement feedback with grace and agility
• High level of emotional intelligence, integrity and humor; low-ego
• High level of personal organization, planning and follow-through
• Ability to recognize and embrace that perfect is the enemy of good

Physical Requirements

The roles and responsibilities of this position with the school require the Employee to perform the following physical requirements of working in the school environment:

• Physical stamina to work with school-aged children.
• Frequent walking, kneeling, standing, stooping, sitting on the ground, and occasional lifting, up to approximately 50 pounds.
• Must be able to grasp and feel the attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature and texture.
• Able to move as needed to ensure the safety of the children, which includes walking on playground wood chips, grass and sand; running; and jogging. Other physical activities may be required.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer information, determining the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to inside and outside environmental conditions, noise and hazards.
• Daily personal and close contact with children to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required.
• Regular in-person contact with parents and staffulty is required.

These physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an Employee to perform successfully the essential functions of this job. MCS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with this commitment, MCS will take steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.

All MCS Employees must be authorized to work in the United States and must clear a DOJ/FBI background check (LiveScan).

Compensation

This is a salaried, exempt full-time position 40 hours per week, 12 months per year. Compensation for this position is competitive and commensurate with starting annualized salary for experienced applicants ranging from $59,000 to $87,000 annually. Full-time employees of MCS are eligible for comprehensive health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan matching and paid time off (PTO).

To Express Interest

To express your interest in this role with MCS, please email: (1) a well-written, one-page cover letter and (2) a one- or two-page professional resume to Head of School, Vanessa Jackson: v.jackson@mcssb.org. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we aim to make an offer to a highly qualified candidate for this role by June 1, 2025

Talent Inclusivity & Non-discrimination

Montessori Center School is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse community where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, and local laws. 

We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for our students, families, faculty, and staff. Our Montessori philosophy emphasizes respect for all individuals, and we strive to uphold these values in every aspect of our school community.

If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact Birgit Crable: b.crable@mcssb.org.

Title: Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher (ages 9-12) 

Start Date: August 8, 2025

Reports to: Head of School Employee

Classification: Salaried exempt, full-time; 10-month employee

Schedule: 7:30 am - 4 pm Mondays - Fridays; IN PERSON ON CAMPUS

About the Organization

Founded in 1965, Montessori Center School of Santa Barbara (MCS) is an independent school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The school boasts sixty years rich in a history of nurturing a lifelong love for learning among children ages 18 months through 6th grade – grounded in the Montessori method. An American Montessori Society Member School, MCS fosters independent, self-motivated, confident, life-long learners, who will become positive forces to care for and transform our world. The school is located on a beautiful garden campus in Goleta, California

Roles & Responsibilities:

An Elementary Assistant Teacher will perform the following roles and responsibilities:

Supporting the Children, the Lead Teacher & the Classroom Environment

• Support the Lead Teacher’s preparation of a safe, clean, well-resourced, welcoming and orderly Montessori classroom environment (both indoor and outdoor) that provides for a rigorous, engaging and highly effective academic program. Assume primary responsibility for keeping the classroom environment tidy, orderly and clean in conformance with the Montessori classroom aesthetic and American Montessori Society (AMS) accreditation standards. Keep the classroom well-stocked with consumables each day by performing cleaning routines, running copies, prepping paper materials, sharpening pencils, etc.
• Under the direction of the Lead Teacher in the classroom and in alignment with the School’s common practices, uphold the core principles of Montessori educational philosophy appropriate to the program level (Upper Elementary) in which the Employee is placed.
• Provide “classroom overview,” to allow the Lead Teacher to deliver lessons and conduct child observations without interruption or distraction. Be up and about, actively supervising the roughly 24 children and identifying instances wherein a child may need guidance, redirection or support. (This not only protects the Lead Teacher’s lessons but also assures children’s safety, and ensures that observational data is being gathered continuously, students are navigating the environment appropriately, and concentration is honored.)
• Nurture strong relationships with each child, foster natural engagement and curiosity, and take a stand for equity, inclusion and belonging for every student in the classroom.
• When appropriate, and under the direction of the Lead Teacher in the classroom, support children’s progression through the curriculum, implementing individualized strategies, as appropriate, that best meet each child’s unique needs.
• Support the planning of and serve as a chaperone for field trips and other learning experiences outside of the classroom environment. (This includes but is not limited to the week-long overnight science trip and the spring multi-day overnight backpacking trip.)
• Support safe and smooth and prosocial routines and procedures for daily arrival and dismissal, lunch, playground and other common school- and level-wide protocols.
• Accompany groups to select specialist classes at various times throughout the year to support strong student culture and learning outcomes during specialist time.

Family Engagement

• Be an excellent communicator with parents; work to engage parents and caregivers as great partners in each student’s educational process.
• Be responsive, receptive and welcoming of parent/caregiver inquiries and feedback.
• Participate in the life of the school community by supporting annual events, including occasional weekend commitments (e.g. the fall harvest festival, annual benefit auction).

Teamwork, Learning & Development

• Embody MCS’s core values in your daily interactions with children, families and staffulty.
• Seek out and embrace opportunities for collaboration with colleagues across the school.
• Model lifelong learning: Seek out opportunities for ongoing teacher training, learning and development, including opportunities to learn from manager and peer feedback from your colleagues.
• Be a great communicator with your colleagues: Attend to the details when completing behavior reports or accident reports, and recognize and act on the knowledge that it is often the seemingly small things that can make a huge difference in the daily lives of the children, their families and your colleagues when it comes to careful and timely communication.
• Pursue continuing education opportunities through being an active participant in the school’s learning and development opportunities (L&D days, workshops, etc.) and by seeking out opportunities for ongoing professional development through AMS.

Qualifications

An Employee hired into this role will evidence the following qualifications:

Experience & Professional Qualifications

• Experience working with elementary school-aged children in an academic setting (3+ years preferred)
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing)
• Strong command of elementary and middle school math and language arts
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university

Mindsets

• Commitment to MCS’ mission, our whole-child vision and our core values
• Demonstrated capacity to collaborate effectively as a member of a results-oriented, high-performing team
• Passion for serving children of all learning styles and abilities
• Commitment to living out principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Sound professional judgment and decision-making skills
• Capacity to share and receive and implement feedback with grace and agility
• High level of emotional intelligence, integrity and humor
• High level of personal organization, planning and follow-through
• Ability to recognize and embrace that perfect is the enemy of good

Physical Requirements

The roles and responsibilities of this position with the school require the Employee to perform the following physical requirements of working in the school environment:

• Physical stamina to work with school-aged children.
• Frequent walking, kneeling, standing, stooping, sitting on the ground, and occasional lifting, up to approximately 50 pounds.
• Must be able to grasp and feel the attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature and texture.
• Able to move as needed to ensure the safety of the children, which includes walking on playground wood chips, grass and sand; running; and jogging. Other physical activities may be required.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer information, determining the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to inside and outside environmental conditions, noise and hazards.
• Daily personal and close contact with children to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required.
• Regular in-person contact with parents and staffulty is required.

These physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an Employee to perform successfully the essential functions of this job. MCS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with this commitment, MCS will take steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.

All MCS Employees must be authorized to work in the United States and must clear a DOJ/FBI background check (LiveScan).

Compensation

This is an hourly, non-exempt full-time position 40 hours per week, 12 months per year. Compensation for this position is competitive and commensurate with starting hourly rate ranging from $26.78/hour to $34.00/hour. Full-time employees of MCS are eligible for comprehensive health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan matching and paid time off (PTO).

To Express Interest

To express your interest in this role with MCS, please email: (1) a well-written, one-page cover letter and (2) a one- or two-page professional resume to Head of School, Vanessa Jackson: v.jackson@mcssb.org. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we aim to make an offer to a highly qualified candidate for this role by June 1, 2025.

Talent Inclusivity & Nondiscrimination

Montessori Center School is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse community where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, and local laws. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for our students, families, faculty, and staff. 

Our Montessori philosophy emphasizes respect for all individuals, and we strive to uphold these values in every aspect of our school community.

If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact Birgit Crable: b.crable@mcssb.org.