Website Phillips Brooks School
The Phillips Brooks School community inspires students to love learning, to develop a spiritual nature, to communicate effectively, to be kind to others, and to respect the uniqueness of each person.
— Mission Statement
Phillips Brooks School (“PBS”), a co-educational preschool-5 independent school in Menlo Park, California, seeks Elementary (K-4) Lead Teachers. Reporting to the Head of Academic Programs, Elementary Lead Teachers take responsibility for instruction in literacy, math, emotional intelligence and global citizenship. Lead teachers collaborate closely with the teaching team and will have an opportunity to contribute to an upbeat, growth-oriented professional learning community that appreciates collaboration, creativity, and an innovative approach to all aspects of school life. All members of the PBS team strive to uphold the school’s mission and core values of kindness, courage, community, and love of learning.
PBS celebrates the diversity of its students and families, and is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive, equitable, and just community that is safe and welcoming for all. PBS knows that with a growing population of students of color (families of color now comprise 69% of all families), it must grow the diversity in its teaching team so that children can see themselves reflected in the people who are shaping their education. PBS recognizes that this requires intentional and purposeful action. Accordingly, PBS seeks candidates that reflect the diversity of its students and families and that are committed to the school’s DEIJ mission and values, as articulated by the Board of Trustees.
Being a part of the PBS team means learning something new every day from your colleagues. It means putting students first in all decision-making. It means partnering with parents who care deeply about the school – not just their child, but the whole community. It means having the room to try new things, having support when one falters, and having colleagues who will cheer when one succeeds.
Strategic Priorities/Opportunities for the Elementary Lead Teacher
● Working collaboratively with a team of innovative and experienced teaching professionals and the elementary school director to challenge students academically and to draw out the joy, creativity, and social development of each student.
● Providing opportunities for students to have a voice in their own learning thereby fostering intrinsic motivation and helping students to develop an understanding of themselves as learners.
● Creating safe places for children to take intellectual and emotional risks, where students can develop confidence and positive self-esteem.
● Creating partnerships with parents by encouraging participation, providing communication about students and curriculum, and approaching families with professionalism and respect.
● Reviewing current programming and identifying areas for growth around DEIJ
● Utilizing resources to enhance academic programming around DEIJ such as Learning for Justice, Facing History/Facing Ourselves, and the Zinn Ed Project
● Participating in professional development opportunities to expand one’s DEIJ competency: e.g., SEED, PoCC, Reimagining Education, faculty summer reading lists
THE POSITION:
The Lead Teacher facilitates hands-on projects and promotes collaboration among students. Furthermore, the lead teacher is attuned to the specific learning needs and social and emotional development of each student. As the central figure in the network of adults supporting each child, the lead teacher maintains ongoing communications, formal and informal, with parents, specialists, and administrators.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
General Responsibilities include:
● Teaching an intentional social–emotional learning curriculum.
● Establishing a classroom environment with clear and consistent routines and expectations to promote student autonomy and engagement.
● Ensuring the safety of each student by supervising and engaging in recess games, lunch, and transitions between classrooms.
● Creating differentiated learning experiences aligned with formative assessments.
● Contributing to interdisciplinary curriculum design and student support strategies with the grade-level team and specialists.
● Supporting the professional growth of the associate teacher with clear expectations, opportunities for demonstrations, and constructive feedback.
● Bringing heart, dedication, collaboration, passion, and humor to the PBS vibrant learning community.
Qualities of the Elementary Lead Teacher
The successful candidate must love working with children, possess a nurturing teaching style, and interact productively with parents. This person supports and anticipates the needs of varied learners in the classroom by promoting constructivism, integration and differentiation, and helps children learn to navigate their ever-changing social worlds with age-appropriate kindness and respect. In addition, the Lead Teacher respects, values and collaborates with colleagues and adheres to professional standards. As a lifelong learner, the Lead Teacher is committed to professional development and stays abreast of current research in pedagogy, constantly evaluates their teaching practice and curriculum, and strives to be the most effective teacher they can be. The Lead Teacher is also eager to share with others their ideas and observations and more importantly, is open to receiving and incorporating suggestions and feedback to enhance their craft. The Lead Teacher is a risk-taker, who is not afraid to make mistakes and who seeks and gives support from and to their colleagues.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS DESIRED
● Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree in education or a related field preferred
● Demonstrated knowledge and proven commitment to anti-racist, diverse curricula and inclusive, equitable pedagogical practices such as authors of color and restorative justice
● A minimum of three-five years of experience teaching elementary grade level
● Multiple Subject Credential, and a demonstrated understanding in Responsive Classroom, Readers and Writers Workshop, and Bridges in Mathematics is useful
● Poise, confidence and demonstrated experience in tackling poignant (sometimes controversial) contemporary and relevant social topics, i.e., Black Lives Matter/anti-Black racism, White Privilege, gender non-conforming, socio-economic class, indigenous histories/traditional storylines, and other dimensions of diversity
● Familiarity with read-aloud cataloging system to gauge range of identities represented across grade levels is desired
● Superb organizational and administrative skills
● A second language is preferred
● Evidence of leadership in guiding colleagues to grow professionally in the area of DEI, either by leading divisional professional development or presenting DEI content at diversity conferences.
● Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
● Familiarity with concerns of the LGBTQIA+ community is a plus
● Warm, approachable, flexible and possessing a sense of humor desired
● Collaborative, vibrant, growth-oriented and expansive mindset
THE SCHOOL
PBS is a diverse community of families and educators committed to partnering in support of student learning.
It offers intimate student-to-teacher ratios, ensuring that each child is known and loved by their teachers. PBS’ innovative, rigorous, and research-based K–5 program blends literacy and math curricula with deep, experiential learning in world languages, visual art, music, and STEM. The school’s unmatched Emotional Intelligence program, integrated throughout the curriculum, ensures that PBS students are set up for a lifetime of being eager learners and great people.
Established in 1978, the former Trinity Parish Day School was named after Rev. Phillips Brooks, a New England minister who wrote “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Over the years, PBS has grown and evolved into the learning and experiential space it is today, where teachers combine a highly integrated academic curriculum with extensive social–emotional learning strategies across all learning domains, led by Responsive Classroom practices. This approach to program excellence ensures that PBS children flourish because the school pays attention to them as individual learners, in partnership with their families.
At PBS, authentic home-and-school partnerships are essential to maximizing each child’s potential. Teachers and administrators engage all families in ways both formal (progress reports, conferences) and informal (conversations in the parking lot or at grade-level coffees) to share about their children and the life of the school. The school encourages and relies on students’ families to be in strong alignment with its core values and mission and to support the work of the school by doing their part at home.
Compassion, empathy, and giving back are taught by example and by doing – day in and day out. PBS brings to life its core values of courage, community, kindness, and love of learning by practicing them daily in all of its actions, large and small. By passionately pursuing core teaching beliefs in ways that set it apart, PBS creates the extraordinary every day. The children are guided to cultivate their individual talents, explore, and dig deep, while working together. In the process, they discover their best selves and truly flourish. When asked “What makes PBS special,” fifth grade students enthusiastically talk about the caring and inclusive community, and how they feel “welcomed” and “at home.” They speak excitedly about the traditions and projects, like “Family Fridays” and “GATHER.” It is clear that a PBS education extends far beyond the classroom and that each child is prepared academically and emotionally to take on future challenges and adventures.
CORE VALUES
COURAGE: We value strength of character and the integrity to do what is right in spite of the risk of fear or discomfort.
COMMUNITY: We value ourselves as responsible members of both our local and global communities and in doing so demonstrate a deeper understanding and compassion for others.
KINDNESS: We value empathy and respect for self and others through honest and effective communication.
LOVE OF LEARNING: We value learning as a lifelong process, driven by intrinsic motivation and focused on process rather than product.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The Board of Trustees has been engaged in an intensive, multi-year study to identify strategies that the school could employ to ensure PBS is continually evolving on this front and pushing itself to learn and to grow, both for its students’ sake and for the sake of its greater community. The results of this study (which will be released this Spring) will provide a roadmap for PBS to continue its work in furthering its DEI mission “to build and support an environment in which each child can become a confident, respectful, and compassionate individual by accepting and valuing the uniqueness of self and others.” The following mission statement articulates the school’s pledge.
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE BOARD COMMITTEE ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
PBS is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse, inclusive, equitable, and just community that is safe and welcoming for all. We also strive to build and support an environment in which each child can become a confident, respectful, and compassionate individual by accepting and valuing the uniqueness of self and others.
PBS respects, affirms, and protects the dignity and worth of each member of our community. PBS values the representation and full engagement of individuals within our community whose differences include – but are not limited to – age, ethnicity, family makeup, gender identity and expression, learning ability, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or any characteristics that contribute to each individual’s full identity.
A diverse student population enhances the educational experience for all of our children. When learning with a diverse group of peers, our students become deeper thinkers, better learners, compassionate citizens, who are able to thrive in a multicultural, global community.
Geography
PBS is located in Menlo Park, just minutes away from Stanford University and a myriad of hiking and biking trails in the Skyline mountain range. In the immediate area are world class restaurants and hole-in-the-wall burger joints. San Francisco is a 35 minute drive north along Interstate 280 and pristine beaches are nearby in San Gregorio and Pescadero. As with much of the Bay Area, the weather is mostly sunny with an average temperature range between the low 50’s (in Winter) to the low 80’s (in Summer).
Fast Facts:
Total enrollment: Approximately 300 students
Total Faculty and Staff: 69
Average Student: Teacher Ratio: 10:1
Students of color: 68%
Families of color: 69%
Salary/Compensation Quartile: 75th
Annual Budget for Professional Development: $110,000 to $140,000
Procedure to Apply
Phillips Brooks School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type with regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. The school welcomes and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and identities and are committed to an inclusive work environment.
To apply, interested candidates must submit the following materials confidentially via http://bit.ly/3u3dtth-PBSLeadTeacher:
● Cover letter expressing interest in the PBS Elementary Lead Teacher position
● Current résumé
● Statement of educational philosophy and practice (no more than 2 pages)
● List of three references including name, title, phone number, email address and professional relationship (references are contacted only with the candidate’s permission)
If you have any questions, please contact Orpheus Crutchfield (email: orpheus@strategenius.org or phone: 510-685-0861).
Search Calendar*
Applications Due April 11, 2021
Semifinalist Interviews April 19-23, 2021
Finalist Interviews April 26-30, 2021
Announcement May 1, 2021
*Approximate dates
