Librarian/Media Specialist TK-8

Presidio Hill School
San Francisco, CA

Job Title: Librarian/Media Specialist TK-8
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Reports To: Middle School Director
Contract Start Date: July 1, 2021 (faculty officially returns to school in August)

School Description

Presidio Hill School is an independent, progressive school located in the Presidio Heights neighborhood of San Francisco and serves a diverse population of 220 students enrolled in transitional kindergarten to 8th grade, with a faculty and staff of approximately 45 people. Established in 1918 by artist-educator-activists Helen Salz and Flora Arnstein, Presidio Hill School is the oldest continuously operating progressive school in California, with a mission and deep history connected to social justice. Our new Librarian/Media Specialist will have demonstrated passion and experience leading a school-wide library/media program and working with students and a school community that explicitly strives to be inclusive.

Presidio Hill offers its students a challenging, project-based curriculum that attends to their intellectual and social-emotional needs, and prepares them to be agents of positive social change. Guided by a skilled and caring faculty, students learn to be confident and curious, to be creative problem solvers, and independent, critical thinkers. Learning at PHS is collaborative and active. We place great value on the arts as both an academic discipline and an essential element of a meaningful life. Situated on the edge of the Presidio, our school takes full and frequent advantage of the park’s 1500 acres; whether they are studying science, art, social studies, or literature, the Presidio is a rich and vital “classroom” to our students.

Our vibrant, diverse, and supportive community allows students to explore their unique voices, traits, and talents; our emphasis on the importance of community and justice encourages students to develop self-awareness, personal character, resilience, and an understanding of their role as stewards of the planet and citizens of the world.

Presidio Hill School seeks a faculty and staff that reflects the broad range of diversity in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our school is strongly committed to promoting cultural competency in all interactions and programs. We are invested in the growth, happiness, and preparation of our teachers, and provide generous support for their professional development.

Position Description

Presidio Hill School seeks a full-time Librarian/Media Specialist to begin August 2021. Qualified candidates will demonstrate a deep understanding of and interest in the developmental nuances of elementary school-aged children, progressive education, and anti-bias teaching practices. Candidates will ideally have prior experience as a librarian in a TK-8 school. The Librarian/Media Specialist will be expected to build a safe and engaging library community and to scaffold and differentiate lessons and experiences for students as needed, creating a program that meets the needs of a wide variety of learners. Given that PHS utilizes aspects of Responsive Classroom and Developmental Designs in order to support positive student behavior, candidates with experience in these areas are preferred.

This position includes leading library and media classes for grades TK through 8. Ideal candidates should possess a love of working with children of all ages, an MLIS degree, and ample successful experience in modern school librarianship, including teaching students and guiding learners with all relevant aspects of technology and media.

The PHS librarian may also serve as a middle school advisor for a small group of students. This would include a brief morning meeting each day, providing oneself as a student advocate, communicating with colleagues and parents, and other related student support. Our current librarian also spearheads our annual yearbook project, and interest in maintaining that tradition would be desirable.

In addition to creating and maintaining a vibrant library, providing excellent instruction, and maintaining effective communication with colleagues, parents, and students, the Librarian/Media Specialist is expected to contribute to the greater PHS community through work on various committees and school events. PHS teachers and all faculty work closely with each other and collaborate and engage in a positive manner; excellent interpersonal skills are a necessity.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Establish a safe and inclusive library environment where students feel comfortable taking risks through self-discovery, collaboration, and community engagement
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Design and deliver curriculum and instruction in literary appreciation, as well as research and presentation skills as appropriate to each grade level
• Collaborate with teachers to design integrated curriculum with service and cultural competency at the center
• Help to provide support, resources, training, and information to teachers so the curriculum is enhanced by the professional knowledge and skills of a Librarian/Media Specialist
• Manage, maintain, and develop the library in both the physical space and materials and the digital world, such as the school website and online resources such as information databases. Note: Our library is no longer organized around a Dewey Decimal system and instead we use Genre/Subject classification.
• Collaborate with the Technology Department, administration, and faculty in determining and guiding appropriate technology use and providing information community-wide on best practices with media and technology.
• Supervise recess and lunch duties
• Provide student support as a middle school advisor, including daily morning meetings, parent/guardian conferences, communication with middle school colleagues, and overnight field trips.

Secondary Responsibilities:

• Facilitate, co-facilitate, or support 4th-8th grade affinity groups program
• Attend limited number of evening or weekend school events

Skills, Qualifications, and Experiences

• Experience working in a multicultural environment
• Knowledge of Progressive Education
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and core values of Presidio Hill School
• 3-5 years experience in a school library program
• Strong knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm in working with all forms of media and technology and instructing students and teachers on best practices with technology-based tools for learning, collaboration, communication, research, and presentation.
• Specific experience using technology to support teaching and learning including Google docs and Google calendar, iPads and iOS
• Instructional experience with varied pedagogical approaches
• Good humor, energy, a passion for teaching, and a love of learning
• Experience and/or interest in supervising students on short overnight trips
• Ability to support outdoor education, including extended class trips to and from the Presidio
• Ability to adhere to guidelines and recommendations from the CDC, CDPH, and SFHD
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
  A Bachelor’s degree
• A graduate degree (MLIS Preferred) or degree-in-progress related to education and/or library/information science is preferred

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, résumé, contact information for two to three references, and/or letters of reference via email (with Librarian in the subject line) to James Wygant (Middle School Director): james@presidiohill.org

To learn more about PHS, please visit our website