5th/6th Grade Humanities and Math/Science Lead Teacher Positions

The Learning Center at Prospect Sierra School

5th/6th Grade Humanities and Math/Science Lead Teacher Positions 

Fall 2026 full-time openings

Overview of School

Prospect Sierra is an independent, coed TK–8 school located on two campuses in El Cerrito, California, serving over 400 students. Prospect Sierra gives students the tools to build a better world by integrating rigorous academics with a deep understanding of human emotions. Every day, our exceptional teachers connect students’ academic experiences to ethics, empathy, and social and emotional intelligence. The result is deeper intellectual engagement, greater self-knowledge, and compassionate relationships. Prospect Sierra students develop the courage to become more than great students, but great people.

The Learning Center at Prospect Sierra

Opening in Fall of 2026 for entering 5th and 6th graders, The Learning Center (TLC) will be a small program within the larger Prospect Sierra program. TLC will expand each year, eventually serving students in grades 3-8. TLC is designed to serve students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences, offering small group instruction with a 4:1 ratio for all core academic subjects. TLC students will join the larger Prospect Sierra program for specialist classes and will be fully integrated into the life of the school, joining advisories, grade-level outdoor education trips, athletics and other extra-curricular options, and weekly middle school community meetings.

Overview of Positions

Prospect Sierra is looking for four full-time teachers to support the inaugural year of The Learning Center. For the 2026-2027 school year, there will be two 5th-grade and two 6th-grade TLC teachers. These teams of two will teach reading, writing, math, science, and history for 6-10 students. While all TLC teachers will teach Orton-Gillinghan based reading lessons, each TLC teacher will specialize in either Humanities or Math/Science for the grade level. This will allow for effective planning and the highly differentiated approach needed to meet students where they are and closely monitor ongoing growth.

TLC teachers will report to the Associate Head of Program & PD/Director of TLC. As a member of the larger middle school division, TLC teachers will also work closely with the larger program’s grade level teams, the middle school student support team, and the Middle School Division Head to ensure TLC students are fully integrated into the life of the middle school. All TLC teaching positions are full-time positions, beginning in August of 2026.

Responsibilities of the job 

• Curriculum planning:
  • Daily instructional planning in core academic subjects supported by Orton-Gillingham structured literacy and a multi-sensory approach in all subject areas.
  • Collaborate with other TLC teachers, specialist teachers, and the Director of TLC in ongoing curriculum development, progress monitoring, and assessment.
  • Occasionally join those advisories with TLC students in order to support the social and emotional growth of students.
  • Weekly lessons focused on organizational and executive function skill building.

• Student support:
  • Prioritize relationship building & creating safe spaces for students to demonstrate strengths as well as areas where they need support.
  • Conduct initial diagnostic assessments and ongoing progress monitoring.
  • Review prior evaluations, learning plans, and attend meetings to support ongoing evaluation & support needs.
  • Conduct MAP Growth standardized assessments 3 times per year.
  • Guide specialist teachers in supporting TLC students’ learning needs in order to ensure they thrive in the larger program setting.

• Communication:
  • Provide regular feedback to students and families.
  • Build a strong, positive relationship with parents/caregivers and communicate with families in a regular and timely manner.
  • Facilitate collaboration and meetings between parents, teachers, and outside providers as needed.
  • Facilitate 3 parent conferences annually, incorporating students into the process in developmentally appropriate ways.
  • Complete clearly written reports on progress via student report cards 2 times per year.

• Consult with and/or provide counsel to admissions regarding prospective TLC students.
• Facilitate occasional staff development sessions about strategies to support students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences.
• Attend all grade level team meetings, middle school division meetings, TLC team meetings, and full faculty/staff meetings.
• Support the larger program’s middle school events/experiences as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Appreciation for and desire to work with students with dyslexia and other language based learning differences, as well as students with ADHD and/or EF challenges that often accompany a dyslexia diagnosis
• One or more of the following needed: teaching credential, master’s degree in education, SPED credential, or Educational Therapy certification
• Has lead teaching experience working effectively with students, ideally in the classroom setting
• Flexibility, including openness to teach different grades or subjects annually as program needs shift over time
• Commitment to a flexible approach to daily instruction that supports what each student needs
• Understanding of dyslexic learners and multisensory strategies to effectively meet a wide range of student needs
• Desire for ongoing learning to best support students with complex learning profiles, including staying up to date on brain research and best practices to support students with dyslexia
• Orton-Gillingham associate level certification or willingness to begin OG training prior to Fall of 2026*
• Knowledge of the essential role social emotional literacy plays in the workplace and interest in application of SEL within the educational setting
• Knowledge of identity safe and anti-bias educational practices
• Ability to support an inclusive classroom community that allows for a multitude of perspectives to be heard and respected
• Ability to take initiative, collaborate effectively with diverse constituencies, and take on leadership roles as needed
• A passionate commitment to creating an innovative, joyful environment for students
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Organizational skills and the ability to multitask
• Knowledge of educational technology to support teaching and learning, with a specific focus on tracking data to inform instruction

In addition to required qualifications, desirable additional qualifications include:

• Special Education Master’s Degree
• Making Math Real or other multisensory math training or certification
• Trainings, certificates, experiences, degrees that focus on working with students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and/or executive function challenges

School Wide Duties

• Participation on committees as needed and appropriate
• Participate in overnight study trips
• Ancillary duties include responsibilities that are part of middle school life, e.g., team, staff meetings, recess duties, etc.
• Be on campus daily 8am – 4pm  (til 4:30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays for team, division & full faculty meetings)

Salary

The salary and benefits are competitive. TLC teachers are on the same teaching salary scale as all Prospect Sierra lead teachers.

How to Apply

Please email a resume, cover letter, and if you are most interested in Humanities or Math/Science TLC positions to:

Abby Guinn, aguinn@prospectsierra.org (Please put “TLC Teacher” in the subject line)

Prospect Sierra School is an equal opportunity employer. Our community is diverse in many ways, inclusive of race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender spectrum, age, ability, and more. We welcome and value the same in our faculty and staff.

*Prospect Sierra will cover the cost of OG Associate level certification.