Website Town School for Boys
Town School for Boys
Fifth and Sixth Grade Spanish Teacher and Advisor (Full time)
Since 1939, San Francisco’s Town School for Boys has had a rich history as a school specializing in teaching boys. The school is also known for the Town School New Teacher Institute and its commitment to training teachers new to their craft. The school’s goals include teaching boys to be good citizens, to enjoy their childhood, to develop a positive sense of self, to give back to their greater community, and to develop academic and intellectual skills which will serve them well through their lifetimes. The school prizes its growing diversity of background, religion, and race, as well as the diversity of interests which is so noteworthy in its student and alumni bodies. Located in San Francisco, Town School for Boys is a K-8 independent day school. Since its founding, Town School has been committed to providing the best possible education for boys and is recognized as one of California’s leading independent elementary schools.
Position Description
Town School for Boys seeks a full-time 5th and 6th grade Spanish and Advisor for the 2021-22 academic school year. Current approaches in our classes include AIM, TPRS, Spanish-only in the classroom, leveled texts for reading, and project-based learning. In addition to Spanish in 5th-8th grades, Town students take Latin in 7th-8th grades. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of two years of teaching experience, enjoy working with boys in middle school, and have a deep respect for the intellectual and social-emotional development of boys. A credential or master’s degree is preferred.
COVID Procedures
When schools were forced to close their physical doors this past spring, Town quickly and successfully pivoted to online learning, supported by thorough planning and a nimble team of faculty, administration and Board members. In the fall of 2020, Town was the second school in the city of San Francisco to be granted permission to reopen, taking exceptional caution to protect the safety of faculty and students. Since October, we have welcomed all grades in the building five days a week. We currently anticipate starting the 2021-2022 school year in person, with our mask and social distancing protocols in place and/or following all SF Department of Health Guidelines. In addition, we will continue to support remote learning for students who need to remain home for medical reasons and/or if the city requires us to close campus.
Desired Qualifications and Skills:
The ideal candidate will have a deep knowledge of the Spanish language, pedagogy, a passion for working with middle school students, and a demonstrated commitment to developing and implementing innovative approaches to learning. Candidates should have experience with project-based learning, incorporate inquiry-based instruction and enjoy collaborating with team members. Cultural competency is an expectation of this candidate and includes integration of diversity and global awareness into the curriculum. Candidates should be strong in their use of technology tools for teaching. We hope to find a candidate with the skills and imagination to connect the Spanish language to the boys’ lives, to use the city as a learning resource, and a candidate who values shepherding boys through the emotional ups and downs of their middle school years.
Duties and Responsibilities:
This exciting opportunity involves working closely with other members of our Spanish Department, grade level team members, as well as the Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation, and the Upper School Head. Candidates should be comfortable integrating different technology tools to enhance instruction. Collaboration with other departments, librarians, and educational technologists is expected. Instructional approaches and course content are differentiated to suit a range of learning styles and reflect a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds. The successful applicant will lead morning meetings, support students during study hall, supervise during snack, and facilitate student-led parent conferences in the fall and spring. Strong communication skills are essential as faculty are expected to communicate regularly with other team members and parents about student progress. Homework and other pertinent class information is posted online. School-wide responsibilities include recess and lunch supervision, and grade level and faculty meetings. Other responsibilities may include committee work, chaperoning outdoor education/field trips, and attending student performances and athletic events.
Town School for Boys Mission
At Town School learning is prized, love of school is essential, and boyhood is celebrated.
Philosophy
As an all boys’ school, Town provides a rich, challenging and rigorous educational experience that addresses the distinctive energy levels and developmental styles of boys. Town values being a diverse community that nurtures integrity, sensitivity and respect in its boys, and prepares them to become productive and contributing members of an ever-changing world.
Town School Values
Respect
- We respect ourselves and others.
- We treat others the way they want to be treated.
- We practice good listening, compassion and empathy.
Curiosity
- We are curious.
- We ask questions, think critically and solve problems.
- We seek opportunities to reach our highest potential.
Belonging
- We all belong.
- We embrace and celebrate each of our unique stories and experiences.
- We seek to ensure that every member of our community feels an equal sense of inclusion.
Integrity
- We act with integrity.
- We have the courage to do the right thing even when nobody else is watching.
- We always try our best and when we fail, we try again.
Joy
- We are joyful.
- We make space for play, fun and laughter.
- We know joy can be found in hard work, risk-taking and perseverance.
Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Our goal is for each boy to be engaged in an environment that weaves together collaboration, critical thinking, integrity, empathy, and creativity. These broad skills, as well as a firm grounding in core academic competencies, offer boys an excellent preparation for their further education. We promote social and emotional learning as a foundation of academic excellence and self-discovery. We prepare students to meet challenges in the world by helping them develop an appreciation for a variety of perspectives from the local to the global. We celebrate diversity by fostering a community of learners built on mutual respect. Learning experiences are inclusive, relevant, flexible, innovative, and adapted to reflect the needs of all kinds of learners. In our joyful, active, and collaborative school, boys flourish.
We achieve these goals through an authentic curriculum that originates in the classroom, travels through the halls, and extends into the world. Our teaching balances traditional methods with key student-centered approaches including inquiry, project-based learning, and teaching for understanding. We stay relevant and current through our testing of innovative, research-based approaches. We model a commitment to lifelong learning, and we hone our craft by pursuing professional development and sharing knowledge with one another.
Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential core values of Town School. The best education for our students requires a diverse experience because a broad spectrum of ideas is essential for understanding different perspectives, challenging assumptions, and inspiring curiosity, to support critical and complex thinking.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where each boy is free to be himself, and where boys are confident and secure in their own identities. We equip each boy with the tools to explore differences in experiences, background, beliefs and ideas. We seek to provide each student with the support and resources he needs to succeed and thrive at Town School.
A diverse and vibrant community is essential. To build and sustain such a community, we reach out to enroll students and families from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, religions, and sexual orientations, and we recruit and retain faculty, staff and administrators from the same broad range of backgrounds. We cultivate an environment where every member of the Town community senses they matter as a significant part of the life of the school. Only when each person feels valued and is engaged may the school and the individual achieve their full potential.
Non-Discrimination Policy:
Town School for Boys admits students of any race, color, religion, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.
Salary and benefits are commensurate with our peer schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and with similar-sized NAIS schools.
Application for this position can be found at https://town-school-for-boys.hiringthing.com/. To learn more about our faculty culture and community in general, please visit our Employment page.
