Available Position:

Early Childhood Teaching Assistant (Kindergarten)

Department:

Lower School

Reports to:

Head of Lower School

FLSA Classification:

Exempt (Salary)

Full/Part-time:

Full-time (10 months)

Date Posted:

January 24, 2023

Start Date:

August 2023

About The Hockaday School:

The Hockaday School is an independent, college preparatory school for girls of strong potential and diverse backgrounds who may be expected to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in a rapidly changing world. With an enrollment of more than 1,100 students, The Hockaday School is the nation’s largest prekindergarten through grade 12 independent girls’ school. Ranked among the country’s finest college preparatory schools, it was founded over a century ago and continues today to build on its original Four Cornerstones: Character, Courtesy, Scholarship, and Athletics.

Hockaday’s faculty are recognized as experienced leaders in their field and students in every grade benefit from outstanding faculty and access to unmatched resources.  Families who choose Hockaday care deeply about providing their daughters with a comprehensive and rigorous education inside and outside the classroom. Hockaday’s student body reflects the diversity deeply valued by the School.

Position Description:

The School seeks an Early Childhood Teaching Assistant to join the Early Childhood team in Lower School.

The Early Childhood division of Lower School includes the Prekindergarten, Kindergarten, and Primer grade levels. Students in Prekindergarten are organized into three homeroom sections of 12 children each.  At the Kindergarten/Primer level, students are organized into three homeroom sections of 16 children each. Every Early Childhood homeroom is staffed by a teacher and a full-time teaching assistant. Homeroom teachers, with the support of teaching assistants, share responsibility for weekly work in math, language arts, social studies, and cooking. Specialists deliver science, world languages, physical education, art, and music instruction.

Essential Functions:

·         Serve as a Lower School teaching assistant

·         Work in partnership with the lead classroom teacher to create and manage an effective classroom for our Early Childhood students

·         Deliver whole-group and small-group instruction under the guidance of the lead teacher

·         Work with the lead teacher to meet the individual needs, interests, and abilities of the students

·         Collaborate effectively with the lead teacher and with other colleagues in the Lower School Division

·         Communicate effectively with students, colleagues, and parents

·         Other duties as assigned

Qualifications/Experience:

·         Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field is preferred

·         Teaching experience with early childhood-aged children in a school setting

·         Appreciation of and respect for young children and the joys they bring are essential and must be immediately recognizable

·         Must exhibit energy, enthusiasm, flexibility, patience, empathy, and a sense of humor

·         Experience and comfort using technology in the classroom

·         Ability to teach students both in the classroom and online, as needed

·         Commitment to being a supportive, respectful, and energetic colleague and mentor

·         Must have the ability to work in a school environment through satisfactory completion of all legally required and School-required background and screening checks and verifications, including criminal and sex offender background checks

Training:

·         Participate in all requisite School training prior to the start of the school and throughout the School year

·         Attend required faculty and staff development and training sessions throughout the year, including in-service

·         Acknowledge receipt of the current Employee Handbook, review and abide by the rules, policies, and procedures stated in the Handbook or otherwise by the School

·         Abide by Hockaday’s Code of Ethics and Conduct

·         Commit to the ideals expressed in Hockaday’s Tenets of Faculty Excellence

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

·         Regularly works in standard office or classroom conditions and climate

·         Regularly uses close and distance vision, including working at a computer screen for extended periods of time; ability to observe students from various distances

·         Frequently required to move around the office/classroom; works at a desk for extended periods of time

·         Ability to occasionally move items weighing up to 30lbs. across the campus/classroom/office

·         Ability to periodically support before and after-school events

·         Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries with students, fellow staff, and community members

Limitations and Disclaimer:

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position.  This job description reflects the administration’s assignment of essential functions, and nothing herein restricts the administration’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.  Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities.  To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.  Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.

Application Requirements:

Qualified candidates should complete an online application for employment under “How to Apply” at https://www.hockaday.org/about/employment and attach a cover letter and résumé. You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application and additional details to complete the application process. Contact recruitment@hockaday.org with any questions.

The Hockaday School is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy not to discriminate, and to comply with all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, veteran status, or other applicable protected classification.

Qualifications/Experience:

·         Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field is preferred

·         Teaching experience with early childhood-aged children in a school setting

·         Appreciation of and respect for young children and the joys they bring are essential and must be immediately recognizable

·         Must exhibit energy, enthusiasm, flexibility, patience, empathy, and a sense of humor

·         Experience and comfort using technology in the classroom

·         Ability to teach students both in the classroom and online, as needed

·         Commitment to being a supportive, respectful, and energetic colleague and mentor

·         Must have the ability to work in a school environment through satisfactory completion of all legally required and School-required background and screening checks and verifications, including criminal and sex offender background checks