Employment

Director of Lower Elementary

Job Description: Director of Lower Elementary (LE)

Supervises: Lower Elementary Teachers, Assistants, and others as assigned by ED

Contracted: 12 months

Purpose:

• The Director of LE is an integral part of a strong administrative and educational team devoted to collaborative decision-making and to the long-term success of Sterling Montessori. The Director assists the Executive Director fulfill the educational mission of the school and in particular, helps to assure the integrity and quality of the scope and sequence of the educational program from Children’s House through Middle School as specified in the AMS Montessori School Guidelines.

General Duties and Responsibilities to Teacher/Students/Parents:

• Articulate and support the integrity of Montessori Education at the lower elementary level.
• Take personal and professional responsibility for creating, sustaining and nurturing an exemplary Montessori environment. This includes participating in relevant professional development opportunities.
• Plan, schedule, organize and promote parent education opportunities to help parents of the Sterling Montessori community gain a better understanding and appreciation of what is happening in their child’s classroom and why it is beneficial to their child’s development.
• Impart general school information regarding the employee and parent handbook to staff and families as necessary.
• Meet with parents that have concerns/questions about their child’s work and learning environments.
• Provide regular communication and Parent Education with all staff and parents at the LE level. This includes but is not limited to the Friday email, monthly newsletters, emails, phone calls or additions for teachers to add to their weekly newsletters.
• Conduct parent meetings when requested either by the school, teacher or by the parent.
• These meetings must help build a strong partnership between the school and home.
• Build strong trusting relationships with all member of the administrative and director teams.
• Bridge instructional and social emotional gaps between the general education setting out to all all other areas of the building and school (i.e. cross grade level alignment and teams, Exceptional Children department, 504 programming, Multi-lingual supports, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support programming, specialist team, etc).

Related to Faculty and Students:

• Responsible for all hiring/firing of all necessary staff at the LE level
• Attend interviews for prospective lead teachers or assistants or anyone else expected to work at the LE level.
• Provide consistent and regular guidance and support to the LE Lead Teachers and Assistants.
• Review and approve the daily LE schedules and ensures that each classroom has a 2-3 hour uninterrupted work cycle.
• Assist in the process of curriculum review, including assessment, improvement, and implementation.
• Assist in the identification and/or design of Professional Development opportunities for the LE Team. This may include but is not limited to, in-house workshops, Courses and Trainings, Parent Education Opportunities, Director led PD.
• Collaborate with the Human Resource Manager in maintaining the Cumulative Student folders for all LE students.
• Assists in the completion of records, reports, inventories, and ordering of materials and supplies at the LE level.
• Mediates issues that arise between all members of the LE Team
• Ensure that all LE staff are held responsible for following school disciplinary policies and procedures
• Assist and support with matters of student discipline.
• Observe all LE learning environments regularly and observe specific students at the request of the classroom teachers.
• Support students and teachers by helping with student interventions this includes but is not limited to, reading interventions, behavioral interventions, and social/emotional interventions.
• Conduct weekly grade level team meetings
• Attend monthly Faculty meetings
• Attend MTSS meetings
• Support teachers through the MTSS process, this includes but is not limited to helping identify the correct MTSS forms to fill out and reviewing all the necessary work – goal setting document, intervention models, data collected, recommendations for next steps, etc.
• LEA IEP meetings when needed
• Participate in the class placement process, creating annual classlists each spring.
• Ensure that sub folders are complete and up to date by each lead teacher.
• Work closely with the EC Director, Director of Student Affairs, Directo of Operations, Director of Children’s House, and Director of Upper Elementary as needed.
• Organize curriculum related discussions and instructional skill development throughout the school year for all LE staff.
• Monitor record keeping and progress reporting of student performance to parents which includes but is not limited to planning, scheduling, organizing and promoting parent teacher conferences in partnership with teaching staff.
• Support teachers in Parent Conferences as needed, this includes but is not limited to, sitting in on the conferences, reviewing reports, sharing observations with parents/teachers, mediating difficult conversations between parent and teacher, etc.
• Review student progress and conference reports prior to sharing with the parent community.
• Meet with all lead teachers monthly to discuss and evaluate goals and observations.
• Document these meetings. Integrate classroom observations into this process.
• Meet with all assistant teachers quarterly to discuss and evaluate their contributions.
• Document these meetings. Integrate classroom observations into this process.
• Support classroom teachers in areas needing growth or attention.
• Act as a liaison between classroom teacher and internal, as well as, external support services.
• Assist with placement of new students and those rising to the LE level.
• Approve and monitor the scheduling of field trips program wide.
• Approve and track time off requested by teachers for personal and professional purposes.
• Responsible for signing incident and accident reports for the LE program.
• Ensure that the staff is informed about food policies, food allergies and post allergies in each classroom in a visible area.
• Conduct an initial orientation for new staff and follow-up meetings with employees. This meeting will include topics on, but is not limited to, confidentiality, shaken baby syndrome, Signs of Child Abuse, Emergency procedures, Student information forms, professionalism requirements, job responsibilities, tour of school, provide necessary paperwork, etc.
• Document, update and maintain professional development hours for all LE staff.
• Work collaboratively to arrange schedules consistent with Montessori principles for each of the LE learning environments and classrooms.
• Log all incidents, accidents, and inappropriate behavior forms in a timely manner.
• Create and update emergency care plans, including but not limited to updating emergency contact numbers, staff names and numbers.
• Ensure that Medical Care plans are current and up to date.
• Ensure that emergency information for children is available.
• Educate staff on Medical Information (Epi-Pen, Benadryl, when to call 911).
• Ensure that each classroom has a red bag with sufficient items in the event of an emergency

Duties and Responsibilities to Admissions:

• Responsible for answering any face-to face, phone and email communications concerning the LE Program.
• Conduct tours to prospective parents in partnership with the Executive Director.
• In collaboration with the Admissions manager maintain class lists and rosters.

Duties and Responsibilities to Administrative Team/Board/PFSA:

• The Director of LE collaborates with the Executive Director and educational leadership team in the areas of curriculum, pedagogy and professional development of academic personnel.
• Assist in the accreditation process.
• In collaboration with the Human Resource Manager and Director of Operations, verify that all LE employees and substitutes have completed their criminal background check and have a verification letter issued by DHHS.
• Ensure that staff have all necessary trainings (include but not limited to: harassment, child abuse, school crisis, etc).
• Represent the LE level to the PFSA and LHU Board as needed
• Keep the Executive Director up to date on all concerns and progress in regards to staff annual goals.
• Support test coordinator and Director of Student Affairs with all matters related to data collection and student assessment.
• Assists in the creation of the school schedule and calendar, particularly all events at the LE level.
• Approve and monitor classroom budgets - this may include but is not limited to managing requests for purchase and reimbursements.
• Maintain an on-going inventory of all classroom materials and supplies.
• Act as a core member of the MTSS Program where collaboration between classroom teachers, Director of EC Program, Director of Upper Elementary, Director of Middle School, Director of Student Affairs and Executive Director.
• Maintain certification and willingness to administer CPR and First Aid matters including but not limited to allergy needs, minor bumps and bruises and lice checks.
• Maintain an annual and operational budget for the Elementary program.
• Participate in the daily functions of regulating the carpool process during arrival and dismissal times.
• Support administrative team by discussing, preparing for and implementing fire and crisis drills.
• Update crisis manual and in coordination with all directors and facility manager plan for all required emergency drills
• Collaborate with Administrative staff to review and update Student, Parent and Employee Handbooks annually

Requirements:

• 5+ years of teaching experience
• BA Degree (Master’s preferred)
• NC Administrative License (comparable or in the process of obtaining within 12 months from date of hire)
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, and composite characteristics of data, people, and things.
• Ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, forms, articles, proposals, contracts, etc. Ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, evaluations, and policies using a prescribed format.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.  Must be able to build a dynamic engaged team of adult learners (20+ individuals, supervising over 200+ students at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade level) and must be adaptable to perform under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.
• Ability to evaluate student progress and review up to date student data in making strong instructional decisions and offering grade level direction for the team.
• Familiarity and experience (3+ years) managing school wide EC and MTSS programming.
• Has the capacity to conceptualize the broad goals of the school and plans accordingly to ensure that procedures and schedules are implemented well.
• Ensures that the lower school program is compatible with the legal, financial, and organizational structure of the entire program and school program.
• Ability to define the responsibilities and accountability measures of staff members and develop plans of interpreting observational data to support and encourage an individual and teams collective growth.
• A commitment to and experience with establishing, implementing, and evaluating daily routines and standard operating procedures for the day-to-day operation of the lower elementary program.
• Capacity to maintain inter-school communications with other departments (Upper Elementary, Adolescent, Children's House, Specialists, Exceptional Children, and Operational Team) and ability to maintain healthy, strong, trusting and engaged relationships with students, staff, and parents across the entire school and program.
• Willingness and capacity to hire, orient, train and assist new staff members and new students to their learning environment.
• Capacity to manage, direct, and maintain records related to materials, supplies and equipment needed to carry out necessary day to day school routines.  Ability to involve the lower elementary teaching team in determining instructional supply priorities.

Preferred but not required:

• 3+ years of Administrative experience or 3+ years of experience supervising adult learners in a school context
• 3+ years of experience as a public Montessori school leader

MS Math Teacher

Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School in Morrisville, NC. is seeking a Middle School Math teacher.

Job Type: Full-time

Professional Skills/Responsibilities:

• Commitment to the mission, philosophy, and guiding principles of Sterling Montessori
• Curriculum planning and development - Understand North Carolina state’s requirements for math learning standards (Common Core) in the middle grades (7/8) and create and implement a math curriculum in accordance with the state’s requirements and the school’s principles and philosophy.
• A passion for and dedication to implementing Montessori best practices at the secondary level
• Utilize and improve the implementation of school-wide Positive Discipline and restorative practices
• Understand and be able to implement current researched “best practices” for middle grades education, including differentiation of instruction, support methods for students with special learning needs, and strategies for gifted or advanced students.
• Excellent skills in organization, classroom management, problem-solving, and attention to detail
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Collaborate with teachers, colleagues, and administration to develop and ensure a healthy, safe, and inclusive environment in which all community members are free to learn and work
• Skilled in using email and Google Suite (docs, sheets, slides) and online research
• Develop strong partnerships with parents/guardians and colleagues

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year accredited University (required)
• Experience working with middle school students (preferred)
• Experience working in a Montessori Setting (preferred)

E-mail resume and references to hr@sterlingmontessori.org

Middle School Associate Teacher (Full-Time)

Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School in Morrisville, NC is seeking a Middle School Associate Teacher for Fall 2024. 

Job Type: Full-time 

Professional Skills/Responsibilities: 

• Commitment to the mission, philosophy, and guiding principles of Sterling Montessori 
• Dedicated to implementing Montessori best practices at the secondary level
• Utilize and improve the implementation of school-wide Positive Discipline practices 
• Excellent skills in organization, classroom management, problem-solving, and attention to detail 
• Strong oral and written communication skills 
• Collaborate with teachers, colleagues, and administration to develop and ensure a healthy, safe, and inviting environment in which all community members are free to learn and work 
• Ability to be flexible, independent, adaptable, and take initiative
• Skilled in using email, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Google Drive, and online research 
• Develop strong partnerships with parents and colleagues 
• Attend and actively participate in all Middle School team meetings
• Lead parent/guardian conferences 
• Plan and participate in field trips 

Qualifications: 

• Experience working with middle school students (preferred) 
• Experience working in a Montessori Setting (preferred)

Salary: 

• Based on experience 
• Pay may depend on skills and/or qualifications 

Education: 

• High school or equivalent (Required) 

Benefits: 

• Health insurance 
• Dental insurance 
• Vision insurance 
• Retirement plan 
• Paid time off 
• Professional development assistance 
• Tuition reimbursement 

This Job Is Ideal for Someone Who Is: 

• Dependable -- more reliable than spontaneous 
• People-oriented -- enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects
• Adaptable/flexible -- enjoys doing work that requires frequent shifts in direction
• Detail-oriented -- would rather focus on the details of work than the bigger picture 
• Autonomous/Independent -- enjoys working with little direction 

Schedule: 

• Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., one weekly meeting until 5 p.m.

Upper Elementary Lead Guide

Job Description: Lead Teacher

Contracted: 10 month

Purpose: Lead Teacher will use the AMS Montessori scope and sequence, lessons and materials that are aligned with the NC standard course of study benchmarks, as the basis and foundation of their work with students.

Duties and Responsibilities to Students/Parents/Staff:

• All lead teachers (General Ed., EC, Specials, and Specialists) will adhere to the Sterling mission, vision, guiding principles, code of ethics and standards of behavior as outlined in the Employee Policies and Procedures Handbook.
• Lead Teacher shall attend any staff meetings, professional development, trainings, parent workshops, and annual open house outside of standard working hours as requested by the Executive Director.
• Montessori is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child-physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. When situations or conflicts arise with students, adults act as mediators and provide opportunities for conversations, reflection, and learning. Teachers follow the Positive Discipline model and refer to the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) when needing to implement supplemental or intensive support.
• Responsible for training, supervision, weekly meetings, goals and evaluation of assistant/associate teachers.
• Responsible for the welfare, safety, and educational achievements of students.
• Maintain a clean, orderly, and attractive classroom environment (inside and outside). Report all maintenance requests or damage in classrooms, playgrounds, and campus-wide.
• Maintain inventory annually of materials and furniture. Responsible for tracking classroom budget and filling out purchase orders for required and approved materials. Supplement the classroom with teacher-made materials as needed. All materials made at Sterling shall be inventoried and property of Sterling.
• Complete and maintain record keeping, progress reports, assessments/evaluations, MTSS documentation, and grades (if applicable) in a timely manner as required by the school.
• Responsible for parent conferences, meetings, parent email communications (within 48 hours), communicating problems and concerns with all parent/guardians of students in your care.
• Responsible for completion and cost of all licensing requirements (CEUs).
• Inform Section Director of all administrative level concerns or problems as they relate to relations with school, students, parents, or staff.
• Work with students of various abilities, including those with diagnosed learning differences; the teacher may be required to participate in meetings, planning, and training to fully serve each child’s needs. Keep updated and follow student IEP, 504, EL, Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP), Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA).
• Participate in class field trips, including overnights when appropriate to the level, and act in a supervisory capacity. Follow all field trip guidelines as stated in the Employee Handbook (EHB).
• Respect student confidentiality by not discussing students with anyone other than their families and those faculty and staff members who work with them directly, in accordance with state and federal law.
• Participate and implement in annual goal setting, evaluation reviews and professional development for career growth. Our work requires being coachable, an ongoing desire to learn, and a sense of egoless-ness.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher

Sterling Montessori is seeking a Upper Elementary Assistant who is dedicated to the vision and mission of the school. We are looking for a motivated individual willing to work under the guidance of a Montessori Lead Teacher to help carry out the developmental and learning goals of the Montessori program. They must be able to build genuine and respectful relationships with each child and family, maintain a positive, professional attitude and implement strong classroom management skills.

Professional Skills/Responsibilities:

• Montessori is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child-physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. When situations or conflicts arise with students, adults act as mediators and provide opportunities for conversations, reflection, and learning. Assistants follow the Positive Discipline model and refer to the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) when needing to implement supplemental or intensive support. 
• With guidance from the lead teacher, maintain classroom routines and expectations to develop and ensure a nurturing Montessori learning environment that is healthy, safe, clean, orderly, and inviting (inside and outside). 
• Willing to work with, and adapt to the needs of students with a variety of learning styles
• Demonstrates excellent skills in organization, classroom management, problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Has strong oral communication skills
• Is open to participating in ongoing professional development

Qualifications:

• Two years of college (preferred)
• Experience working with children ages 9-12 (preferred
• Experience working in a Montessori setting (preferred)

If interested, email resume and references to hr@sterlingmontessori.org

Exceptional Children Program Assistant (ECPA)

Position: Exceptional Children Program Assistant (ECPA) School/Department: Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School

Reports To: EC Director/Executive Director

Work Week Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

Work Hours Per Week: 40

Number of Months Per Year: 10 

Nature of Work: The EC Program Assistant (ECPA) provides support to the classroom teacher and other professionals in the supervision, instruction, social emotional and positive behavior support of students with disabilities, ages 3-14 years, in a variety of settings, including classroom, recreational and community to achieve established goals and objectives, including personal care and mobility.  The ECPA provides individual assistance with academics, behavioral problems, personal care and mobility, and may lead small group activities as directed. The ECPA assists the teacher with general housekeeping and clerical duties as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• General knowledge of the varying needs of students with disabilities
• General knowledge of the practices, methods and techniques used in the teaching of the exceptional children population
• General knowledge of the activities performed by the lead teacher
• General knowledge of the daily routines of the classroom 
• General knowledge of student handbook rules and regulations
• General knowledge of procedures to follow in an emergency
• General knowledge of Montessori philosophy, teachings, and practices
• General knowledge of the curriculum for the assigned grade(s)
• General knowledge of Positive Discipline 
• General knowledge and understanding of behavior strategies/interventions
• Ability to constantly monitor the safety and well-being of students, particularly when a student is participating in an inclusive activity
• Ability to motivate students
• Ability to respond appropriately in emergency situations and to remain calm in stressful situations
• Ability to operate necessary equipment (adaptive, audio visual, computer, etc.)
• Ability to maintain files and information
• Ability to take direction from lead teacher and director
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Ability to establish and maintain effective professional relationships with teachers, colleagues, parents, students, and administrators 
• Ability to adapt to individual needs of teachers and students and work with interruptions
• Ability to understand, manage and relate to students who have may behavioral problems, cognitive and physical disabilities
• Strong classroom management skills to assist in maintaining order and discipline in the classroom
• Skills to assist with data collection
• Competency in basic skills such as reading, math, spelling and grammar
• Has punctual and dependable attendance
• Has good decision making skills
• CPI trained (Required to have or willing to be trained)

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist with the delivery of special services for students
• Assist classroom teacher with performing specific duties assigned or undertaking specialized tasks to achieve and enhance instructional and behavioral objectives
• Work with individual students, small groups or large groups as assigned by the teacher
• Assist with behavior modifications as requested by the teacher
• Lift, move and operate equipment
• Assist students with personal care tasks, including but not limited to, bathroom, clothing, hygiene, diapering, toileting, and wash-up routines
• Escort, monitor and maintain supervision of students as assigned within a variety of school environments such as to and from events,  classes, lunch, and other activities as needed according to the IEP and approved policies and procedures students as assigned by teacher or administrator
• Assist students with mobility needs (ex., lifting and positioning, assisting in and out of wheelchair, loading and unloading from transportation, navigating in and around the school and on field trips)
• Monitor students during assigned periods within a variety of school environments for the purpose of maintaining a safe and positive learning environment
• Report student concerns directly and expeditiously to the teacher and assist with student resolution as deem appropriate
• Assist with breakfast, lunch, snack, including clean-up if needed
• Maintain various confidential records and files
• Participate in trainings, meetings, and other professional development activities as directed by the school or department
• Perform additional duties as requested by the teacher or administrator

Behavioral Support (1:1 and small group)

• Assist teacher with preparing the environment for activities; greet students upon arrival; assist students with belongings; supervise activities, escort students to transportation upon dismissal
• Provide direct behavior intervention support across settings as needed
• Reinforce learning in small groups; provide one-to-one individual assistance; supervise small groups; assist students with independent lessons and projects
• Constantly monitor the behavior of the students and employ strategies as necessary to mitigate behavioral issues; respond to inappropriate behavior as instructed by the teacher; supervise play time and situations where the classroom teacher is out of the room
• Collaborate with the teacher to incorporate information outlined in the IEP or provided by parents, doctors, therapists, counselors, etc. in order to understand the needs of and provide for appropriate services for students.
• Assist teacher in performing general housekeeping duties to ensure the learning environment is prepared daily (i.e., set up various equipment each morning; put equipment away at the end of the day, sanitize mats, toys, equipment with wipes; ensure student equipment is in proper working condition)
• Coordinate with teachers, specialists, administrators, other assistants and staff as directed by the teacher
• Engage in crisis intervention techniques as a last resort to maintain the safety and security of the student and others
• Collects and charts progress monitoring data for IEP goals (academic and behavioral), BIPs or contracts as assigned by the teacher

Working Conditions and Physical Demands:

Work is considered medium physical work requiring the exertion of up to 40 pounds of force.  Position entails significant walking, bending, standing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, some pushing and/or pulling, climbing and balancing, running short distances, and possible interventions in order to maintain a safe learning environment.  Assignment may require the ability to physically move students or equipment, position students in specialized equipment and assist with toileting needs or bathroom supervision.

Work Environment:

Employees in this position are required to work in indoor and outdoor environments, and come into direct contact with staff, students and the public.

Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED required
• Experience working with exceptional children
• Training and/or experience in utilizing specialized instructional techniques such as behavior intervention strategies, picture exchange communication systems, and social stories preferred.

Disclaimer:

This is a list of general duties and responsibilities of this position.  This is not an exhaustive list and should not be considered as an inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and skills that may be required of the employees assigned to this position.  This list can be revised by the supervisor, with HR review and approval at any time.

Part-Time Aftercare Teacher

Sterling Montessori is seeking qualified Aftercare Teachers who have experience working with students ages 3 to 6 years old, or elementary-aged students. Ideal candidates have Montessori experience, or desire to learn the Montessori Method. Candidates will work 3:00-6:00 pm under the guidance of the Aftercare Supervisor.

This person should possess the following qualities:

• A love and passion for working with children
• Strong classroom management skills
• Ability to build strong professional relationships with the staff and parents at Sterling Montessori.
• Punctual and dependable in attendance
• Good judgment and decision-making skills

Please send a cover letter, resume and three references to hr@sterlingmontessori.org. 

Substitute Teachers

Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School is always interested in adding substitute teachers to our on-call list. We use this list to provide coverage in our classrooms (Children’s House – Middle School) when a teacher is out.

The first step towards becoming a substitute at Sterling is to view our Substitute Presentation for more information and requirements.  We look forward to hearing from you.