Grade 5 Lead Teacher

New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9 living in Fairfield and Westchester Counties. Located in New Canaan, CT, and serving 570 students, our mission is to guide students to reach their intellectual, creative, moral, and physical potential. A talented and devoted faculty engages our students in developmentally appropriate ways, delivering a challenging curriculum that builds intellectual skills and fosters creative and critical thinking. We lead by example and challenge students to fulfill their potential, find their path, and follow their passions whether in the classroom, on the playing fields, on the stage, or serving the community. 

The Middle School at Country School serves 110 students in Grades 5 and 6. Our teachers support the educational mission of the school as well as its core values of community, courage, curiosity and kindness. A strong teacher presence and small classes help usher children through these critical transformative years. This is especially important as they begin the natural process of developing independence. Over these years, students hone their ability to apply their knowledge toward more sophisticated analysis and synthesis across subjects and disciplines. 

About the Grade 5 Lead Teacher Position

The Grade 5 Lead Teacher serves as a member of our Middle School faculty. Our Middle School teachers are experienced and dynamic, and they possess a strong sense of pedagogy. They demonstrate a commitment to bringing out the best in each student and ensuring that each child is known and valued. Lead teachers are responsible for cultivating a joyful and kind classroom community, as well as delivering instruction of the highest caliber. Each lead homeroom teacher also has the opportunity and responsibility to mentor an Apprentice Teacher, who serves full time in their classroom for the year.   

Responsibilities

• Teach language arts, math and social studies, as well as executive function skills
• Plan, organize and implement a developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, upper elementary program
• Serve as a homeroom advisor; create strong connections and relationships with students in order to foster a positive and trusting learning environment
• Differentiate instruction to meet the varied needs of learners across all core subjects
• Evaluate students’ academic and social growth, keep appropriate records, prepare narrative reports and conduct parent conferences
• Develop and maintain positive  relationships with parents/guardians through formal and ongoing informal touchpoints
• Participate productively in grade-level, department, division and all employee meetings
• Coach and/or lead other extracurricular activities
• Mentor a year-long apprentice teacher and share teaching responsibilities appropriately
• Supervise students in  out-of-classroom activities during the day, such as recess, lunch and breaks, and during overnight field trips and other events
• Partner with grade-level and divisional colleagues in short and long-term planning of curriculum
• Identify student needs and partner with the Learning Resource Team to support student growth and development

• Understands the social, emotional and academic needs of upper elementary children (ages 9 - 12) and has the ability to connect with students of this age group
• Has a strong sense of pedagogy and classroom management skills
• Possesses well-developed collaborative skills 
• Has relevant experience teaching this age group and assessing student learning 
• Has a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university

Competencies

• Demonstrates a true sense of joy in working with students of this age and being in a school environment
• Is highly organized, flexible, collaborative, responsive and adaptive
• Has ability to partner, communicate and collaborate with parents/guardians to support student growth
• Has strong oral, written communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates cultural competence
• Differentiates instruction for a range of learning styles and abilities
• Demonstrates a willingness to fully engage in the life of the school 
• Has a strong skill set for mentoring and the ability to play an active and supportive role in our teacher training program
• Demonstrates a commitment to professional growth and development
• Stays informed about current research and best practices in instruction and child development 
• Has knowledge of appropriate use of technology to enhance the learning experience