Teacher/House Parent

Arthur Morgan School

Our staff-run boarding and day school in the mountains is hiring a teacher!

Campus is 100 acres of woods, meadows, creeks, and ponds in the Black Mountains of North Carolina.

Year-round
Posted: Feb 25, 2024

Teacher/House Parent

Location
Burnsville, North Carolina
Wages/Pay
up to $18,717.00 / year
Experience Level
Some experience required
Job Start Date
Job Starts: Aug 05, 2024

Description of school: Arthur Morgan School is a small, alternative boarding and day school for 27 students in grades 7-9. Our 100 acre campus, surrounded by National Forest in the shadow of the Black Mountains of North Carolina, consists mainly of woods and meadows, with creeks and a pond. The school fosters a loving, energetic living and learning community dedicated to supporting individual exploration while teaching group cooperation. Guided by an emphasis on experiential learning and responsible participation in community, we seek a balance between academics, outdoor activities, artistic exploration, and meaningful work. Boarding students live in homes with two or three staff members, and the entire community actively shares work, study, play, and decision-making. 

General Responsibilities: It takes a lot of time to work here.  We have intense work schedules--usually 60 plus hours per week. Our work calendar generally follows a conventional school year calendar, with some additional work required during students' breaks. AMS is staff-run by consensus; we have no director or headmaster. All staff are expected to attend our two weekly staff meetings, two of our four Board Meetings, and to participate in running the school cooperatively.  Everyone is also expected to attend our weekly student-run All School Meeting and to participate in work projects with the kids.

Teaching Responsibilities: Teaching duties can include: teaching academic classes (Math, Science, English, Art, Spanish or Social Studies) or electives (performing or visual arts, outdoor skills, woodworking, sports and games, etc.); educating students about and participating with them in ongoing maintenance of the school grounds and buildings; leading sports, games, cooking, and chore supervision. All AMS staff are people with a variety of skills, talents, and interests, and our jobs cover a wide array of responsibilities at the school. All staff are also involved in planning and leading outdoor education through backpacking and other outdoor trips, as well as our 18 day academic field trips. We welcome teaching experience from a broad range of disciplines and specific topics. We are particularly interested in applicants able to teach Math, Social Studies, Art, and Spanish, but people with other teaching backgrounds/interests are encouraged to apply. 

House Parenting Responsibilities: House parenting is a time-intensive position that involves living in a boarding house with 4 to 5 students and a co-houseparent. Both couples and individuals are considered for house parenting positions. A healthy, respectful working relationship is key to all house parent pairs. Responsibilities of house parents include: running the household (facilitating student's chores, cooking meals and housework projects), identifying and working on general care of the house and grounds (including yard work, the maintenance of the appearance of the boarding house etc.), managing a house budget with a monthly house allowance, helping students with homework, and having fun with the kids in daily life as well as in special house activities. House parents act in loco parentis--in the place of parents--and fill the role of limit setter and authority figure as well as mentor and confidant. The position requires the sharing of one's personal space (one's home) and one's self (being "real''). This usually results in very strong and rewarding relationships between house parents and the students in their homes. At times, we hire house parents to “house parent only” - a half time position. If this is an arrangement you are interested in, please reach out for more information. 

Requirements: You must be committed to alternative education; be interested in learning; enjoy being around teenagers; be able to work cooperatively with other adults; and enjoy a simple lifestyle that includes physical work and outdoor activities. Experience in the position for which you are applying is an asset. Willingness to learn about and work within the consensus process is essential. Flexibility and a sense of humor are also very important. We ask for at least a two year commitment from new staff members, as it takes a year for new staff to become acclimated to our program. A four year degree or significant classroom teaching experience is required. We hire teachers with a range of teaching experience levels, from first year teachers to career teachers. 

Benefits: Staff receive room and board, and a salary of about $18,717. Most staff members have been able to find affordable health care through the ACA. Other benefits of the job include access to our studio spaces (woodshop, ceramics studio, forge and metals studio), fresh produce from our garden, a monthly food stipend, and some access to school vehicles. 

The Arthur Morgan School, Inc. is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students or employees based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation or preference, gender identity or expression, or economic status. 

How to Apply

Please send a resume, contact information for three references, and a cover letter stating why you want to work at AMS, how AMS fits into your on-going interests, and describing any relevant past experience. Call for specific job descriptions, information about openings, or with questions. We typically review resumes and letters of interest every few weeks and phone interview several people chosen from the pool of applicants. After a positive phone interview, we invite applicants to interview in person on our campus for two days and two nights. This visit includes time for both formal and informal interviews with applicants and offers the opportunity for applicants to spend time with students and staff as we progress through our daily schedule.

Contact Info

eNEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Make your day a little cooler with a weekly dose of inspiration.
Get the latest updates and the newest job postings right in your inbox.

About CoolWorks

At CoolWorks, we believe that life is made of moments, and the best moments are when we feel connected to something bigger than ourselves. Connection sparks joy, and connecting with our community bring us immense joy. We’re enlivened and compelled to spread the word about jobs in great places, because they’ve changed our lives! More About CoolWorks

Need Help?

Check out our Help Center for FAQ's and helpful articles on how to use CoolWorks. For more in-depth information on how to navigate the world of Jobs in Great Places®, whether you're a Job Seeker or an Employer, visit our Resources page.

Get Connected