Alta Vista School seeks a creative and energetic Lower School Art & Tinkering Teacher (Long-Term Substitute) to lead our Lower School visual arts and tinkering program for the first two months of the school year. The start date is August 5, 2026 and the end date is mid October. Hours are 9:30am-5:30pm.
The SchoolFounded in San Francisco in 2010, Alta Vista School implements an inquiry-based STEAM program serving approximately 315 students across two campuses. Alta Vista School encourages students to go beyond a strong academic foundation to pursue their passions with the help of our community. Faculty, administrators, and families believe experiences and hands-on activities are the best practice for meaningful learning. Alta Vista educators benefit from small class sizes and are intentional in their instruction. Teachers serve as guides for students as they explore, observe, predict, measure, and analyze for themselves in an inquiry-based journey of discovery and knowledge-making. Likewise, AVS teachers are serious about play. We love learning alongside our students, believing that children learn better in joyous, authentic settings. Most important to the AVS approach is a foundation rooted in the scientific method and a belief that science and technology, guided by the arts, can be leveraged to benefit all. At AVS, students learn to embrace technology and apply the principles of design thinking as powerful tools for innovation. Technology is thoughtfully integrated into each classroom.
Position Summary
As Lower School Art & Tinkering Teacher, you will foster a welcoming, studio-thinking environment where young artists (JK–5th grade) feel empowered to explore materials, express ideas, ask questions, and take creative risks. Through engaging, inquiry-based projects—incorporating traditional media as well as elements of tinkering and maker-based exploration—you will establish a positive studio culture that seamlessly supports the interdisciplinary STEAM initiatives that define an AVS education. Working closely with classroom teachers, specialist colleagues, the Assistant Head of Lower School, and the Head of Lower School, you will cultivate a space where creativity, wonder, and hands-on discovery thrive.
Key Responsibilities
- Teach visual arts & tinkering classes to Lower School students (JK through 5th Grade), implementing hands-on, developmentally appropriate, and inquiry-driven art experiences during the school day, 9:30-3:30pm
- Be a support teacher during Bookends, our after school program, 3:30-5:30pm
- Establish and maintain a joyful, orderly, and inclusive art studio culture, teaching foundational skills in studio habits, material care, and artistic process over product.
- Guide students through creative exploration using diverse media, which can include but is not limited to drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and mixed media.
- Integrate interdisciplinary concepts, connecting art projects with grade-level units of inquiry, humanities, and STEAM concepts.
- Incorporate tinkering & maker exploration through hands-on tinkering lessons, encouraging students to experiment with varied materials, construct 3D forms, and embrace creative problem-solving.
- Cultivate a safe, supportive classroom environment aligned with AVS’s social-emotional learning (SEL) framework and commitment to equity and inclusion.
- Honor diverse learning styles and creative expressions, providing thoughtful differentiation to meet individual student needs.
- Maintain clear routines and expectations that encourage student agency, independence, and collaboration.
- Partner collaboratively with Lower School faculty, specialist colleagues, and the Head of Lower School to ensure smooth transitions and consistent routines during the start of the school year.
- Communicate effectively with families including the writing of a weekly paragraph about their curriculum for our Week Ahead post.
- Prepare student artwork for display around campus to celebrate artistic expression and learning processes.
- Support the after school program, known as BookEnds, Monday - Friday, 3:30 - 5:30 pm.
- Play with and supervise children after school.
- When necessary, step in as a substitute teacher if another after school teacher is absent.
- Education: Required Bachelor’s degree.
- Experience: Demonstrated teaching experience in elementary/lower school visual arts & tinkering.
- Pedagogical Alignment: Passion for inquiry-based, experiential learning, studio-habits frameworks, and interdisciplinary/STEAM connections.
- Classroom Leadership: Strong classroom management skills rooted in positive reinforcement, SEL, and cultural responsiveness.
- Collaboration & Energy: Warmth, flexibility, enthusiasm, and a growth mindset—especially comfortable stepping into a vibrant school community at the start of the academic year.
Physical Demands/Work Environment
- Regularly lifting or carrying 1-20 lbs.
- Regular pushing, pulling, bending, stooping, and kneeling
- Regularly climbing stairs
- Regularly sitting or standing 4-8 hours
- Requires physical presence; work to be performed on campus
Salary
- $200-400/day based on experience
If interested, please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].
NOTICE: This position is not limited to the duties in the job description. Duties and responsibilities can be changed, expanded, reduced, or deleted to meet the needs of Alta Vista School. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
Alta Vista School values a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment, and as an Equal Opportunity Employer, AVS does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status legally protected by Federal, State, or Local law.
Pay: $200.00 - $400.00 per day
Work Location: In person
