Employment

Thank you for your interest in a career at Golden Tree Academy. We aim to provide an exceptional education to bright and gifted students in a small, family-like, junior day and boarding school environment. As a new school, all employees will have the opportunity to contribute to the development and culture of the school and lay the foundation of the program for years to come.

Teaching positions
All teachers must have appropriate certification in their subject area. Preference will be given to teachers with proven experience, who can teach two or more subjects, and who have experience and/or training working with gifted students. We are seeking qualified teachers in the following subject areas:
  • Mathematics and Problem Solving
  • General Science
  • Social Studies
  • Language Arts
  • Physical Education
  • Foreign Language

Positions are available now on a volunteer or part-time contractual basis for those wishing to contribute to the development of the school. Volunteers will have first priority for hiring decisions. All teaching personnel will need to be able to start in a full-time capacity three to six months priorto school opening.

Administrative and year-round positions
  • Headmaster
    • Must hold educational administration certification or equivalent experience in private schools.
    • The headmaster will start eight to twenty-four months prior to the beginning of school operations.
    • This position may be combined with the Admissions Director position during school development.
  • Admissions Director
    • Must have experience in other educational settings.
    • Experience in boarding schools and working with educational consultants preferred.
    • This position may be combined with the Headmaster position during school development.
  • Choral/Music Director
    • Must have at least a Master of Arts degree in music, music education, or related field.
    • Must have professional experience leading youth choirs and/or orchestras.
    • Please provide recording of choir and/or orchestra when applying.
Residential positions
  • Residential Director
    • Must have three or more years of residential experience and/or a Bachelor or Master level degree in psychology, social work, pastoral care, or education.
    • Housing and board provided throughout the school year.
  • Residential Counselor
    • Must be at least 24 years of age.
    • Experience in teaching, residential schools, or extended-stay summer camps preferred.
    • Housing and board provided throughout the school year.
  • Weekend Activity Director
    • Schedule all programming for each weekend.
    • Schedule teachers on a rotating basis to work weekends.
    • Overnights required on most weekends.
    • Experience in residential management preferred.
Required qualifications
  • Love of working with our unique and talented student population
  • CPR and First Aid certification or ability to be certified (at school's expense)
  • Pass criminal background investigation through state, DOJ, and FBI
  • Be alcohol and smoke-free while on campus and at all off-site school activities
  • Appropriate training, certification, and/or experience for position
  • Ability to relocate, since location has not been finalized
  • Lifeguard certification is a plus, but not essential
Benefits
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • Pension plan for those employed two or more years
  • Small discretionary fund for purchase of school supplies, dorm supplies, or holding a group activity
  • More vacation time than traditional day schools
  • Housing may be available to employees
  • Housing for resident counselors and director is provided at no cost
  • Eligible for substantially reduced tuition for your own children
  • A great work environment with great people
Proposed schedule

Each full-time teacher will have an advisory homeroom, teach three or four core classes, have one or two prep periods, supervise one elective course of the teacher's choosing, and be available for our extended lunch break each day. In addition, teachers are expected to participate in weekly staff meetings and school-wide events. Teachers may also be asked to work one night a week in the residential program and work with the weekend program on a rotating basis.

The school year will either run as a traditional school year (i.e., break during winter holidays, spring break, long summer break) or a year round schedule, which would be divided into four or five terms, with a one to two week break after each term. The summer break would run six to seven weeks for teachers and seven to eight weeks for students. Many teachers enjoy the year round schedule as it reduces the amount of re-teaching, increases the number of breaks throughout the year, and allows for vacations during off-peak travel times.

Additional responsibilities
  • Rotating weekend duties
  • Weekly residential duties, assisting residential staff
  • Leading or assisting with camping or backpacking trips
  • Minor school maintenance (e.g., vacuuming, collecting trash from classrooms)
  • Purchasing supplies and curriculum (at school's expense)
  • The famous "Oh by the ways..."
Other considerations

Ask youself if you feel comfortable working young, talented children in a small school environment and if your personality is a good fit for our program. The best way to find out is to talk to us and any other staff who we have committed to hiring. If you love kids, are comfortable around students who are very bright or gifted, have high-expectations for student achievement, and proudly commit yourself to helping the students be the best that they can be, you'll probably fit in.

Application process
The following steps should be taken to apply for the various positions available at Golden Tree Academy:
  • Review the entire website. Review it again. Make sure you understand the school.
  • Understand that the school is not open yet and is not able to hire you for a full-time position at the moment. We are looking for an exceptional team of staff that can be ready to start work in a year or two. During the meantime, you will be encouraged to provide thoughts and opinions about the development of the school and curriculum.
  • Think carefully about your abilities to work with bright and gifted intermediate and middle school aged (typically 8 to 14 years old) students. While they are an absolutely great population to work with, they can also be challenging. You will likely learn more from them than they do from you.
  • Consider the schedule. If you are a teacher, this is a typical day-teaching schedule with the addition of some evening, weekend, and extended trip duties. If you are a residential counselor the schedule includes early mornings for wake up and breakfast, possibly teaching a class or two during the day, and evening residential duties. Like teachers, some weekend and extended travel duties may be assigned.
  • Create a personalized cover letter that indicates how you see yourself contributing to the development of a new day and boarding school and why the mission and philosophy of Golden Tree Academy appeals to you.
  • Send your cover letter, résumé, and any supporting documents to Golden Tree Academy via email at school@goldentree.org or fax to (253) 322-8519.