1st Grade Math & Science Co-Teacher – Parental Leave

Alta Vista School seeks a 1st Grade Math & Science Co-Teacher (Long-Term Substitute).

• The start date is Monday, November 9, 2026. This includes one week of overlap with the current 1st Grade Math & Science Teacher before she goes on parental leave.
• The end date is mid May 2027.
• Work hours are 8:00am-4:00pm, with a 5:00pm end time on Tuesdays.

The School
Founded 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

AVS seeks an enthusiastic, collaborative 1st Grade Math & Science Co-Teacher (Long-Term Substitute) to join our lower school team. Working alongside a 1st Grade Literacy & Social Studies Co-Teacher, you will guide 13 first graders through inquiry-based math and science curricula, fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a love of discovery. This role requires stepping into an established classroom, maintaining a joyful learning environment, and supporting students’ social-emotional and academic growth while the current 1st Grade Math & Science Teacher is on parental leave.

Key Responsibilities

• Co-Teaching & Instruction: Partner with the Math & Science Co-Teacher from the other 1st Grade classroom (there are two classes per grade in the Lower School), to plan, deliver, and differentiate hands-on math and science lessons rooted in inquiry, the scientific method, and STEAM principles. Partner with the Literacy & Social Studies Co-Teacher to support the delivery of their literacy and social studies in the classroom.
• Classroom Management & SEL: Maintain a warm, structured, and inclusive classroom environment using positive reinforcement, culturally responsive, and social-emotional learning practices.
• Student Assessment: Observe, measure, and evaluate student progress to guide instruction and communicate growth with families and colleagues.
• Collaboration & Community: Collaborate closely with the 1st grade team, specialists, and administration to ensure consistency across the curriculum and daily routines.
• Supervision & School Support: Assist with student supervision during arrival, dismissal, recess, and lunch as scheduled.
• Duties: Other duties as assigned by your supervisor.

Qualifications & Competencies

• Education: Required Bachelor’s degree; Preferred Master’s degree and/or Teaching Certification
• Experience: Demonstrated teaching experience in elementary/lower school classrooms
• 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 a few months into 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

• 78,000 – $120,000 annually (commensurate with experience; actual pay will be prorated based on the duration of this temporary assignment)

If interested, please send a resume and cover letter to alisa.soriano@altavistaschool.org.

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.

Tagged as: K-12, K-6, Preschool