Lower School Light Lab Project Coordinator

Friends’ Central School Overview

Friends’ Central School is an independent, coeducational Quaker day school founded in 1845 and serving approximately 880 students in Nursery through grade 12. Located in the Philadelphia suburbs, the School has two campuses. The Middle & Upper Schools are located just outside of West Philadelphia in Wynnewood, and the Lower School is on our Old Gulph Road campus in the heart of Wynnewood. The exceptional faculty at Friends’ Central offers a curriculum that cultivates the intellectual, spiritual, and ethical growth of our students. Our pedagogy is grounded in continuing revelation, reflection, integrity, and a willingness to accept responsibility. From Nursery to grade 12, our students participate in a process designed to foster creative, critical, and flexible thinking, along with compassion. As they transform from playful children to skilled, self-possessed teenagers, they are always intellectually curious and engaged thinkers. Friends’ Central prepares graduates to succeed in college and in life. 

Lower School Light Lab Project Coordinator

The Light Lab Project Coordinator is responsible for supporting activities in the Light Lab’s three studio spaces - Fabrication, Design, and Natural Sciences. The Light Lab Project Coordinator’s primary role will be to successfully collaborate with classroom teachers, assistant teachers, and specialists to fulfill interdisciplinary projects in service to the Lower School curriculum while helping to support the everyday operational needs of these innovative community spaces. The Light Lab Project Coordinator will work under the guidance and supervision of the Director of Literacy and Learning Design, reporting to the Lower School Principal and Assistant Principal. 

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with lead teachers, assistant teachers, and specialists to plan and execute interdisciplinary projects in the Light Lab.
• Ensure that classrooms are regularly visiting the Lab in equitable and productive ways so that all students Nursery through 5th grade have opportunities for hands-on learning in the space. 
• Review, add, and update calendar events for Light Lab studios and communicate scheduling changes to participants as needed, balancing each Lower School grade’s access in the spirit of equity in shared community spaces.
• Co-teach coding and robotics in Kindergarten to Grade 5.
• Serve as an assistant teacher to the Lower School Science Teacher during Pre-Kindergarten science classes weekly.
• Maintain the organization and inventory of the three studios’ physical spaces, materials, and equipment, as well as oversee upkeep, under the guidance of the Director of Literacy and Learning Design. 
• Partner to provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff in acquiring the technical and strategic skills needed to lead student projects. 
• Engage with Admissions visitors, prospective families, student guests, and others to articulate the vision and execution of Light Lab projects and their connection to the greater mission and vision of Friends’ Central School. 
• Attend faculty meetings, required training, and after-school events, as appropriate.
• Support other aspects of school and community life - such as serving on a school life committee, supervising lunch duties, and other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

• Passion for creating, designing, and experimenting both professionally and personally. 
• The ideal candidate considers themself a “maker” and wants to help others find joy in creating objects with deep meaning, whimsy, or for the sake of learning something new.
• Bachelor’s degree, although a Master’s degree is preferred. Preference for a specialty in education or a STEAM-related field.  
• Experience with project-based learning.
• Understanding of the developmental stages of children ages 3-12.  
• Experience working with young children.
• Solid classroom management skills, experience with Responsive Classroom preferred. 
• Ability to scaffold and differentiate learning plans for a variety of students.
• Enthusiasm for exploring new trends and tools for learning.
• Experience using media, design, and digital fabrication tools and software.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.

Please apply here. The application will require a resume, a cover letter, and three professional references. All applications should be completed by February 28th, 2026.
 

Friends’ Central School seeks candidates with a commitment to fostering an inclusive learning community who will address issues of diversity, as well as enhance the Philosophy of Inclusivity and Awareness articulated in our Diversity Statement.