Summer Explorers Educator DRAMA and/or SCIENCE/ENGINEERING (grades K-2)

Title: Summer Explorers Educator DRAMA and/or SCIENCE/ENGINEERING (grades K-2)
Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday
Type: Full-Time (40 hrs.) during the contracted period
Salary: $27 per hour/$1,080 weekly

Saturday Academy seeks a broad spectrum of employees reflecting our community and those we serve. Saturday Academy is strongly committed to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment. Qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. This position is available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender, political affiliation, or religion. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals. Saturday Academy is an equal-opportunity employer.

BACKGROUND:
Founded in 1983, Saturday Academy (SA) is a nonprofit educational organization that provides thousands of youth with hands-on learning; guided by experts in a way that enriches young lives and develops a life-long curiosity and passion for learning. Saturday Academy offers classes, summer camps, and afterschool programs throughout the Portland Metropolitan area (grades k-12), as well as a state-wide high school internship program placing students in some of Oregon’s most well-known businesses. We inspire children to pursue their curiosity, but concentrate our programming on topics in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Saturday Academy strives to make our programs accessible to all and as an organization values Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Quality Programming/Student Experience, A Growth Mindset, Our Staff and STEAM.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
Saturday Academy is looking for individuals who have early-childhood educational engagement experience, a passion for guiding STEAM-themed activities, and a commitment to reducing barriers to access in STEAM-education opportunities for youth. Saturday Academy offers full-day, full-week summer programs from 9am-4pm. Explorers Educators are responsible for the leadership, curriculum implementation, and classroom management of our K-2 grade programs that do not exceed 10 students.

Camps will be collaboratively taught by two educators and a support specialist, with guidance and structure provided by SA staff. As an Explorers Educator, you will be in charge of supporting student-centered hands-on activities that engage your campers and spark their curiosity, as they explore the interactions of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.

We are specifically looking for educators with a background in THEATRE/DRAMA and CREATIVE DRAMATICS and/or SCIENCE and ENGINEERING explorations (bonus, if there is an emphasis on LEGO).

DATES:
July 7-11, 2025- MYSTERY EXPLORERS (University of Portland)
July 21-22, 2025- SCIENCE EXPLORERS (University of Portland)
August 4-8, 2025- STORYBOOK EXPLORERS (University of Portland)
August 11-15, 2025- LEGO EXPLORERS (University of Portland)
August 18-22, 2025- EXPERIMENTATION EXPLORERS (OHSU)

We celebrate arts-integrated and STEM- driven approaches to learning, drawing strong connections for each individual to tune into the world around them and how it works. We focus on cultivating key life skills in students, such as collaboration, empathy, and focused creativity.

Close coordination and communication with Saturday Academy staff is essential to ensure your camp technology and supply needs are met.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Provide supportive and compassionate classroom management strategies throughout programming while supporting individual needs
• Possess the ability to navigate and adjust provided Saturday Academy curriculum to fit the unique needs of the group from week to week with tact and sensitivity
• Facilitate age appropriate-hands-on activities for campers that align with the weekly theme
• Demonstrate flexibility in guiding activities, projects, and/or exercises to meet the current class dynamic
  • Ability to adapt programming as needed
• Support a variety of camper-led and hands-on activities that range from low to high impact, including but not limited to: scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, storytime, sensory based stations, mixed-media art projects, introductory science and engineering experiments
• Maintain high levels of engagement through creative and imaginative play
• Provide for the well-being and safety of campers by meeting physical and emotional needs in compliance with the state and organization’s policies
• Responsible for creating Wednesday Report Out to parents, recapping the wins of the week and highlighting special Friday activities
• Communicate with Site Leads regarding any program needs, concerns, etc.

TO APPLY:

• Please complete this summer availability form to help us get a sense of your expertise, preferences, and availability.
• Submit cover letter reflecting how you meet the required/preferred qualifications and your resume via the link above. Please submit as one document using the title: YOUR NAME- SUMMER EDUCATOR K-2 to YOUTHPROGRAMS@SaturdayAcademy.org
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We will reach out to you with next steps and/or to schedule an interview, if necessary.
• The deadline for applications is Sunday, May 18, 2025