Shining Mountain Waldorf School - High School Science Teacher

Shining Mountain Waldorf School

Shining Mountain Waldorf School, founded in 1983, is an accredited Pre-K-12 nonprofit independent school located in Boulder, Colorado on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. We are recognized for our academic depth, experiential learning, artistic integration, wilderness experiences, and strong athletic program. Our school is about an hour’s drive to Denver and Rocky Mountain National Park. We are close to world-class hiking, skiing, and outdoor recreation. A college town, Boulder is home to the University of Colorado and Naropa University, as well as numerous local organizations that provide a rich variety of arts, lectures, and workshops. Boulder is known for its natural beauty, environmental initiatives, sustainable agriculture, farm-to-table dining, and more than 300 days of sunshine each year.

Shining Mountain High School has the feel of a small liberal arts college designed for high school students, a place where curiosity, creativity, and meaningful engagement are at the heart of learning. With small class sizes, every student is known, every voice matters, and students are expected to participate actively and thoughtfully in their education.

Each day begins with Morning Lesson, an immersive 90-minute exploration of a single subject that unfolds over a four-week block. This structure allows students and teachers to go deeply into the material through discussion, inquiry, artistic and experiential work, and collaborative learning. Our faculty know their students well and design courses that are engaging, thought-provoking, and alive, inviting students to think independently, work together, take creative risks, and become active participants in their own learning.

Position Summary

The High School Science Teacher works in collaboration with the High School Leadership Team and School Director in the development and execution of a phenomenologically based science program that draws acutely on observation and experiments as a means to discovery and learning.

This part-time position includes instruction in:

High School Chemistry (4 Weeks- 10/5 to 10/30): Foundational Elements

High School Chemistry (4 Weeks - 11/2 to 12/4): Organic Chemistry

High School Biology (4 weeks - 1/18 to 2/12): Botany & Functional Anatomy

High School Physics (4 Weeks -4/5 to 4/30): Thermodynamics

8th Grade Chemistry (3 Weeks or a date range): Introduction to Organic Chemistry

Classes run daily from 8:20 AM to 10:00 AM (90-minute blocks).

This position has the potential to be held by one person, teaching all blocks, or several faculty taking on individual blocks. Additionally, the position could include ancillary responsibilities such as advising students, leading clubs, chaperoning field trips, participating in faculty committees, and engaging positively in the cultural life of the school. Shining Mountain Waldorf High School is a highly collaborative environment and encourages strong relationships, inclusivity, input, and innovation within the teaching and student community.

Education and Qualifications / Regulations

• Master’s Degree in education or specified subject area preferred.
• A minimum of four years of teaching experience.
• Waldorf teaching and and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
• A love for educating adolescents.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with students and colleagues, and an interest in active community engagement.
• A strong commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Demonstrated teaching capacity in experiential and project-based learning.
• A commitment to continued learning, i.e., Waldorf and general educational trends, research-based learning models, educational technology, curriculum development, learning standards, multicultural education, and current best practices.
• Organizational and computer skills essential.
• An ability to hit the ground running.

Additional Responsibilities:

In accordance with the SMWS philosophy, the person filling this position may be required to carry out other duties necessary to the fulfillment of the school’s mission, strategies, and agreements.

Work Setting

General classroom, field trip, and outdoor environments

Occasional weekend and evening hours

Salary, Hours, and Benefits

Compensation for each 4-week block is $900.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the Essential Duties and Responsibilities of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to perform:

• Lift 25 pounds, bending, stretching
• Mobility to move boxes
• Work within an office setting

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and intent, resume, brief biography, and three references including current employer to hrmgr@smwaldorf.org.

Shining Mountain Waldorf School is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, familial status, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin, age, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity.