k/1 Lead Teacher

Job Summary for Lead Classroom Teacher, K/1

Compensation: Starting at $42,000 – $52,000 (depending on experience)

Benefits:

• QUERSA – Health Plan

• 401(k) retirement plan, 3% match
• Paid Time Off
• Professional development funding and opportunities
• Farm share benefit

Time Commitment: School year Monday-Friday (40 hours per week), occasional weekends and evenings for school events 

As an K/1 Elementary School Teacher at VFFS, you will play a pivotal role in shaping students’ educational experiences and fostering a lifelong love of learning. By providing a nurturing, challenging, and creative learning environment, you will ensure that students are not only prepared to succeed academically, but also equipped with the skills to overcome challenges in their lives. In a small classroom setting of 8 students, you are able to provide individualized support and attention.

About Vermont Farm and Forest School: We are a small K-5 school in rural Vermont. Our mission is to embrace academic and social learning through place-based education , while cultivating a long-lasting connection with the community and natural world.. We currently have two combined-age classrooms (K/1 and 2nd-5th). Our indoor classroom spaces consist of two yurts, and we extensively use the surrounding forest and farmland for learning. Team teaching and collaboration are at the core of our small school. 

Key ResponsibilitiesGeneral

• Foster a nature-mentoring approach in your teacher-student relationships, creating a connection with the natural world.
• Uphold and support the goals, values, and mission of VFFS.
• Promote and encourage positive student behavior through The Three Cares framework and social-emotional learning.
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in both teaching and community interactions.

Teaching

• Collaborate with the rest of the VFFS team to support student learning.
• Integrate scaffolded and differentiated instruction across all subjects to cater to a multi-age (Kindergarten & 1st Grade) classroom environment.
• Develop daily lesson plans that align with  the VFFS mission and vision, as well as project and place-based learning principles.
• Implement structured literacy approaches, such as Orton-Gillingham or other Science of Reading.
• Lead small group literacy and math lessons to address diverse student needs.
• Co-plan and lead science and humanities through a project-based learning approach
• Ensure lesson plans align with Common Core, NGSS, and C3 Social Studies Standards.
• Regularly conduct formative and summative assessments to inform lesson plans and monitor student learning.
• Be a professional, positive, and collaborative presence within the VFFS community.
• Deliver lessons that foster curiosity, are developmentally appropriate, and are engaging for students.
• Communicate regularly with families through our weekly newsie, bi-annual conferences and progress reports, as well as other updates and meetings as needed.

Work closely with Founder/Director and Curriculum Coordinator on some or all of the following tasks: 

• Organize and oversee school events and related logistics.
• Train new staff members and volunteers.

Job Skills & RequirementsRequired Qualifications

• Specialization in structured literacy and math instruction.
• Minimum 2-4 years of classroom teaching experience or student teaching.
• Highly organized, self-driven, and capable of multitasking.
• Ability to foster curiosity and maintain a fun and engaging classroom atmosphere.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency in Google Docs, Excel, and other common computer tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Vermont licensure.
• Experience with farm and nature-based education, integrating natural surroundings into lessons.

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a supportive, forward-thinking school community that blends traditional education with outdoor and project-based learning. The position requires a strong academic teaching background, passion for student success, and an appreciation for nature, all while maintaining an organized and positive classroom environment.

Vermont Farm and Forest School provides educational opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital/civil union status, or any other characteristic protected by Federal or State law.