Preschool Teacher’s Aide / Floater- Part Time - La Scuola International School

Founded in 2002, La Scuola International School – the only Reggio Emilia inspired, International Baccalaureate (IB) and Italian language immersion school in the world – is serving the Bay Area with two San Francisco campuses (Preschool - Grade 8), and one new campus in Silicon Valley (Preschool - Grade 1).  Our mission is to inspire brave learners to shape the future. Every day, it’s the students at La Scuola who ask provocative questions and lead their learning across languages, across cultures, and across subjects.  To learn more, please visit us at www.lascuolasf.org. 

La Scuola International School is accredited by NAIS, CAIS, WASC and CIS and is one of two  Italian schools recognized by the Italian government in the United States.

We believe our community thrives through diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and realities. Only through a persistent drive to listen and learn from one another, create and promote equitable opportunities and to continue to reflect and evolve will we be able to establish systems which will address the needs of the one and the many.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the emotional, social, physical and cognitive needs of each child
• Perform required care-giving activities (i.e. feeding, toileting, changing diapers, dressing, etc)
• Supervise children at all times inside and outside the classroom
• Assist the teachers in implementing positive guidance with each child
• Attend meetings, trainings and professional development activities as needed / requested
• Provide coverage of classrooms during breaks, planning time, etc.
• Assist teachers during transitions to get children ready for meals, activities, nap etc.
• Clean classroom environment and common areas such as bathrooms and outdoor play areas in accordance with program goals and philosophy
• Clean toys and educational materials
• Set and clear tables for meal and snack time
• Organize art supplies and classroom materials
• Lift up to 50 pounds
• Other duties as requested

Expectations

At LA SCUOLA, the Aide is a supporting role and is expected to provide the highest quality, developmentally appropriate educational support for the children enrolled in our school.
An Aide should bear in mind at all times the following components of his/her job, and know that performance will be evaluated in direct relationship to the following expectations:

Curriculum Expectations

• The curriculum at La Scuola is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to Education and the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy.
• Curriculum for children ages 2-6 must always include a balance of elements including music (vocal and instrumental music), movement; dramatic & symbolic play; expressive arts & crafts; social-emotional & self-help skills; language & communication skills; listening, following directions & concentration; pre-literacy, pre-math, and pre-science concepts; and gross and fine motor coordination.
• Learning across all disciplines must be integrated smoothly into everyday routines and play so that the learning accomplished is authentic and meaningful for the children.

Relationships with Children

• Establish a personal connection with each child
• Understand each child’s individual temperament and evolving developmental level
• Support each child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development within the context of LA SCUOLA’s “pedagogy of relationships”
• Encourage positive social interactions among children
• Balance necessity of classroom rules and norms and the need to respond to specific individuals appropriately (balance needs of the group with needs of the individual)
• Incorporate individual children’s current needs into planning for overall group curriculum/activities
• Assess children’s development and growth sensitively and accurately throughout the year
• Convey joy and wonder in everyday interactions

Relationships with Families

• Establish personal connection with each parent
• Understand family style and priorities for their child in preschool
• Conduct professional and insightful parent/teacher conferences
• Communicate individual and group accomplishments and projects (interests, pursuits) in a timely manner through conversations, newsletters, and other documentation

​​​​​​Relationships with coworkers

• Communicate effectively and respectfully at all times, in moments of agreement and of disagreement alike
• Model responsible adult relationships for children
• Engage in analytical and collaborative reflection on our work together
• Establish classroom goals/priorities in light of both current school goals and children’s developmental stages and needs

​​​​​​Preparation of the classroom (physical environment)

• Maintain a legible and thoughtful environment, suited to the developmental stage and learning needs of the children in the group
• Observe children’s usage of the prepared environment and make changes as necessary in order to accomplish classroom goals
• Be willing to change plans and introduce new provocations (materials, situations) on short notice according to the changing needs of the children in the group

To check whether an activity or content is age-appropriate, you should ask yourselves the following questions:

• Why is this activity, content, experience worthwhile?
• Why is it important now?
• Would children gain this skill or learn this concept with ease and efficiency if presented to them later in their schooling?
• What prior knowledge do children need to master this?
• Does this offer children a challenge, but a challenge they can successfully meet?

Classroom Maintenance

• Tidy up classroom as needed
• Clean up classroom as needed (wipe surfaces, sweep/mop floors)

• Experience working with young children preferred
• Bilingual and bi-literate in Italian and English preferred
• Attendance of Early Childhood Education classes preferred
• Must be authorized to work in the US

Required Skills and Pre-requisites

• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Nurturing personality, creativity, excellent multitasking skills
• Enjoy working with children, including ones with mild learning differences
• Ability to work well in a team and in a very collegial and collaborative environment
• Willingness to be an active, enthusiastic member of the La Scuola community
• Commitment to equity, inclusion and a diverse community
• Excellent attendance and punctuality
   

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. La Scuola may be able to offer a teachers exchange visa for teachers with a BA in elementary education/teaching credentials in their country of origin AND a minimum of two years of teaching experience.

Prior to beginning work and as a condition of employment in order to comply with the law, all employees must provide documentation to prove eligibility to work in the United States. In addition, the final candidate will need to pass Criminal Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation Fingerprint Clearance, a physical exam, and provide a recent copy of a negative TB test/assessment and other immunization records.

Estimated hourly rate: $21-$24 / hour depending on credentials, qualifications and experience.

To be considered for the position, please apply here with your resume, a cover letter explaining your interest in the position and three professional references, including from your most recent supervisor(s).

To learn more, visit www.lascuolasf.org 

Non-Discrimination Policy

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at La Scuola will be based on merit, qualifications and abilities. La Scuola does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, marital status, veteran status, physical or mental disability (actual or perceived), medical condition, genetic characteristics, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by state, federal or local law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, layoff, promotion, transfer and access to benefits and training. If you feel you may have been discriminated against on the basis of sex or would like more information, please contact Dani Sollberger, COO, by email or 415-558-9006 or by mail at 728 20th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107.