Job Description

Mary McDowell Friends School (MMFS) invites applications for a full-time Lower School Head Teacher beginning August 2026.

The Head Teacher job is a full-time position. The goals are;

• Oversee the safety and wellbeing of the students in advisory, content area classes, core classrooms and homeroom classes.
• Monitor and stimulate the educational and social emotional growth within the framework of the school’s mission
• Design a challenging, creative and developmentally appropriate curriculum and teach students with learning disabilities
• Integrate the Quaker beliefs, testimonies and practice in all your work with students, colleagues, families and professionals.
• Coaching and working closely with associate teachers to develop class curriculum, manage students and working with families. Head teachers are ultimately responsible for the curriculum and academic program, conferences etc.
• Bring your best self to work so that you may bring out the best in others.

Responsibilities and Duties

Students

Teaching responsibilities may vary depending on the needs of specific students or a division.

• Work in collaboration with division director or academic dean to create content specific curriculum that meets the needs of the MMFS students.
• Differentiate teaching methods, instructional materials and assessment tools to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Implement individualized and differentiated student plans for homework, organization and behavior.
• Assign and provide prompt feedback to class work and homework.
• Communicate the daily routine, rules and procedures to your students as well as informing students of any changes within the daily schedule.
• Share expectations and school policies and help to enforce rules with homeroom students.
• Supervise students when participating in division wide and school wide activities such as silence, assembly and meeting special guests.
• Plan and supervise homeroom projects including but not limited to community service, buddy class activities, and field trips.
• Create a classroom environment that provides for the organizational needs of the students.
• Supervise: These responsibilities will vary from year to year and division to division depending on the teaching load of the specific teacher.
• Study hall/Homeroom
• Snack/Community Break
• Lunch duty
• Clubs
• Overnight trips
• Dismissal supervision
• Class or Advisory
• Act as the advocate for students supporting each student in his/her relationships with other teachers and acting as the primary point person with families.
• Order supplies for the content subjects within the budget provided.
• Notify facilities of any repairs or furniture needs for the classroom.
• Structure the room so that others using the space can locate materials and feel comfortable sharing the space.
• Straighten up the classroom at the end of the teaching day in such a way that enables the custodians to clean the room.
• Participate in some CSE reviews and meetings.
• Testify at any Impartial Hearings.
• Collaborate with division directors/academic dean, speech and language professionals, OT’s and counseling team members to address students’ needs.
• Work with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of school programs.
• Support, evaluate, and plan assignments with teaching partners.

Faculty

• Meet regularly with supervisor to discuss curriculum and reflect on students’ progress.
• Schedule regular meetings with associate teacher
• Attend weekly division meetings.
• Attend full faculty meetings.
• Participate on a school wide or division based committees and ad hoc committees where necessary.
• Participate in team meetings about students and student needs.

Diversity and Equity Commitments

• Understand and participate in all school wide diversity and equity initiatives
• Examine leadership practice through the lens of race, identity, equity and privilege.
• Provide an equitable framework for leadership decisions
• Support a school culture that allows for social identities to feel welcome

Communication

• Communicate with all members of our community in a polite, thoughtful and honest manner.
• Write, edit and submit semester and quarterly trimester reports and grades according to stated guidelines.
• Communicate with parents and guardians to discuss student's needs and progress. This may be through email, written notes, phone calls and to face to face meetings.
• Communicate with outside therapists, tutors and other professionals working with our students.
• Complete and submit recommendations, evaluations and other requests for information about students.
• Work to ensure clear communication with families, psychologists, therapists and other outside providers. Seek support when necessary.
• Plan for and participate in parent-teacher conferences.
• Act with integrity and address all conflicts in a professional manner.

Other

Teachers are required to familiarize themselves with faculty handbook and employment manuals and meet the expectations outlined within each. A sense of fun, adventure and humor is a plus.

Additional information outlining specific job requirements related to specific student needs, curriculum, division specific duties and schedules will be made available during meetings with Division Directors or the Academic Dean.

Diversity and Equity Commitments

• Understand and participate in all school-wide diversity and equity initiatives.
• Examine administrative practice through the lens of race, identity, equity, and privilege.
• Provide an equitable framework for leadership decisions.
• Support a school culture that allows for social identities to feel welcome.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, exempt ten-month position that follows the academic calendar. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a half-hour paid lunch; faculty meetings occur every Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand and will be scheduled in advance.

Travel

On occasion, travel between campuses is necessary for meetings, which are scheduled with advance notice and are within walking distance from each other. School trips are also scheduled with advance notice, and teachers are required to chaperone day-long and overnight school trips.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

This position requires the ability to maintain the physical capacity required to navigate the school environment and to ensure the safety of the students. The ability to open filing cabinets and bend or stand for long periods of time, as necessary. Classroom locations vary based on student schedules; this position occasionally ascends/descends stairs to teach from different rooms in the building.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

MA required in Education; special education experience a plusAbility to work cooperatively and collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, and external agencies to maximize performance, problem-solving and achieve results. Willingness to learn and adapt to a new environment.

Preferred Education & Experience

Proficiency with Microsoft Office and G Suite applications. Experience in the special education, private sector, or Independent School or Public School system is a plus.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Application

To apply, please upload a letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three professional references as a .pdf (preferable) or Word document. If your background and experience are appropriate for the position, you will be contacted directly by a member of our search committee.

We offer a rewarding work experience in downtown Brooklyn, NY, where we encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work. We recognize, appreciate, celebrate, and honor our diverse community as we build an awareness of who each individual is and who we are collectively.

Applicants who enhance the diversity of the school's faculty and administration are strongly encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more information on our school and a full list of vacancies

In compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $70,000–$85,000, with the potential to reach $115,000, commensurate with experience. Mary McDowell Friends School considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education, and training, essential skills, internal peer equity, and market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Employment at Mary McDowell Friends School is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic origin, nationality, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, familial status, or any other category protected by the law. Mary McDowell Friends School’s policy of non-discrimination extends to all employment practices, including but not limited to hiring, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination.