Calling all Montessori Educators with an Entrepreneurial Spirit!

It’s not every day that you get to CHANGE THE WORLD from the ground up.

About Beacon Academy

BEACON ACADEMY is a new faith-based micro-school for children ages 3-14 in Stokesdale, NC, with a mission to inspire every person who walks through our doors to find a calling and change the world. Learners form a community in mixed-age classrooms, we call “studios,” where they develop the skills to become independent learners and contributing citizens in their collaborative space. Our Middle School Studio for ages 12-14 combines the Montessori philosophy with the Socratic method, Project-based Learning, and Acton’s Next Great Adventure to create a well-rounded program for adolescents.

Join Our Team as the Journey Studio Guide

We are looking for a LEAD GUIDE for our Middle Schoolers in the Journey Studio. The skills, experience, and education necessary for success in this position include:

  • Experience working with adolescents as an educator, counselor, coach, youth ministry leader or other capacity.

  • Has proven excellence and references in guiding youth in or out of a school environment.

    EXTRA CONSIDERATION FOR:

  • Entrepreneurial experience

  • Previous Socratic or Montessori training, education or experience in STEM fields

  • If you are considering opening your own Acton affiliate within 3- 5 years, outside of North Carolina

  • Have experience living and/or working internationally

Acton middle school teacher

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Working with young people, ages 12-14

  • Facilitating the growth and development of a class culture of hard work, high standards, kindness, and joy

  • Working with Administrators to create meaningful learning through hands-on experiences

  • Being a role model of a life-long learner.

  • Leading daily Socratic (question-driven) group discussions

  • Cultivating a positive, beautiful, orderly and inspiring classroom environment.

  • Guiding learners through setting goals, tracking their progress and creating portfolios of their work to show peers, parents and future employers what they can do.

  • Observing and tracking each learner’s progress via a cutting edge online dashboard.

  • Passing along each of these responsibilities to students as quickly as possible, so as to develop and encourage students to lead themselves.

  • Practicing the Socratic method at all times (i.e., instead of answering questions, guide students to find the answers themselves).

  • Communicating/meeting with parents in person, via email, and other school platforms as needed.

  • Researching, finding and scheduling guest speakers, planning field trips, organizing events and celebrations.

  • *Though most of the curriculum will be set already, the guide will help set and create daily/weekly/yearly planning as well as evaluating and refining the existing curriculum and designing and experimenting with new projects, tools and approaches.

Acton middle school guide responsibilities

The Ideal Guide

  • Loves to experiment, evaluate and improve in everything s/he does

  • Strikes a good balance between being tough-minded and warm-hearted

  • Learns quickly, works hard, shows up on time

  • Is emotionally self-regulating (e.g. can keep a poker face amidst a glitter explosion)

  • Is an active life-long learner

  • Brings positive high energy and takes initiative

  • Asks way more questions than tells answers and is excited to learn how to be a Socratic guide

  • Has a growth mindset and fosters that in others

  • Can manage conflict well and facilitate conflict management (e.g., Non-Violent Communication principles)

  • Is orderly, organized and likes to keep their space clean and beautiful

  • Would enjoy designing scientific experiments, creative challenges and team-building activities

  • Can tell a story, make up a game and design a fun project

Who will thrive here?

As a school joining the Acton Academy movement for learner-driven schools, we are looking for candidates who are excited about the prospect of trying something new:

  • Starting a new classroom with a few students, and growing gradually

  • Joining a team of educators who want to change the way people view education

  • Honoring the ability of children to truly drive their own education

  • Believing that every child has the potential to change the world

  • Believing that they, themselves, can change the world.

Salary/Benefits

  • Beacon offers a starting salary of $42,000-$55,000 per year, depending on experience, education and leadership ability.

  • During work weeks, all Beacon employees enjoy a 4-day work-week on campus, plus a remote planning day. On-campus hours are from 7:30am-3:30pm.

  • Our school calendar includes 8 built-in weeks of paid time off, PLUS 64 hours of paid personal leave (which includes sick days or personal days).

  • We also offer a health plan, opportunities for professional development, growth and advancement.

TIMING: Paid training starts as early as July 2024, directed by the Head of School. The Guide must be willing to complete these learning activities and be excited to understand the Acton and Montessori philosophies on a deep, transformative level.