Careers

Lancaster Friends School seeks a dedicated, passionate, and dynamic early childhood educator for a multiage classroom who is excited to be part of a new school. Major responsibilities include planning and implementing a creative, constructivist classroom program with daily lessons in literacy and mathematics; teaching anti-racism and integrating social justice into the curriculum; establishing a classroom culture that supports children socially, emotionally, and academically; creating an inclusive and culturally responsive classroom environment; working collaboratively and cooperatively with families, faculty, and staff; and partnering with other teachers and specialists to implement best practices. 

Strong candidates will have:

• A minimum of 3 years of experience working with children in preschool (ages 3-5), preferably in multi age settings

• A passion for social justice

• Experience or training in teaching to neurodiverse students

• Facility with a broad range of pedagogical practices and programs (including reading comprehension, writing, spelling, number sense, problem-solving, conflict resolution, emotional regulation, community building, etc.)

• An interest in and capability to work, plan, and implement cross-curricular, project-based learning opportunities

• A broad repertoire of strategies to teach children with diverse learning styles

• Excellent organizational skills

• Excitement about working closely and collaboratively with other educators

• Experience teaching in a religiously and culturally diverse setting

• A high level of interest in Quaker education

Responsibilities Include:

• Developing meaningful, cross-curricular, project-based learning experiences

• Implementing a rich social-emotional curriculum

• Monitoring student progress closely and being responsive to children's needs

• Actively collaborating with colleagues and reflecting on one's own practice

• Communicating clearly and effectively to parents about students' strengths and areas of challenge

• Promoting the school and our mission on social media

• Some before and after school childcare responsibilities

Full-time teachers participate fully in the life of the School, including covering lunch and recess, planning and attending field trips, participating in admissions-related events, writing reports, and other related activities. All teachers are members of a faculty committee and engage in at least one other activity/job that benefits the school community, as determined by the Head of School.

LFS was founded in 2021 in order to seek a more peaceful world through education. The school is grounded in Quaker values and the pursuit of social justice. Our child-centered, query-based curriculum promotes critical thinking skills, respectful discussion and group work, reflection, and connection to the broader community and world.

Lancaster Friends School seeks candidates with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. LFS believes diversity is an essential aspect of our lives and education, and we welcome faculty, staff, and students of any race, color, ethnic background, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, family structure, and socio-economic background.

Lancaster Friends School offers a salary appropriate to qualifications and experience, health insurance stipend, retirement plan, and tuition benefit in a supportive and collaborative educational community.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of three references to acarty@lancasterfriends.org. PA Clearances are required.

Lancaster Friends School is seeking an Assistant Teacher for our Pre-Kindergarten class. In collaboration with the Lead Teacher, the Pre-K Assistant Teacher supports and engages in the creation and execution of the preschool program grounded in play with academic intention. They have experience and comfort with social-emotional community-building strategies and techniques, as well as with supporting preschool-aged children in using tools for effective communication and conflict resolution.

LFS Assistant Teachers serve as an important part of a two-person teaching team and support the Lead Teacher in all classroom endeavors. They work directly with students and collaborate with the Lead Teacher to offer a rich social, play-based atmosphere carefully planned to provide exploration, discovery and skill development.

The ideal candidate is joyful about teaching and working with preschool age children and demonstrates eagerness and passion for the developmental stages of the youngest LFS learners. Essential competencies include familiarity with best practices in progressive early childhood education, emergent learning and supporting diverse learning styles.

Qualifications: A Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or early elementary education is prefered. Applicants are expected to have a minimum of one year of preschool classroom experience. A strong alignment with Quaker testimonies and progressive education—in philosophy and teaching practice-- is expected. 

Lancaster Friends School seeks candidates with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. LFS believes diversity is an essential aspect of our lives and education, and we welcome faculty, staff, and students of any race, color, ethnic background, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, family structure, and socio-economic background.

Lancaster Friends School offers a salary appropriate to qualifications and experience, health insurance stipend, retirement plan, and tuition benefit in a supportive and collaborative educational community.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of three references to acarty@lancasterfriends.org.

The Education Support Coordinator overriding goal is to expand and enhance Lancaster Friends School’s ability to serve the needs of a wide range of learners. The intention is to support teachers and students while preserving the integrity of each child’s unique developmental path.  Decisions are made about how to alter instruction, adjust expectations, increase direct instruction and/or seek more information to assist the teachers in meeting the needs of the individual students. The relationship between the work that our Educational Support Coordinator does with the children and that of the classroom teachers is intended to be that of an integrated whole, with all parties working together to provide the best learning experience for the child.  The Education Support Coordinator is to supplement, not replace, the instruction provided by the classroom teachers.  The goal of this design is to increase the amount of support students get in their learning day without creating many additional layers of disruption and confusion. Currently, this is a part time position. As enrollment grows, the position will likely grow as well.

Strong candidates will have:

• PA special education teaching certification or degree or private academic license 

• Commitment to the mission of Lancaster Friends School

• Strong communication and leadership skills

• Excellent time management and organizational skills

• Competent with computer use including word processing, spreadsheets and database applications

Specific job responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provide resources and support to teachers that can enhance, improve and extend what they are able to offer the full range of learners in their classrooms

• Consult with teachers who have concerns about meeting individual children’s needs, follow with helpful suggestions

• Obtain student data in addition to that provided by classroom teachers and others

  • Observe and document upon the request of a teacher

  • Gather additional student work

  • Administer additional evaluations and assessments

• Arrange, set-up and run multi-disciplinary team meetings

• Provide direct support as needed, to individuals or small groups

• Complete appropriate paperwork required by IU 13 and other support agencies

• Coordinate outside agency personnel (from the IU 13, Early Intervention, etc.) including their work spaces

Lancaster Friends School seeks candidates with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. LFS believes diversity is an essential aspect of our lives and education, and we welcome faculty, staff, and students of any race, color, ethnic background, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, family structure, and socio-economic background.

Lancaster Friends School seeks experienced substitute teachers for K through 8th grade. Qualified candidates should have an understanding of the cognitive and social-emotional development of elementary school children and be well-versed in interdisciplinary curriculum, project work, and anti-bias curriculum. 

Students at LFS are challenged to realize their intellectual, physical, emotional, and spiritual potential. A spirit of inquiry reigns in the classroom and students are encouraged to think creatively, to feel the condition of others, and to listen to their inner selves. Lancaster Friends expects students to be critical, independent thinkers who can work with a spirit of cooperation, understanding, and tolerance of the views of others. Quaker values and practices pervade the curriculum and culture, encouraging each community member to value diversity, seek peace and justice, and demonstrate respect for self and others.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required

• 1-3 years of classroom teaching experience, preferably in an independent school setting

• Demonstrated passion and joy for working with students in grades K-8

• Knowledge of child development and a commitment to social-emotional learning, differentiated instruction, and inquiry and project-based teaching

• Strong verbal and written interpersonal communication skills

• A demonstrated commitment to enhancing an inclusive school community based on cultural competence, commitment to social justice, and respect for all voices;

• A strong character with a team-oriented spirit, and the ability to connect meaningfully with students throughout our diverse community;

• Strong affinity for the mission of Lancaster Friends School and an educational philosophy consistent with the school’s Quaker values.

• All PA required clearances 

To apply, please send a resume to acarty@lancasterfriends.org.

Lancaster Friends School is seeking part-time staff members for its after school program. The after school program runs weekdays from 3:30-5:15 (occasionally until 6:00 pm), with some additional hours possible during in-service days and school breaks.

The ideal candidate will have an understanding of developmentally appropriate activities for children ages 4-12 and be willing to roll up their sleeves and play. We are looking for candidates with personal interest in sports, music, art, and the natural world along with a sense of humor and a love of working with young children. Classroom management skills and flexibility are required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure safety and security of students while facilitating play-based activities;

• Provide homework help and student enrichment programming;

• Organize and lead games and activities;

• Create and implement open-ended creative art projects;

• Respond to the individual needs of students while providing a supportive and caring atmosphere;

• Help resolve the conflicts of play and sports in ways that align with Quaker practices;

• Establish a healthy and consistent relationship with parents through open and timely communication;

• Document incidents concerning student behavior and communicate incidents to other team members;

• Work as a productive member of a collaborative team.

Qualifications

• Some college required, Bachelor's degree preferred

• Experience teaching,organizing and or supervising children

• Ability to interact and play with young children at their physical level

• A strong character with a team-oriented spirit, and the ability to connect meaningfully with students throughout our diverse community

• A deep commitment to enhancing an inclusive school community based on cultural competence, commitment to social justice, and respect for all voices

• Strong affinity for the mission of Lancaster Friends School and an educational philosophy consistent with the school’s Quaker values.