Lower School Spanish Teacher Leave Replacement

Keys School, a K-8 independent school in Palo Alto with approximately 320 students, 50 faculty, and 20 staff, seeks an experienced Lower School Spanish Teacher for a leave replacement. This temporary role runs from August 13, 2026, through at least November 20, 2026, with the possibility of extension.

About Keys School

Founded more than fifty years ago, Keys offers an inquiry-based education focused on students’ academic, social, emotional, identity, and physical growth. The school is known for fostering compassionate, empathic community members who develop confidence and agency. Keys operates on two campuses: the Lower School (K-4) with 176 students and 40 faculty/staff, and the Middle School (5-8) with 140 students and 20 faculty/staff. Distinctive programs include cross-divisional buddy and house systems, ice skating, self-science classes, and extensive outdoor education beginning in kindergarten.

Responsibilities

• Design, deliver, evaluate, and update the Lower School Spanish curriculum in alignment with the school’s mission, prioritizing social-emotional learning and culturally responsive programming.
• Develop interdisciplinary units with faculty, integrating community resources and antiracist pedagogy.
• Create yearlong and unit learning plans for Spanish instruction using the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework in collaboration with the Spanish Department and Assistant Director of Lower School.
• Utilize formative and summative assessments to differentiate instruction.
• Collaborate with homeroom teachers and specialists (Physical Education, Self-Science, Mandarin, Science, Music, Art, and Technology) to develop integrated units of inquiry.
• Support daily school operations, including weekly Gathering, recess/lunch duties, and school events.
• Communicate with families about the Spanish program through newsletters, emails, and face-to-face conversations.
• Participate in professional development with a growth mindset.
• Use classroom management approaches that foster intrinsic motivation, student agency, and self-reflection.
• Engage in equity and inclusion work to foster a culture of respect and belonging.
• Maintain collegial relationships and model the school’s core values.
• Monitor personal beliefs and behaviors to ensure high expectations for all students and teachers.
• Participate in the school’s outdoor education program, buddy program, and other assigned duties.

Requirements

• Passion for working with elementary-age children and a commitment to social-emotional learning.
• Deep understanding of children’s social-emotional and academic development.
• Commitment to identity-conscious practice, belonging, and inclusive community advocacy.
• Experience interfacing with families and the broader school community.
• Strong organizational, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Dedication to continuous improvement, lifelong learning, and professional development.
• Educational philosophy aligned with Keys School’s mission.
• Knowledge of Spanish language curriculum standards and developmentally appropriate instructional strategies for K-4.
• Ability to foster strong student connections and collaborate with colleagues.
• Facility with thematic, interdisciplinary, project-based pedagogy and assessment practices.
• Growth mindset and willingness to work across differences.
• Bachelor’s degree and completion of a teacher education/associate teacher program.
• Fluency in Spanish and knowledge of Total-Physical-Response (TPRS), storytelling, games, and songs in language instruction.
• Familiarity with Responsive Classroom and authentic assessment practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education or related field.
• Five years of professional teaching experience.
• Experience with curricular mapping and scope/sequence development using UbD and Project-Based Learning (PBL).
• Deep understanding of emotion science (e.g., Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, CASEL, Responsive Classroom).
• Experience interfacing with families in culturally responsive ways.

Physical Demands

• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
• Regularly stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, run, and/or jump.
• Requires close vision, ability to adjust focus, sound hearing, and clear speech.

Pay

$90,000+ depending on years of experience.

Benefits

• Health and retirement benefits, including TIAA-CREF.