Middle Grades Lead Teacher

School Overview 

Sequoyah School is an independent K-12 day school in Pasadena, California, offering an innovative college-preparatory curriculum in a student-centered, experiential, humanistic environment. The school offers a developmentally appropriate program from elementary grades through high school. In keeping with its mission, “A Sequoyah education challenges the mind, nurtures the heart, and celebrates human dignity,” the school’s program supports a student’s social and emotional growth alongside their academic progress. The school was founded in 1958 and expanded its highly regarded elementary and junior high program to include a high school in 2016. The high school and K-8 divisions are located on separate campuses just 1.5 miles apart.

 

We are currently accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year.

Full-time (10-month)

Reports to: Assistant Head of School/K-8 Director or MS Associate Director

Salary Range: $71,000 to $116,000, depending on experience and education

 

Staff/Faculty Position

Sequoyah's learning program schoolwide, and in each classroom, is developed through close collaboration with others. In the K-8 program, this collaboration includes Lead Teachers, Associates, Assistant Head of School, Director of Teaching & Learning and subject-area Specialists. The Lead Teacher is primarily responsible for the academic, social and emotional learning program in a mixed-age classroom. The Lead Teacher creates a class culture with routines and expectations defined by Sequoyah’s mission and Habits of Mind. All employees represent the school in its values and mission.


A Lead Teacher will help shape the ongoing growth and coherence of the grade-level program. In collaboration with colleagues and other key administrators, this person refines and extends interdisciplinary and experiential pathways—building on Sequoyah’s distinctive programs such as Field Studies,  Stewardship, and Community Engagement. The Lead Teacher works to cultivate shared ownership of the program’s evolution, ensuring that the experience remains developmentally responsive, reflective of student voice, and aligned with Sequoyah’s full K–12 vision.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Program Development

  • Plan and implement language arts, social studies, and math curriculum that includes high-quality projects that engage students in deeper learning and change-making, and reflect current DEI practices.

  • Look for opportunities to integrate specialists’ instruction with other classroom activities and for opportunities to create emergent curriculum, responsive to student interests and current events.

  • Design opportunities for students to present learning to authentic audiences through exhibitions, portfolio presentations, publications, or community events.

  • Create and refine inquiry-based, project-driven units that reflect Sequoyah’s Habits of Mind—including Inquiry, Communication, Collaboration, and Stewardship.

  • Implement competency-oriented assessment practices that emphasize revision, reflection, and student ownership of growth.

  • Establish systems for program evaluation and improvement.

Student Experience and Well-Being

  • Serve as the main advocate for the students, fostering a culture of dignity, curiosity, and growth.

  • Design classroom structures that support early adolescent identity development, increasing executive function skills, autonomy, and agency.

  • Implement structures and systems support students’ social-emotional and identity development through consistent and effective classroom practices, including morning meetings, circle practice, advisory, individual check-ins and coaching students.

  • Oversee and participate in two Field Studies trips/year, ensuring experiences promote independence, empathy, environmental awareness, and curricular integration.

  • Facilitate the design of programs and partnerships that allow students to practice stewardship and civic responsibility.

  • Provide a positive and safe environment for students, physically and emotionally, that reflects effective classroom management strategies.

  • Continuously assess and evaluate student progress keeping in mind subject-area and grade-level expectations.

  • Provide transparent feedback aligned to Learning Outcomes and Habits of Mind, supporting students in tracking and articulating their own progress.

  • Proactively design for neurodiversity and a broad spectrum of students and their academic, emotional, and developmental needs, including neurodiversity. 

  • Collaborate with Learning Services to implement accommodations and normalize variability in learning.

Family and Community Partnership

  • Communicate regularly and transparently with parents/guardians about student progress, including but not limited to, participating in parent-teacher conferences, narrative end-of-year reports, back-to-school nights, admissions events or other events at the request of the administration, sometimes outside of contractual hours.

  • Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates who:

  • Hold a Master’s degree or higher in education or a related field.

  • Have at least 4 years of experience in teaching 

  • Demonstrate a deep understanding of child development.

  • Show a commitment to progressive education, DEIJ principles, and experiential learning.

  • Have experience with competency-based assessment practices (preferred).

  • Are familiar with inclusive instructional practices.

  • Possess strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to build trust across students, faculty, and families.

  • Bring a collaborative, reflective, and adaptable leadership style.

Personal Attributes

  • Deep respect for young adolescents as thinkers and community members.

  • Joyful presence and steady temperament.

  • Creative problem solver who sees complexity as opportunity.

  • Reflective member grounded in Sequoyah’s mission to challenge the mind, nurture the heart, and celebrate human dignity.

  • Passion for field-based, interdisciplinary learning and a belief in the transformative power of community.

  • Eager to seek knowledge of current instructional theories and best practices and demonstrate a commitment to professional growth by participating in professional development opportunities.

  • Reflective practitioner committed to continuous growth, feedback, and collaboration in service of student-centered learning.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Sequoyah

Diversity is a founding value of Sequoyah School, and we seek candidates willing and interested in upholding an equitable, inclusive environment. Sequoyah School is also an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any phase of employment. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

For more information about Sequoyah School or to see other career opportunities, please visit our website at sequoyahschool.org.