K/1 Lead Teacher

Acera: The Massachusetts School of Science, Creativity and Leadership; Winchester; On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A progressive school in Winchester seeks an innovative, tech-savvy teacher for a multi-age elementary classroom. The ideal candidate will design ability-based approaches for literacy and math, fostering complex thinking and social-emotional growth in high-ability students.

Benefits

Health Care Benefits

Federal/State Holidays Off

Free After School Program for Employees' Children

Financial Aid Stipend for Employees' Children

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of lead teaching experience in an early elementary setting.
• Deep understanding of child development and best practices in both early childhood and gifted education.

Responsibilities

• Create curricula for interdisciplinary, project-based classroom learning.
• Lead literacy instruction grounded in the Science of Reading.
• Establish classroom procedures and routines.

Skills

Differentiated Instruction

Collaboration

Classroom Management

Creativity

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree in Education

Job description

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Do you seek a positive school culture, filled with collaborative colleagues, craving the freedom to create great learning experiences for your students? We invite an innovative, engaging and tech-savvy teacher to lead a multi-age elementary classroom (K/1) for high-ability students. Bring your belief in hands-on learning alive by designing ability-based approaches for literacy and math, while supporting social/emotional growth. Collaborate with specialist teachers to create interdisciplinary, STEAM-rich, hands-on learning. Meet students where they are developmentally and engage them with challenging content and tasks, fostering complex thinking and robust skill development.

Why Join Acera?

Acera is a progressive, independent school serving high-ability students ages 5 to 15. We offer a supportive, flexible, and intellectually vibrant work environment where teachers are trusted as professionals and collaborators. Our mission-driven culture encourages creativity, innovation, and the pursuit of meaningful learning—for both students and educators. At the start of each school year, our teachers observe and evaluate students to create the right dynamic and differentiated learning setting for their students.If you are a dynamic, thoughtful, and compassionate teacher who loves both early childhood education and the spark of gifted learners, we encourage you to apply and bring your passion to our community.

Job Duties & Key Responsibilities

We seek a professional who has a deep love of and respect for children and who enjoys the freedom to invent an exciting and creative classroom. This individual must feel confident designing learning with differentiated instruction strategies for gifted students, allowing them to think conceptually and access content which may be years ahead of their chronological age expectations. This also balances meeting the literacy, fine motor, kinesthetic, sensory, and social skill development needs of younger elementary students. We meet children where they are developmentally, and assure that students learn based on their unique learning profile without age limitations. Most of our students operate at two or more grade levels higher than expected in at least one academic area. The ideal candidate will be creative, articulate, flexible, collaborative, and have exceptional executive functioning skills.

The expectations for this position include:

● Create curricula, leveraging themes and essential questions as springboards for inventing interdisciplinary, project-based classroom learning.

● Create and update Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) specific to each student’s needs and strengths that are centered around their literacy and social/emotional needs; give narrative feedback through progress reports and family conferences throughout the year.

● Use differentiated instruction strategies to support gifted learners with diverse profiles—including asynchronous development, sensory needs, and advanced cognitive abilities.

● Lead literacy instruction grounded in the Science of Reading, while supporting literacy-rich experiences and developments in writing, communication, and social-emotional learning.

● Be fearless about proactively including STEAM-rich learning, interweaving technology and leading-edge scientific ideas, while leveraging colleagues who can extend and expand classroom dialogue and learning.

● Establish and implement classroom procedures and routines, build a class community that centers belonging.

● Facilitate learning experiences rooted in engaging topics that offer deep response to students’ interests, foster deep engagement and authentic inquiry.

● Embrace a parent partnership educational model which communicates openly, honestly, and with compassion; share teaching philosophy and pedagogical beliefs to educate parents.

● Demonstrate a passion for lifelong learning by actively pursuing professional growth, engaging in reflection, and embracing feedback.

Qualifications

● At least 3 years of lead teaching experience in an early elementary setting.

● Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in education or experience in gifted education preferred.

● Deep understanding of child development and best practices in both early childhood and gifted education.

● Expertise in differentiated instruction, project-based learning, and integrated thematic curriculum.

● Experience with a wide range of student learning profiles, including giftedness.

● Passion for science, technology, and integrating real-world content into the classroom.

● Exceptional classroom management, organization, communication, and collaboration skills.

● A growth mindset and enthusiasm for ongoing learning and professional growth.

Salary & Benefits

● $65,000-$85,000, depending on experience

● Health care benefits, Federal/State holidays off

● School year position, full time

● School-aged children of full time employees are able to attend Acera’s after school program free of charge.

● School aged-children who independently apply for and are granted admission to Acera typically receive a financial aid stipend, capping annual tuition at $17,000/ year.

Application

Please submit a cover letter and resume, along with a brief statement outlining your approach to differentiated instruction, classroom management and any relevant experience or training in gifted education [e-mail].

Anticipated start date: August 22, 2025 (or August 29, with other orientation days tbd in July/August)

Equal Opportunity Employer

Acera is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Conditions of Offer

All offers of employment are contingent upon CORI, SORI and fingerprint-based background checks, as required by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), our organization is required to verify the identity and work authorization of all newly hired employees. Therefore, if you accept this position, you will be required to complete a Form I-9 upon hire.Within 3 days of beginning employment, you will need to supply acceptable documentation (as noted on the Form I-9) of your identity and work authorization.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Education and Training

• Industries

  Primary and Secondary Education

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