Extended Day Teacher

City-of-Cambridge,-Ma; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Cambridge is seeking an Extended Day Teacher for the King Open Extended Day program to lead a safe, inclusive after-school classroom for elementary students. You will design enrichment-based activities supporting social, emotional, physical, and academic growth, aligning with school-day learning and collaborating with families and staff.

The role includes supervising part-time staff and interns, engaging families, maintaining child growth portfolios, managing the classroom budget, and

Qualifications

• Requires high school diploma or equivalent; higher degree preferred.
• Three years of relevant experience with school-aged children recommended.
• Experience supervising staff is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a child-centered, welcoming, inclusive after-school classroom serving mixed-grade elementary students.
• Plan and implement an engaging, well-rounded after-school curriculum that supports social, emotional, physical, and academic development; include project-based learning units and align with school-day experiences.
• Supervise at least one part-time assistant and coordinate with support staff, interns, and volunteers; participate in interviewing and training new staff.
• Participate in in-class work during the school day to support students and teachers, including one-on-one support and small group facilitation.
• Engage families in a consistent partnership and facilitate family engagement events.
• Maintain a student growth portfolio for each child and manage scheduling and lesson planning.
• Manage the classroom budget, arrange field trips, and coordinate with consultants and vendors.
• Maintain program policies and collaborate with King Open Extended Day staff and families; assist with referrals and DHSP summer programs as needed.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

Strong communication

Organizational skills

Family engagement

Diversity & inclusion

Collaboration

After-school programs

Bilingual

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in child/youth development or education

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Extended Day Teacher develops and leads a safe, engaging, inclusive, and developmentally responsive after-school program for elementary-aged children within the King Open Extended Day program. The position is responsible for planning and implementing enrichment-based curriculum and activities that support children’s social, emotional, physical, and academic growth while fostering meaningful connections between school-day and after-school experiences. The Extended Day Teacher collaborates closely with families, school-day staff, program staff, and community partners to support student success and maintain a positive, child-centered learning environment. This position also provides supervision and guidance to assistant staff, interns, and volunteers and participates in school-day classroom support activities during the academic day.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Lead and develop a child-centered, welcoming, inclusive, and richly diverse after-school classroom serving mixed-grade elementary students.
• Plan and implement an engaging, well-rounded, developmentally responsive, hands-on after-school curriculum that promotes children’s social, emotional, physical, and academic development; regularly incorporates gym games, team-building, arts and crafts, and social-emotional learning; reflect school-day experiences; include at least three 6-week Project-Based Learning units over the school year on themes such as physical recreation, performing arts, visual arts, science, and ecology; and intentionally link with school-day learning by coordinating with teachers to align projects, share relevant student insights, and reinforce key skills and routines across settings.
• Supervise at least one part-time assistant and, as needed, coordinate and supervise support teachers, inclusion staff, high school interns, and volunteers; participate in interviewing and training new assistants, interns, and volunteers.
• Participate in at least five (5) hours per week of in-class work in King Open School's school-day classrooms to support students and teachers during the academic day, including one-on-one support of children, assisting King Open faculty in curriculum delivery and differentiated instruction, small group facilitation, and participatory observation.
• Participate in school-day support meetings such as IEP meetings or family conferences and engage families in a consistent partnership in the education of children, including regularly facilitating family engagement events.
• Maintain a "child growth portfolio" for each child in the King Open Extended Day classroom each school year, including ongoing documentation of child progress, daily activities, outreach, and staff meetings, as well as regular weekly scheduling and lesson planning.
• Manage the classroom budget, including ordering supplies and snacks, planning and leading field trips, and engaging outside consultants and vendors.
• Maintain professional integrity and conduct by following and promoting program policies, procedures, and routines; collaborate and maintain links to King Open Extended Day staff, school-day staff, outside service providers, supervisors, and families; and during the school year, assist families with referrals, applications, and placement into DHSP summer programs—coordinating with program staff and the central office as needed
• Perform other duties as required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate’s or bachelor’s degree in child/youth development, education, social work, or a related human service field strongly preferred.
• Three (3) years of relevant experience with school-aged children (Kindergarten through 5th grade), including direct work in educational, after-school, youth development, or recreation settings; early childhood experience may be considered if clearly transferable to school-aged groups. Preferred experience includes after-school programming, preschool settings, urban youth, public schools, and/or mental health services.
• Staff supervision experience strongly preferred.
• Bilingual or bicultural background is a plus.
• Knowledge of the Nurtured Heart Approach and/or Responsive Classroom techniques is a plus.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Commitment to the social and developmental benefits of after-school work for children.
• Dedication to the importance and benefits of connections between after-school and school-day experiences for children.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Sense of humor and ability to serve as a strong, positive role model.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through on multiple projects.
• Experience working with families from diverse cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, providing outreach and facilitating communication and strong relationships.
• Experience in and commitment to a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Commitment to anti-bias and culturally proficient practices.
• Commitment to enhancing reflective practice and to accepting and providing supervision and guidance.
• Commitment to continuous improvement in service quality and to the program’s mission.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or a comparable system, as well as computer- and internet-based lesson planning, is preferred.
• Ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups across diverse identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Works under the general supervision of the Site Director (King Open Extended Day) within the Department of Human Service Programs and exercises independent judgment within established policies, seeking guidance on unusual or complex situations.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Provides supervision to part-time assistant teachers and interns; delivers daily direction, scheduling support, and coaching to ensure high-quality, developmentally appropriate programming.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in classrooms, on outdoor playgrounds, and during occasional field trips; noise levels range from moderate to very loud.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The employee is occasionally required to run during play or in response to an emergency and to lift and/or move a child, and visual acuity is required for child supervision. Employees are frequently required to engage with children on the floor and at their eye level, using their hands and arms to handle and manipulate objects and to reach.

The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.