Brightworks Employment
Brightworks has been at the cutting edge of learner-driven education since its founding in 2011 and we continue to push the envelope of what is possible in education. We are a school that says “Yes.” You want to send a GoPro to the stratosphere in a weather balloon? Let’s do it! You want to build a sail car and go on a journey down an abandoned railway? Sure thing! You want to investigate how we can help the homeless? Alright, let’s figure it out together!
We trust that children are instinctual learners, and we value partnering with them on their educational path. That is why we call our teachers “Collaborators”.
To be here is to work side by side lovingly and in full support of the children who populate this place with their dreams, attempts and ideas. We ask Collaborators to think big, improvise, and learn alongside students. By taking the best practices from early childhood education and emergent, project-based experiential learning, we strive to meet students' needs in a flexible, mixed-age environment that breaks the traditional walls between school and the community outside the classroom. Brightworks is in its eleventh year and currently consists of 112 students ages 5-17.
12:1
Student to Collaborator ratio
110
K-12 students
Brightworks is seeking experienced candidates for the teaching position for the 2023/2024 school year. Collaborators are responsible for co-creating project-based curriculum with their 10-12 students with the support of their teaching team. Collaborators also create accountability structures for their students' independent projects and studies. Collaborators regularly document their group’s explorations, send weekly communications to parents, and help students compile portfolios for their student-led assessment as well as writing their own assessments of the students. Collaborators should have a commitment to professional growth and a strong spirit of mutual aid and support. Collaborators engage in deep power and privilege work and have a commitment to creating a learning environment that is anti-racist, gender inclusive, and overwhelmingly welcoming and accessible to students of all backgrounds and orientations.
Open Collaborator Positions
Elementary School Collaborator
Brightworks is currently seeking experienced candidates for the teaching position of Elementary Collaborator for the 2024/2025 school year.
The Elementary Collaborator reports to the Brightworks Head of School.
Compensation
Placement on our salary scale will be based on qualifications and experience. Our scale ranges from $69,132 - $100,000. Excellent benefits are offered including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, and a retirement plan with a 4% match vesting immediately. Fixed employer contributions available for dependants. Paid time off in addition to time off to pursue professional development opportunities.
Middle School Collaborator
Brightworks is currently seeking experienced candidates for the teaching position of Middle School Collaborator for the 2024/2025 school year.
The Middle School Collaborator reports to the Head of School.
Compensation
Placement on our salary scale will be based on qualifications and experience. Our scale ranges from $69,132 - $100,000. Excellent benefits are offered including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, and a retirement plan with a 4% match vesting immediately. Additional benefit stipend offered for dependants. Paid time off in addition to time off to pursue Professional Development opportunities.
Middle School STEM Collaborator
Brightworks is currently seeking experienced candidates for the teaching position of Middle School Stem Collaborator. The Collaborator will be responsible for mentoring and designing interdisciplinary projects for 3 groups of 12 middle school-age students.
The Middle School STEM Collaborator reports to the Head of School.
Compensation and Benefits
Placement on our salary scale will be based on qualifications and experience. Our scale ranges from $69,132 - $100,000. Excellent benefits are offered including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, and a retirement plan with a 4% match vesting immediately. Additional benefit stipend offered for dependants. Paid time off in addition to time off to pursue Professional Development opportunities.
High School Collaborator
Brightworks is currently seeking experienced candidates for the teaching position of High School Collaborator.
The High School Collaborator reports to the Head of School.
Compensation and Benefits
Placement on our salary scale will be based on qualifications and experience. Our scale ranges from $69,132 - $100,000. Excellent benefits are offered including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, and a retirement plan with a 4% match vesting immediately. Additional benefit stipend offered for dependants. Paid time off in addition to time off to pursue Professional Development opportunities.
Learning Specialist For Students 13-18 Years of Age (Half Time)
Brightworks is seeking experienced candidates for the half time position of Learning Specialist for the 2024/2025 school year.
The Learning Specialist reports to the Head of School.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Work with Students
The learning specialist at Brightworks will work with a caseload of students in the implementation of learning support and student growth in the areas of communication, self-reliance and the development of self-advocacy, academic, and executive functioning skills
Read and interpret psychoeducational and neuropsychological reports
Observe classes to obtain information about individual students and to provide feedback to teachers.
Assist in developing personalized learning plans, and oversee implementation of learning strategies so that all students can access the curriculum.
Host an affinity space for students with learning differences.
Help all students broaden their understanding of what learning can look like.
Learning Specialists at Brightworks assist teachers, parents, and students in broadening their understanding of the learning process
Work With Collaborators and Families
Participate in meetings with teachers to discuss learning support in the classroom and provide strategies and support.
Collaborate with the Head of School and director of DEIB to develop in-house professional development and source outside professional development for faculty and staff.
Partner closely with parents of students with learning differences to keep them informed of supports in place and students progress. This includes facilitating meetings with student support teams, parents, collaborators and leadership.
Position and Compensation
This is a half-time exempt position. Placement on our salary scale will vary from $40 - $50/hour.
Substitute Collaborator
Brightworks is currently seeking experienced candidates for a Substitute Collaborator for the current school year.
Compensation and Benefits
Placement on our hourly scale will be based on qualifications and experience. Our scale ranges from $22-$35/hr.
Collaborator Candidate Requirements - General (FYI)
You have experience working with elementary-age students. You have a deep understanding of progressive, inquiry-based education. You have the experience of or a desire to teach in a setting that honors the competence and independence of children.
You are a creative curriculum designer. You leverage student interests, real-world problems, and professional tools/experts to design engaging interdisciplinary projects that drive student learning.
You are committed to social justice and equity. You see opportunities all around you to leverage conversations about identity and actively seek to create equitable learning spaces.
You are an excellent communicator. You communicate effectively with students, parents, and coworkers. You actively listen and ask probing questions. You can communicate clearly through writing the story of your student’s learning journey. You know how to be candid and kind at the same time. You can hold accountable and be supportive at the same time.
You have a strong sense of empathy. You put yourself in the shoes of students, and parents and communicate in a way that values their lived experience.
You are a project manager. You have a strong work ethic and are able to help students pace out projects and create accountability structures that help them reach their goals.
You are comfortable with ambiguity. You are intellectually curious and have a strong sense of agency. You are comfortable not always having or knowing the answers.
You are a great collaborator with both students and adults. You enlist your problem-solving and communication skills, sprinkling in your high EQ and fun personality, to build strong relationships. You know the importance of leveraging divergent viewpoints for the improvement of our collective work. You hold your colleagues and students accountable, and you are receptive and humble when they hold you accountable.
You are a lifelong learner. You have a growth mindset and you pick up new ideas quickly and think critically. You are intellectually curious and deeply committed to learning and growing.
Leadership and Administrative Positions
Brightworks is seeking a Head of School for the 2024-2025 academic year; the position starts in July 2024 at the latest. Please visit our Head of School position page for more information.
Application Procedure
To apply for open positions, we ask applicants to send the following PDF documents to hiring@sfbrightworks.org
Cover Letter, how did you learn about the position? Who are you? What is your journey? Why are you excited to work with us? What’s the last project that excited you?
Resume of relevant work and educational experiences to support your candidacy
We are currently reviewing applications
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time
Brightworks is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, pregnancy, and breastfeeding), sexual orientation (including heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality), national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, age, medical condition, genetic characteristics or information, military and veteran status, and physical or mental disability, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws.