The Open School currently has several job openings, both for our Santa Ana campus as well as our virtual program. Click the button below to send us an inquiry, or continue reading to learn about our open positions.
The Open School is seeking to hire a staff member who will act in a program director capacity for our Virtual Program. Our school is a self-directed, democratic school, situated in Santa Ana, California with a unique online program launched in December 2020. Our virtual program and on-campus program work in conjunction with each other and are part of the same organization. However, the virtual program is growing and needs dedicated staff and development to continue to serve our families and advance the community.
Though successful candidates may live in any time zone and adjust to fit the Pacific time schedule, it would be ideal for applicants to live in one of the 4 main US time zones. International candidates may apply, but may or may not be eligible depending on applicable laws and regulations. If you do not live in the US please inquire to determine eligibility.
The Open School staff members work directly with students and take on specific responsibilities within the democratic system of the school to maintain and grow the organization. We hire staff rather than teachers to emphasize that adults are not automatically teachers and that people learn from each other in complex ways. The Open School staff are not responsible for creating activities for students to pursue and do not have the authority to unilaterally establish or enforce rules. Staff at The Open School are available as role models, facilitators, and peers as students pursue their own interests.
There are numerous ways that staff interact with students ranging from tutoring in a specific subject, playing games (computers, cards, sports), working on collaborative projects, building things, going on field trips, cooking, producing plays to playing music, etc. Staff are expected to act as dependable stewards of the school; facilitate student access to resources; exemplify mature practice of personal fulfillment and societal engagement; and anchor school culture to values of interpersonal respect.
Staff also support all areas of school operations including administration and development. Most work is done from Monday through Friday, 9am-4:30pm Pacific time, but there are times when staff will need to work outside of those hours, such as a weekend event or an evening meeting. Additionally, this position has the ability to have a flexible schedule depending on the needs of the virtual program.
In addition, this position is specifically for someone who will act as a program director for our virtual program. This includes taking part in online activities, meeting one-on-one or in a small group with students virtually, and holding any number of meetings online. This person will also be a leader in the program and will help manage other staff who work virtually. They will continue to develop the virtual program by identifying new technologies, meeting the needs of our virtual families, and coming up with new ways to grow and market the program.
Staff members are also expected to pursue relationships with parents, holding regular conversations and meetings with them to deepen the parents’ understanding of and relationship with the school.
Employees are placed on the pay scale based on their completed years of experience. For newly hired employees, experience at other schools would be measured according to the below formula. The HR Committee will determine the definition of previous experience for new staff:
Newly hired staff cannot be placed higher than row F.
Pay adjusts at the anniversary of hire based on years of experience.
Row 2022/23 matrix Pay Rate
A Entry $36,331
B 1 year $38,147
C 2 years $40,054
D 3 years $42,057
E 4 years $44,159
F 5-6 years $46,366
G 7-9 years $51,003
H 10-14 years $56,104
I 15+ years $61,714
Schedule:
The Open School follows a standard academic calendar and staff work 35-40 hours per week during the school year. Due to the virtual nature of this position, there is some flexibility with the daily schedule provided that all responsibilities are being completed and the virtual staff member is attending required meetings and is available to other staff and students during the school day.
Staff have fewer responsibilities during the summer and therefore have a fair amount of time off during those months. There are periodic meetings and this position will require some summer work to prepare for the following year as well as further develop the program. Additionally, staff are considered on break during the school breaks (i.e. winter break, spring break, etc). Note for international applicants: the holiday breaks are tied to national US holidays.
The Open School is hiring a part-time staff member to work on campus in Santa Ana, California. This position is for a 3-day/week schedule. The specific days may be negotiated.
Position Summary
The Open School staff members work directly with students and take on specific responsibilities to keep the school running. We hire staff rather than teachers to emphasize that adults are not automatically teachers and that people learn from each other in complex ways. The Open School staff are not responsible for creating activities for students to pursue and do not have the authority to unilaterally establish or enforce rules. Staff at The Open School are available as role models, facilitators, and peers as students pursue their own interests.
There are numerous ways that staff interact with students ranging from tutoring in a specific subject, playing games (computers, cards, sports), working on collaborative projects, building things, going on field trips, cooking, producing plays to playing music, etc. Staff are expected to act as dependable stewards of the school; facilitate student access to resources; exemplify mature practice of personal fulfillment and societal engagement; and anchor school culture to values of interpersonal respect.
Staff also support all areas of school operations from ground maintenance to budgeting. Most work is done from Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm, but there are times when staff will need to work outside of those hours, such as a weekend event or an evening meeting.
In addition, staff will be engaging in our virtual program on a regular basis. This may include taking part in activities, meeting one-on-one or in a small group with students virtually, and holding any number of meetings online. Staff will also be expected to pursue relationships with parents, holding regular conversations and meetings with them to deepen the parents’ understanding of and relationship with the school.
A successful candidate demonstrates:
Beneficial Experience:
Compensation:
Upon hiring, staff members are considered “fellows” for a period of at least 3 months and no more than 1 year. During the fellowship period, they are compensated at an hourly wage of $22.50/hour while they complete their training to become a full staff member. At the end of the fellowship period, the successful candidate will receive a vote of confidence from the School Meeting and earn the title of Staff Member. They will then be paid at an hourly rate based on the matrix below.
Employees are placed on the pay scale based on their completed years of experience. For newly hired employees, experience at other schools would be measured according to the below formula. The HR Committee will determine the definition of previous experience for new staff:
Newly hired staff cannot be placed higher than row F.
Pay adjusts at the anniversary of hire based on years of experience.
Row 2022/23 matrix Pay Rate
A Entry $22.50/hour
B 1 year $23.70/hour
C 2 years $24.85/hour
D 3 years $26.15/hour
E 4 years $27.45/hour
F 5-6 years $28.80/hour
G 7-9 years $31.70/hour
H 10-14 years $34.85/hour
I 15+ years $38.35/hour
Benefits include:
Schedule:
The Open School follows a standard academic calendar. Staff have fewer responsibilities during the summer and therefore have a fair amount of time off during those months. There are periodic meetings and this position will require some summer work to prepare for the following year as well as further develop the program. Additionally, staff are considered on break during the school breaks (i.e. winter break, spring break, etc).
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This opening is for a substitute staff member for our campus in Santa Ana, California.
The Open School staff members work directly with students and take on specific responsibilities to keep the school running. We hire staff rather than teachers to emphasize that adults are not automatically teachers and that people learn from each other in complex ways. The Open School staff are not responsible for creating activities for students to pursue and do not have the authority to establish or enforce rules unilaterally. Staff at The Open School are available as role models, facilitators, and peers as students pursue their own interests.
This position is for an on-call substitute staff member. There may also be opportunities for regularly scheduled and pre-scheduled shifts. This position is NOT a school meeting member and will not have the ability to vote in the weekly School Meeting.
A person filling the role as a substitute for our staff should be familiar with our model and philosophy and willing to learn how we interact with students. This is NOT a teaching position. Substitute staff will be expected to engage with students respectfully and without condescension. You should be available to help students with requests and needs, as they are presented and should not interfere with their activities.
Additionally, substitute staff should be prepared to support the staff members on campus as needed. School operational or administrative tasks may need to be completed, or the substitute staff may be asked to station themself in a particular location to be present for student requests.
School hours are 8:30am-4:30pm and staff shifts are either 8:15am-3:45pm, 9:30am-5pm, or 10am-5:30pm with a 30 minute break. A substitute staff should be available for any one of those three shifts and will be trained on opening or closing shifts as needed.
Tasks may include: