Summary

The Experiential Education Department at Albuquerque Academy seeks a passionate and energetic Experiential Education faculty and wilderness trip leader for middle and high school students. We are looking for someone who is patient, engaging, and inspires a love of the outdoors and the natural world in all students, works well with colleagues, and enjoys thinking about the art of teaching outdoor and leadership education. In addition to co-teaching a class, candidates will also work as part of a team to prepare for and lead the department’s array of experiential education trips. Diversity is a core value at Albuquerque Academy, and we seek candidates who demonstrate an abiding commitment to equity and belonging.

All teachers at Albuquerque Academy approach their work in accordance with the values in our mission and in a spirit of kindness, professionalism, generosity, and civility to all members of the community. An education at the Academy focuses on the whole child, and teachers and administrators are expected to teach well and also to function as adult mentors for students, in and out of the classroom. Our community norms, listed below, underlie our school culture, and all community members are expected to commit themselves fully to them.

Value and respect the diverse contributions of each person in the community.
Assume positive intent and inquire if you are left with questions or concerns.
Engage in face-to-face direct conversations; be clear, open, and honest in your conversations.
Be present and participate.

Strong candidates are attracted to our mission and see themselves as engaged community members. They will need to create and implement relevant curricula for their classes and field experiences. Outside the classroom, our teachers work with students in ways that foster their growth and development into effective community members. Faculty’s daily activities include classroom teaching, being available to students for assistance, communication with parents and other department members, trip preparation and deissue, leading and co-leading a variety of single and multi-day trips, and serving the school community in a variety of other ways. The teacher reports to the department chair and the division head.

Faculty positions in the Experiential Education Department require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and multi-day wilderness trip-leading experience. A deep knowledge of outdoor living skills, outdoor travel and navigation, and judgment and decision-making is required. Teaching-level competence with one or more technical skills, such as rock climbing, mountain biking, and whitewater kayaking is mandatory. The experiential education curriculum progression includes two day hikes and an overnight for 6th graders, a three-day backpacking trip for 7th graders, technical day trips for 8th graders, and a four to five-day backpacking trip for 9th graders. Faculty also support experiential co-curricular trips for other academic departments, design and lead three-week field-based senior seminars, and teach and support field components for high school elective classes. Time off for the 3/4 faculty in November, and January into early February reflects the 3/4 time commitment of this position during the school year as a whole. Programs are offered throughout New Mexico and the Four Corners region. Detailed information can be found on the department website on .

Albuquerque Academy seeks to maintain a diverse and energetic faculty to work with over 1100 highly capable students, including over 50% students of color. We encourage applications from groups traditionally underrepresented in independent school communities.

The position is open until filled, and applicants are asked to submit a letter of interest and resume along with their online application. Experiential education candidates are also requested to submit a personal and professional trip-leading resume with a sample of personal and professional trips to exemplify their experience: include the length of trip, type of travel/ skill taught, dates, locations, participant age, on/off trail specifics, your role in leadership, planning, logistics, etc., as well as any mountain biking, rock climbing, and kayaking experiences.

Essential Functions

Understand, champion, and apply the Academy’s mission.
Strive to inspire a love of learning in students.
Create a positive, collaborative working and learning environment.
Create, develop, and implement relevant classroom and field-based curricula, teaching and learning objectives, and varied assessments that support the needs of students.
Lead non-technical wilderness backpacking trips and lead or support technical single and multi-day trips.
Lead day hikes for grade 6; design and implement curriculum, including an introduction to natural history and outdoor living and travel skills.
Teach as part of an instructor team with a faculty or contract instructor for 3-5-day wilderness-based backpacking trips for grades 7 and 9; design and implement route, menu, and curricular progression for outdoor living and travel skills.
Teach as part of an instructor team with a faculty or contract instructor for technical all-day 8th-grade trip; design and implement route and associated curriculum.
Co-teach a section of an experiential education elective 10-12 class. Current class offerings focus on base camping, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, the bike park and survival skills. Teaching assignments may vary from year to year.
Support field components of various 10-12 elective courses.
Co-lead and design a field-based three-week senior seminar.
Manage students and contract instructors in the field using risk management techniques; continue to evolve risk management through reflection and discussion.
Manage trip logistics such as equipment packing and repair, food planning and packing, trip administration, and parent communication.
Willing to work outside of the standard business hours on a regular basis, including some weekends.
Help students demonstrate their thinking clearly and systematically.
Be available to students outside of class throughout the school day for additional help.
Design formal and informal assessments that measure student progress. Employ a variety of formative and summative assessments to gauge student progress toward mastery.
Give timely feedback and grades on written work and tests.
Collaborate with parents and other teachers to offer individualized support of each student’s learning goals.
Communicate effectively with students and families about classwork, learning goals, and student progress including writing comments home to parents at least once a semester.
Use the school’s learning management system to keep students informed about their responsibilities, grades, and expectations.
Foster and maintain a culture of mutual respect, equitable practice, and joy, in and out of the classroom. Demonstrate cultural competence and communicate and collaborate effectively across differences.
Set high expectations for student learning, academic achievement, and character development.
Serve as adviser, engaging in the advising curriculum.
Continue to advance personal understanding of pedagogy by reading, attending conferences and workshops, and participating in the school’s professional growth and development plan.

Other Responsibilities

Attend lunch, provided free to faculty, to help to monitor the dining hall.
Attend full-faculty, divisional, and departmental meetings, as well as other meetings as needed.
Attend and support divisional or school activities including other duties such as chaperoning dances, monitoring supervised study hall, proctoring standardized tests, etc.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Job Qualifications

Education

A Bachelor’s degree in is required.
Advanced studies, professional experience, and/or a master’s degree are preferred.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Interest in working within an independent school setting and investing in a career in outdoor education.
Deep knowledge of outdoor living skills, including tent use; stove use and repair; kitchen management; finding, purifying, and transporting water in desert and mountain environments; campsite selection and management; self-care including nutrition, first aid, and staying warm and dry; Leave No Trace ethics—the ability to convey that knowledge to students clearly and coherently.
Experience and confidence with navigation, map and compass use, and route finding; experience with off-trail travel is preferred.
Competence at the teaching level in one or more technical skills, including rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, and mountain biking. Ability to be a strong second instructor in one or more of these skill sets.
Judgment and decision-making; familiar with field-based risk management and student management in technical and non-technical settings.
Expertise in coaching students; demonstrable and practical classroom management skills.
Ability to work well with people, especially adolescents.
Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Capacity to work independently and on a team.
Strong organizational skills and time-management skills.
Effective communicator; comfortable giving and receiving timely and relevant feedback with colleagues and students.
Computer skills, including Microsoft Office software, Google Docs, learning management systems, and online teaching techniques.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Current medical certification at the Wilderness First Responder level.
Clean driving record (minimum age 21).
Legally authorized to work in the United States.

Experience

Personal and professional wilderness backpacking experience is required.
2-5 years prior multi-day backcountry trip leading experience is required, with some of that time as the primary trip leader.
Prior experience with adolescents is preferred.
Personal and professional experience in one or more technical skills such as rock climbing, river kayaking, mountain biking is required.
Prior experience being a part of a leadership team and communicating around goals, decision- making and risk management is required.

Working Environment

Generally, teaching is performed indoors in an outdoor classroom or wilderness field setting.
Hours are generally from 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, from early-August to late May. Field and trip season hours may differ. Time off for the 3/4 Faculty in November, January into early February reflects the additional time commitment during the field season and reflects 3/4 of the school year as a whole.

Physical Demands

Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times. Must be able to traverse school facility and lead students to safety in the event of an emergency. Involves long periods of standing/sitting. Frequently involves carrying textbooks and classroom supplies, communicating/speaking, retrieving files and supplies, writing, using a computer, and reading for preparing daily teaching and grading.

EEO/ADA Compliance

Albuquerque Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Academy will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

About Albuquerque Academy

Albuquerque Academy is a leading independent, coeducational, day school serving approximately 1,200 students in grades six through twelve. The Academy’s resources are committed to a mission comprising accessibility, affordability, excellence, caring, and outreach as we serve the greater Albuquerque area. As part of this mission, the school has attracted some of the finest students and educators in the country to its extensive facilities on a natural 312-acre site within the city limits of Albuquerque. For further information about the Academy we encourage interested candidates to go to the school’s web site at .

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