What We’re Building

Think back and trace the origins of your passions or hobbies. They typically begin with a spark. Perhaps it was a serendipitous conversation, book, or trip that opened your eyes to previously unseen possibilities and new worlds to explore. Unfortunately, for most of us, these moments are far too infrequent (and rarely if ever happen in school!).

What if a school could create a world where these sparks were routine? How would a child feel about going to a place like that? How would their life change if school continually amplified their curiosity and love of learning?

We’re an independent affiliate of the Acton Academy network of schools, a celebrated network of learner-driven schools, and the fastest-growing independent school network in the world. Each school (now over 300 in 27 countries) is founded by entrepreneurial parents who are disrupting the status quo.

Acton Academies don't follow a franchise model. Instead, it's a network of entrepreneurs building schools with a shared set of principles. Each Acton Academy is unique. Some are religious. Some focus on STEM or the arts. The focus of our Acton Academy is to spark curiosity through adventure and exploration (hence our name).

We are on a mission to create a truly world-class school. While we receive a great deal of support from the Acton Academy Network, we’re not running a program “out of the box.” We endlessly evolve how we do things in our quest to improve the effectiveness of our programs. We’ve made dramatic improvements over three years of running the school, but we still have a long way to go.

We’re looking for builders who sweat the details. Those who are driven to create something world-class that will impact generations of children. If that might be you, please read on.

Education Innovator & Lead Trailhead Guide (Ages 5-7)

At this stage, finding the right person is critical. If you’d answer an enthusiastic “YES!” to the following questions, then we should talk.

1. Do you think that school could (and should) be dramatically improved?

2. Do you want to be on the “ground floor” of building that next generation of schools (including the stress, uncertainty, and sweat required to build something new)?

3. Are you eager to learn, iterate, and build?

Position Description

You will be helping us launch a new studio called Trailhead. It will combine the Acton Academy “Spark” studio philosophy with a heavy dose of outdoor activities (think Danish kindergarten or forest schools).

If you’re the type of person who can both support early readers and design awesome nature-based activities, this is the role for you.

You will work hand in hand with the existing staff (including the founder, Foothills guide, and operations director) to evaluate and refine our materials and systems. You’ll have an opportunity to experiment with how to spark interest and motivate learning, regardless of whether it’s within the classroom or out in the wild. You’ll learn from the best schools in the world and become a world-class guide.

In the first year, we anticipate a group of 5-8 learners (ages 5-7). The plan is to grow this to about 25 learners in the next couple of years.

An Acton Academy guide’s responsibilities fall under three buckets: inspire, equip, and connect. Inspiring includes building compelling launches, finding heroic stories to share, showing world-class examples, and modeling a passion for growth and learning. Equipping involves providing tools and recipes so learners can do excellent work and solve problems. Connecting is how a guide helps build a close-knit tribe of learners who support each other.

Detailed responsibilities:

• Design and execute the daily schedule, which features blocks of “core” time (using Montessori materials), reading time, projects, and outdoor activities.

• The Acton Network provides materials and training to support the execution of core skills, reading, and projects (called quests). The Trailhead guide will review and adapt these (with the help of the school founder).

• The outdoor activities will be mostly designed from scratch by the Trailhead guide; they will also have an opportunity to design the outdoor spaces to support their vision (trail, mud kitchen, sandboxes, etc.)

• Acton provides both on-demand and synchronous virtual training options. The guide is expected to use both to master the Acton Academy systems and mindset.

• Set up the studio environment in a way that establishes clear expectations and ensures that learners are positioned for success.

• Observe children and guide their growth through timely praise and probing questions.

• Guide children in self-governance. As quickly as possible, assign responsibility for the studio and learning to students so they can lead themselves.

• Guide students in setting goals, tracking their progress, and creating portfolios of their work.

• Model being an independent learner and upholding Acton’s promises to students and families.

• Document learner progress (student projects, achievements, and other activities).

• Communicate with parents as necessary (owners have primary responsibility for parent communication).

• Help plan for the program's future, including involvement in selecting and designing the school's new home.

Qualifications

Teaching experience is not required. You only need experience working with young people, a love of spending time with children, and a passion for making an impact. We seek someone who:

• Has fun and brings joy to the studio. We’re looking for that high-energy type who loves to run and play with a group of 5 to 7-year-olds!

• Is a lifelong learner and is forever curious.

• Thrives in a startup environment.

• Loves to experiment, evaluate, and improve.

• Loves the outdoors and nature (Outward Bound, NOLS, outdoor education, or forest school experience is great!).

• Has experience or is willing to train on the use of Montessori materials.

• Respects all children, understands the difficulties they encounter in their lives, and is devoted to setting compassionate and gentle boundaries.

• Learns quickly and works hard.

• Has proven excellence in written and oral communication skills.

• Is an active reader.

• Is an independent learner who takes direction well but can also work with little direct guidance.

• Is willing to be coached and mentored.

Salary

Maryland Curiosity Lab offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, plus a performance-based bonus structure (think more like a start-up than a school). The position also offers opportunities for professional development, growth, and advancement.

EEO Statement

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.