Third Grade Lead Teacher

Reports to: Director of Lower School

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Start Date: Aug. 21, 2026

About Marin Horizon School

Since its founding in 1977, Marin Horizon has been providing a challenging and robust academic program combined with character-enhancing life skills. Marin Horizon is a place of creative, active learning built around our commitment to developing each student’s confident voice. Marin Horizon serves about 300 students from toddler through grade eight and is located in Mill Valley, CA. We seek passionate, collaborative educators who are committed to designing engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences for young learners.

Position Overview

Marin Horizon School is seeking an experienced and dedicated Third Grade Lead Teacher to join our Lower School faculty. The Lead Teacher will design and deliver engaging, standards-aligned curriculum across Language Arts (using Fundations for phonics), Math (using Bridges), and Social Studies, while fostering a warm, inclusive, and academically rigorous classroom community. This role requires a teacher who is flexible, relationship-centered, reflective, and able to create safe and engaging environments for a wide range of learners. Strong communication, collaboration, planning, and classroom leadership skills are essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deliver engaging, differentiated curriculum in Language Arts, Bridges Mathematics, and Social Studies
• Create a classroom environment that supports the academic, social, and emotional growth of all students
• Plan and implement lessons that reflect best practices in elementary education and align with the school's mission and values
• Assess student progress regularly and communicate effectively with families regarding academic and social-emotional development
• Mentor and support the professional growth of the Third Grade Associate Teacher, fostering a collaborative classroom partnership
• Collaborate closely with co-teachers, learning specialists, and grade-level colleagues to ensure a cohesive educational experience
• Participate actively in school community life, including faculty meetings, professional development, curriculum planning, and school events
• Build strong, respectful relationships with students, families, and colleagues
• Maintain thoughtful, consistent classroom management practices ideally
• Implement Responsive Classroom principles

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of teaching experience preferred; experience in an independent school setting strongly preferred
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering curriculum in Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies at the elementary level
• Strong classroom management skills and a commitment to fostering an inclusive, supportive learning environment
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with students, families, and colleagues
• Willingness to engage in and support our outdoor education program

Preferred Experience

Candidates with training or classroom experience in any of the following are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Fundations (structured literacy/phonics)
• The Writing Revolution (The Hochman Method of Writing Instruction)
• Bridges in Mathematics
• Responsive Classroom
• Design of interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary units

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $95,000, commensurate with experience. Marin Horizon School offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.

How to Apply

Resumes and cover letters should be sent to jobs@marinhorizon.org. Please put the name of the position for which you are applying in the subject line of the email.

EQUITY STATEMENT

Marin Horizon School is committed to building and maintaining a community that is inclusive, equitable, and welcoming to all. We believe that diversity—in background, identity, perspective, and experience—strengthens our school and enriches the educational environment. We welcome and encourage candidates of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, religious affiliations, socioeconomic backgrounds, and identities to apply. Marin Horizon does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic and is committed to fair and equitable hiring practices.

This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $95,000, commensurate with experience. Marin Horizon School offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.