Job Summary

The Woods Academy in Bethesda, Maryland, is seeking an experienced Grade 4 Teacher for the 2026-2027 school year.  The Woods Academy serves approximately 300 students in the Washington DC, Metropolitan area, including Montgomery County, Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The Woods Academy is a Catholic community that nurtures the whole child through academic excellence, spiritual enrichment, and character development. The school provides a comprehensive education for children from age three to Grade 8 with strong academics, a daily world language program, hands-on technology instruction, project-based learning and a well-rounded arts program, all conducted in a small classroom setting.

The Lower School Teacher leads a classroom of approximately 15 students and teaches language arts, math, social studies, and science to the self-contained group. The team collaborates to plan for their individual classes to ensure consistency and continuity in the curriculum. The teacher will focus on creating a safe and secure environment in which students grow in both autonomy and the ability to work and learn together. The role involves collaboration with the other  teachers, maintaining strong communication with parents, and actively participating in the school community.

The Lower School Teacher is a ten-month salaried employee.  The role comes with an excellent benefits package, including health insurance, 80 hours of paid time off, paid holidays during the school year, employer contributions to a 403(b) retirement plan, tuition discount, tuition assistance, professional development opportunities, and other available benefits. The annual salary range for this position is $60,000 to $85,000, commensurate with experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Curriculum Planning and Delivery:

• Develop and deliver rigorous, age-appropriate units of study that align with grade-level standards.
• Create a positive, student-centered classroom environment that promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Teaching Methods and Adaptation:

• Develop and implement engaging lesson plans aligned with grade-level standards.
• Adapt curriculum and teaching methods to accommodate various learning styles through differentiation.
• Incorporate the essential design elements of Gold Standard Project-Based Learning.

Assessment and Progress Monitoring:

• Assess student progress through multiple and varied assessments based on grade-level standards to provide timely feedback to support student learning
• Collaborate with colleagues and parents to integrate content and enhance student achievement across content areas.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Keep parents informed of classroom activities through various avenues, such as blogs, report card comments, and a photo-sharing site.
• Clearly communicate expectations and classroom rules to students, reinforcing the school's culture of high academic and behavioral expectations.

Professional Development:

• Attend and actively participate in grade-level meetings and school-planned professional development activities.
• Seek out opportunities for professional development to enhance personal and program goals.

Events and Collaboration:

• Assist the Lower School Division in planning, organizing, and executing learning showcases to involve community members in student learning. 
• Maintain collaborative, respectful, and positive relationships with other members of the Lower School Division and the school community as a whole to foster a culture of collegiality and commitment.

Community Relations:

• Contribute to a positive school culture.
• Active involvement in the faculty evaluation system based on The Woods Academy Essential Expectations and Teacher Professional Growth system.

Other Duties

• Supervise recess, lunch, carpool, and fulfill these supervision duties as assigned.

Qualification Requirements

• Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in teaching, although a Master’s degree is preferred.
• Valid teaching certification is strongly preferred.
• Three years or more of teaching experience in the PreK-8 environment.
• Demonstrated solid knowledge of elementary education.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt teaching methods to accommodate diverse learning styles.
• Demonstrated solid knowledge of best practices in elementary education.
• Demonstrated knowledge and proficiency in technology.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Positive and collaborative attitude.

About The Woods Academy

The Woods Academy is an independent Catholic school, offering boys and girls from pre-school through Grade 8 a challenging and supportive educational experience. The Woods Academy is a warm and welcoming community comprised of 300+ students, 200+ families and 60+ faculty and staff. The school is located on six acres in the residential area of Bethesda, Maryland.

Connections working at The Woods Academy