Puddletown School is hiring for the full-time position of Elementary Assistant for the 2025/26 school year. We are a primary, elementary and middle school program in Eastmoreland SE Portland with a growing and active commitment to social justice, anti-bias, anti-racism, and equity work (within and outside of our community). We are a caring and committed team of educators who greatly respect each other, the children, and the philosophies of Dr. Maria Montessori.

Eligible candidates will need:
~ Criminal history registry
~ CPR/1st aid
~ Food Handlers
~ Familiarity and willingness to engage with Anti-bias, Anti-racist work
~ Classroom skills providing support to children, overview and redirection as needed to children in class, working individually with children and in small group follow-up work, using positive discipline techniques with children (non-shaming and non-punitive), familiarity with collaborative problem solving approaches are a plus
~ Ability to collaborate, communicate directly, support and work closely with the elementary guides
~ Assist with preparation, cleaning and maintenance of the classroom environment

Key performance characteristics:
~ Work with children in a warm, patient, calm, respectful and confident manner
~ Maintain a calm demeanor in a busy, highly flexible environment
~ Carefully observe daily and use these observations to inform your interactions and follow-up communications with children
~ Be organized, attentive to details, and independently follow through with the ongoing tasks of supporting a classroom
~ Support children and fellow staff to maintain an organized, accessible and prepared environment
~ Understand and execute verbal and written instructions, policies and procedures and implement them with a degree of independence, we will work to support individuals for whom English is not their first language
~ Achieve and maintain positive relationships with children, staff and adults
~ Maintain confidentiality
~ Engaging with the lightness and silliness of our very important, and often humorous, work

Compensation:
Compensation is regionally competitive and acknowledges years of experience. We understand sharing a specific amount as an important factor, and will share more soon.

Benefits include:
~ Retirement matching up to 3%
~ Health Insurance
~ Personal paid time off
~ Work/Life Balance considerations
~ Fall, Winter & spring breaks, summers off (With an option of additional pay for staffing summer camps)
~ Paid training opportunities
~ Discounted tuition for any staff with children who attend Puddletown School

A note to potential  candidates:  Studies have shown that women, LGBTQIA+ folx, and BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a background less traditional to our field of work,, and that’s okay. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.
(note suggested by Tiffany D. Loftin, a liberatory thinker & movement architect)