Lead Program Instructor

Job Details

Level
Experienced

Job Location
KEYSTONE SCIENCE SCHOOL – KEYSTONE, CO

Position Type
Full Time

Education Level
Not Specified

Salary Range
$800.00 Salary

Job Category
Education

Description

About Keystone Science School

With the outdoors as a backdrop for learning, Keystone Science School inspires curiosity and critical thinking through the lens of science to change lives and strengthen communities. KSS offers a variety of adventure and traditional camp activities within a structured environment designed to allow each camper and participant to understand their potential. In all programs, campers and participants will create lifelong friendships, explore and learn about the natural world, and gain leadership and wilderness skills. For more information go to keystonescienceschool.org

With a staff that cares deeply about social justice and racial justice, we believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds create a rich work environment and enhance our ability to pursue our mission. We are committed to building an organization with raised consciousness in order to impact how we work with clients, as well as how we work together as a team.

Position Overview & Expected Schedule

Lead Program Instructors will be team leaders and facilitate overnight outdoor education field trips during the school year and camp programs in the summer.

During the school year, Lead Program Instructors are responsible for lesson planning, organizing curriculum, and instructing groups of up to 13 students. Schedule is typically 5 days per week and includes some nights, weekends, and offsite camping trips. Please review the chart below for an overview of the 3 different summer lead schedule variations.

Summer Lead Overview and Schedule Option Summary

The Summer Adventure Instructor’s primary responsibility is to prepare for and co-lead 6 to 12 day programs of up to 13 students designed to build competency in outdoor living and leadership skills. You can expect to work 6-7 days per week with one to two days off in between trips. Expect regular 18 hour work days and responsibility to respond to student needs 24 hours a day while on a trip.

The Day Camp Lead’s primary responsibility is to handle logistics and day to day operations of the day camp programs and provide the necessary tools for counselors to maintain a positive and safe learning environment for campers. The Day Camp Lead can expect to work 5 days (M-F) per week and can expect long summer camp days of up to 14 hours per day.

The Discovery Overnight Camp Lead’s primary responsibility is to handle logistics and day to day operations of the overnight camp programs and provide the necessary tools for counselors to maintain a positive and safe learning environment for campers. The Discovery Overnight Camp Lead can expect to work 5-6 days per week and can expect long summer camp days of up to 16 hours per day.

The job duties of this position are performed personally, in cooperation with your supervisor, and/or in coordination with other staff. Additional work functions and duties may be assigned.

Job Duties

School Year Programs

• Lead Instructor duties include, but are not limited to:
  • Give feedback to and mentor seasonal instructors;
  • Lead programs and be the liaison between instructors and lead teacher;
  • Develop curriculum in collaboration with program managers;
  • Plan and implement logistics of programming.
• Manage and teach a group of up to 13 K-12 students independently.
• Plan, prepare, and teach appropriate environmental education curricula.
• Facilitate team building activities
• Program facilitation includes ‘support staff’ duties such as teaching evening programs, campus cleaning, meal set-up and clean-up and on-call responsibilities.
• Attend and help facilitate all staff meetings and trainings as assigned.
• Prepare and lead trainings for all instructors.
• Regularly drive a 15-passenger van with students in the mountain environment and in many weather conditions.

Summer Programs (Camp or Adventure)

• Maintain quality programming by focusing on program development, delegation, implementation, training, and evaluation.
• Coach, mentor, motivate, and inspire the counselors.
• Assist in leading staff training at the beginning of the summer and throughout the summer as needed.
• Attend and sometimes lead staff meetings and training as assigned.
• Provide an electronics-aware experience for all campers and enforce an electronics-aware environment with counselors.
• Gather and submit pictures and videos to reflect the experience children have during KSS programs.
• Maintain organization of all KSS equipment.
• Administer camper/student medications when necessary, perform health screens, and administer first aid.
• Supervise and maintain high standards of health and safety, and follow Risk Management policies by engaging with incident prevention and response.
• Help support feedback systems.

Summer Programs (Camp or Adventure) Lead Position Details

Summer Adventure Instructor

• Supervise and teach a group of up to thirteen 5th-12th grade students with a co-instructor.
• Teach students outdoor living and interpersonal skills.
• Teach students basic rock climbing safety and skills.
• Plan, prepare, and teach age appropriate curricula and leadership.
• Maintain organization of storage areas and upkeep, clean, repair, and inventory gear as needed.
• Document course progression/student concerns, participate in self and peer feedback system, and engage in a post trip debrief.
• Able to carry pack weights of up to 60 pounds.
• Commits to own professional growth as well as improving technical and interpersonal skills.
• Drive a 15-passenger van with a trailer and successfully complete Van Driver and Trailer Training.

Day Camp Lead

Complete all logistical and operational tasks for Day Camp and Pathfinder programs.

• Communicate program schedules and changes to the Customer Experience Team.
• Oversee Day Camp staff preparation for curriculum activities, hikes, field trips, guest presentations, games, etc.
• Oversee Pathfinder staff preparation for each activity theme.
• Oversee the Day Camp overnight program once a week.
• Assign task-based projects to Counselors and ensure completion by the given deadline.
• Lead set up before campers arrive and clean up after campers depart from KSS campus.
• Flexibility to step into a counselor role as needed.

Discovery Overnight Lead

• Coach, mentor, motivate, and inspire the Discovery program counselors.
• Complete all logistical and operational tasks for Discovery programs.
• Communicate program schedules and changes to the Customer Experience Team .
• Oversee staff preparation for overnight camping trips and longer day hikes.
• Communicate with KSS kitchen staff to plan overnight camp meals.
• Assign task-based projects to Counselors and ensure completion by the given deadline.
• Lead set up before campers arrive and clean up after campers depart from KSS campus.
• Flexibility to step into a counselor role as needed.

Professional Performance

• Adhere to all Personnel Policies and Procedures for the organization.
• Maintain professional standards of performance, demeanor, and appearance at all times; act as a “role model” both at and away from the organization.
• Maintain a creative, team-building approach to job performance and seek to bring a constructive, problem-solving orientation to all tasks.
• Perform all tasks and responsibilities with attention to detail and in a complete and timely manner, complying with organization policies and standards and conforming to the scheduling requirements of the job and program.
• Maintain an awareness of the organization’s mission and work to promote the positive individual and social change goals it embodies.
• Exercise discretion and professional judgment at all times keeping with the responsibilities carried personally and by the organization for the care and welfare of the clients; act with honesty and integrity in all aspects of organization business.
• Actively strive to upgrade professional skills through engaging in appropriate professional training and experience.
• Actively strive to create and maintain a culturally sensitive, justice-centered and appropriate environment through communication and interaction that demonstrates respect for diversity, socio-economic and cultural differences and that fosters a work environment where people from all backgrounds are welcomed and valued.

Other duties may be assigned

Qualifications

• Proven ability to creatively develop science and education curricula and lesson plans.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including days, nights, and weekends.
• Have an interest in, respect for, and ability to work with students/campers with diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to create an inclusive learning environment for students/campers with a wide range of learning abilities.
• Growth oriented mindset and willingness to give and receive feedback.
• Ability to be creative, adaptable, and flexible while managing children in a variety of situations.
• Multi-task efficiently while managing a high-volume workload in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Customer service skills, with the ability to be creative and think ‘outside the box’.
• Supervise and maintain high standards of health and safety, and follow risk management policies in all activities.
• Facilitate and provide support for a wide variety of KSS programs and activities.

Required Education, Experience, and Certifications

• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree or 2 years of college training + 6 months of teaching experience.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience teaching students in an outdoor or classroom setting.
• Current Wilderness First Aid (WFA) and CPR certifications or the ability to obtain before the first day of training.
• Experience leading overnight trips.
• Age 20+ with a minimum of 4 years driving experience, excellent driving record, and a valid driver’s license.
• Must be able to successfully pass a comprehensive background check.
  • Adventure Instructor ONLY – Current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and CPR certifications or the ability to obtain before the first day of summer training.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in a professional leadership role.
• Ability to communicate verbally and teach in Spanish.
• Experience working in Summer Camp Programming.
• Experience leading backcountry trips.
• Bachelor’s or higher degree in a related field such recreation, education, or a subject in the human services field.
• Proficiency with Google Drive and ability to learn new software systems quickly.
• Previous employment experience at Keystone Science School
  • Adventure Instructor ONLY: Rock Climbing
    • Experience with rock climbing and instructing harness, helmets, and knot safety checks;
    • Able to instruct and demonstrate belaying and rappelling techniques;
    • Experience with building anchors, placing gear, and lead climbing;
    • Experience Instructing rock climbing in an institutional setting and personal experience rock climbing;
    • Ability to climb, at minimum, 5.6 on lead.

Work Schedule

School Year
This is a full-time position. The School Year season will require a flexible schedule, including days, nights, and weekends usually working about 40 hours a week. Typical working hours will be Monday – Friday between 9:00 am – 5:30 pm or 7:30am – 11:30am and 4:30pm-8:30pm. There will be some times (up to 4 nights a season) that you will need to stay in the dorms with students and some possible off site camping trips for 3-5 days at a time.

Summer Hours
A Summer Adventure Instructor will be expected to work 6-7 days per week for up to 18 hours a day with one to two days off between trips. You will be responsible to respond to student needs 24 hours a day while on a trip. A Discovery Overnight Lead will be expected to work 5-6 days per week for long summer camp days of up to 16 hours per day. A Day Camp Lead will be expected to work 5 days per week for long summer camp days of up to 14 hours per day and some Day Camp on-campus overnights.

Work Environment
This position requires the employee to work in close contact with their teammates. The office space is small and the employee must have the ability to stay focused while others are working in close proximity. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but varies seasonally due to programs and staffing on campus. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee while performing the essential functions of this job.

This position will require traveling to off-site programming locations. In most situations, KSS will provide transportation to off-site programming locations. However, staff may be asked to use personal vehicles to travel within Summit County. Any travel mileage in personal vehicles outside Summit County may be reimbursed.

Salary
The salary range for this position is $800 per week with a 10% language differential increase for Spanish speakers who pass a bilingual Spanish test. KSS provides a comprehensive benefits plan including employer sponsored medical and dental benefits, employer paid life insurance and disability benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid holidays and employees may participate in the 401k retirement plan. Benefit eligibility varies depending on your employment status and the number of hours you are regularly scheduled to work.

Physical Requirements

• Able to work a majority of the time outside at high altitude in varying conditions including uneven and slick terrain and unpredictable weather and situations.
• Physically able to assist participants with recreation equipment during activities.
• Able to lift a minimum of 75 lbs. with assistance.
• Dexterity, auditory and visual acuity to operate computers and phones or mobile devices.
• Auditory and visual acuity to interact with guests, students, clients on a daily basis.
• Able to successfully manage multiple, high priority tasks in a fast-paced and oftentimes crowded and noisy environment.