Transitional Kindergarten Long-Term Substitute Teacher

Job Description

Position Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Long-Term Substitute Teacher

Status Part-time, half-day; temporary long-term assignment

Schedule Monday-Friday, 7:50 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (~25 hours per week)

Reports to Director of Elementary Teachers

Assignment length Mid January, 2027 through anticipated end date of March 25th, 2027

Compensation $25/hour

About Saint Joseph Academy
Founded in 1995, Saint Joseph Academy (SJA) is an independent, faithful, classical Catholic school serving students in transitional kindergarten through twelfth grade. Our mission is to form faithful, courageous Catholics who understand the truth and proclaim it boldly to the culture. We prepare students for life and form them for heaven. Academic excellence goes hand in hand with virtue and faith, and our students are taught to know, love, and serve God.

Daily prayer, weekly Mass, and regular opportunities for spiritual formation are woven into school life. Our elementary students build strong foundations in reading, language, and mathematical reasoning through the classical model, and our teachers carry that work out with patience, rigor, and love.

Position Summary
SJA seeks a warm, dependable, and faith-filled educator to serve as the long-term substitute in our Transitional Kindergarten classroom during the morning hours. TK is our students' first encounter with school, and the long-term substitute will provide continuity, a peaceful and joyful classroom environment, and faithful implementation of the established TK program, so that our youngest Crusaders feel safe, loved, and ready to learn.

Key Responsibilities
Instruction and Classroom Leadership
• Carry out the TK lesson plans, curriculum, and daily routines provided by the school, maintaining the integrity of the classical program.
• Lead age-appropriate instruction in early literacy (letter sounds, phonemic awareness, read-alouds, poetry, and memory work), early numeracy, and hands-on exploration.
• Guide students in morning prayer, classroom devotions, and the rhythms of the liturgical year as directed by the school.
• Foster the habits of virtue, such as obedience, kindness, attentiveness, and gratitude, through patient, consistent, and loving classroom management.
Care and Supervision of Young Children
• Ensure the safety and supervision of all students at all times, including during arrival, transitions, restroom breaks, play, and dismissal.
• Support the developmental needs of four- and five-year-olds, including fine motor skills, social-emotional growth, and self-care routines.
• Respond with calm, compassion, and good judgment to the everyday needs of young children.
Communication and Collaboration
• Communicate professionally and warmly with parents, who are the primary educators of their children, regarding classroom happenings and any concerns.
• Collaborate with administration and the elementary faculty to ensure a seamless transition for students.
• Keep clear daily notes, attendance records, and other documentation as required by the school.
School Life
• Participate in school Masses, prayer, and community events during scheduled hours as assigned.
• Uphold SJA policies and the Safe Environment and child protection requirements of the school.
Qualifications
Required
• Practicing Catholic in good standing, or a sincere commitment to supporting and upholding the Catholic mission and teachings of the school.
• Experience working with young children (teaching, assisting, childcare, or comparable experience).
• Patience, warmth, and the ability to manage a classroom of young learners with gentleness and firmness.
• Strong communication skills and a professional, dependable demeanor.
• Ability to pass a background check, including fingerprinting, and to complete required Safe Environment training.
• Ability to physically engage with young children, including sitting on the floor, lifting light materials, and moving about the classroom and playground.
Preferred
• Bachelor's degree preferred; early childhood education coursework or credential preferred.
• Prior experience as a TK, kindergarten, or early elementary teacher or substitute preferred.
• Familiarity with, or enthusiasm for, classical education and Catholic school culture.

Essential Attributes
The ideal candidate loves children, trusts in Divine Providence, and sees teaching as a vocation rather than simply a job. They are reliable, flexible, prayerful, and eager to serve the families of SJA with joy and humility.

Working Conditions
• On-campus position, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Classroom and outdoor playground environment.
• Ability to be present consistently for the duration of the assignment; reliable attendance is essential for the stability of young students.

Statement of Fidelity
SJA is a faithful Catholic school. All faculty and staff are expected to support the mission of the school and to model the faith and virtue they help to form in students. The school may ask the selected candidate to affirm its Oath of Fidelity.

How to Apply
Please submit a letter of interest, resume, and three references to careers@sjaclassical.org . For questions, call the school office at 760-305-8505. Saint Joseph Academy is located at 500 Las Flores Drive, San Marcos, CA 92078.

About the Employer

St. Joseph Academy was established in response to the Second Vatican Council's call for greater lay witness in contemporary society. Teaching in accordance with the Magisterium of the Church, our mission is to form young men and women who, committed to live by Catholic principles, will transform and advance human culture. We aim to accomplish this by offering a traditional learning environment that blends faith and reason in educating the whole child.

Man was created by God in His image and likeness and therefore is destined for Him who is infinite perfection. In the spirit of the Divine Master, amidst a world of material possession, the mission of St. Joseph Academy is to prepare the child for what he must be and for what he must do here on earth, in order to gain the sublime end for whi