Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Tamalpais School (MTS) is seeking a thoughtful, passionate educator to join our vibrant K–8 community as a 1st Grade Homeroom & Humanities Teacher. It’s an opportunity to intentionally create a joyful, creative, and structured classroom for first graders, where curiosity is sparked, confidence is built, and children grow beyond what they may have thought possible.
Why This Role Matters
At MTS, we believe young children are capable of deep thinking, meaningful expression, and engaged participation in the world around them. Literacy is the pathway through which students build knowledge, communicate ideas, and make sense of their world.
In this role, you will:
Teach homeroom (including SEL) and two sections of Humanities (phonics, reading, writing, and social studies)
Develop strong readers through a science of reading approach—building phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
Cultivate confident writers and communicators, helping students express ideas with clarity, structure, and voice
Integrate reading, writing, and social studies so students build knowledge, ask questions, and make meaningful connections
Foster curiosity and creativity, inviting students to explore, imagine, and engage with ideas in multiple ways
Teach students how to think and learn: seeing inspiration around them and building their identities as readers and writers, organizing ideas, using evidence, participating in discussion, and reflecting on their growth
Nurture empathetic, engaged community members who understand themselves, others, and their role in the world
Establish clear routines and expectations that maximize learning time and support independence
Partner closely with families to support each child’s growth
Teaching & Learning at MTS
We are looking for an educator who approaches literacy as a connected, purposeful process. In your classroom:
Phonics, spelling, and foundational skills are taught explicitly and systematically
Reading strategies to promote comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, accuracy are explicitly taught and practiced
Reading about topics across a variety of genres, authors, and time periods helps us understand ourselves and others
Writing craft techniques, structures, and mechanics are explicitly taught, practiced, and promoted
Vocabulary and knowledge-building are developed through rich content, discussion, and experience
Social studies provides meaningful context for literacy, critical thinking, and inquiry
Creativity and structure work together, supporting both skill development and authentic expression
Experience with research-based literacy and writing approaches (e.g., Orton-Gillingham, Slingerland, Fundations, The Writing Revolution, InquirEd); experience with SEL best practices (Responsive Classroom, Institute for Social Emotional Learning, CASEL, Kimochis) is highly valued
What Makes MTS Different
At MTS:
Learning is revered. Education is joyful.
Children are challenged to think, express ideas, and engage meaningfully
Strong relationships are the foundation of great teaching
Our shared values guide our work:
Lead With Kindness
Honor Childhood
Practice Active Inclusion
Celebrate the Journey
Ask, “What’s Possible?”
Who Thrives Here
We are looking for educators who bring both skill and heart. You might be a strong fit if you:
Love teaching first grade and believe deeply in what young children are capable of
Are passionate about early literacy, language development, and social studies
Balance academic rigor with joy, creativity, and curiosity
Are committed to equity, inclusion, and identity-affirming classrooms
Value collaboration, reflection, and continuous growth
Build strong, authentic relationships with students and families
A Collaborative, Growth-Oriented Environment
At MTS, you will:
Collaborate closely with a dedicated first grade team
Engage in meaningful professional development
Receive coaching, feedback, and opportunities to grow
Contribute to a culture that values thoughtful teaching and continuous improvement
Our Community
MTS is a departmentalized K–8 independent school serving ~270 students in Mill Valley, CA. Our students are curious, engaged, and eager to learn. Our educators are deeply committed to both academic excellence and student wellbeing.
Compensation Salary: $85,000 – $120,000 depending on experience and education.
Apply Please send a cover letter and resume to: jobs@mttam.org
Our Equal Opportunity Employment Policy
As an academic institution, the School strives to provide equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, age, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, and breastfeeding), reproductive health decision-making, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. The School prohibits discrimination or harassment based on these classifications. Discrimination and harassment based on a perception that anyone is in any of these protected classifications, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as being in any of these protected classifications, are also prohibited. This policy applies to all areas of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits and other stated conditions of employment.
Mount Tamalpais School, 100 Harvard Ave, Mill Valley, CA 94941 (Telephone 415-383-9434), is a coeducational day school enrolling children in Kindergarten through Grade 8. The suburban community of Mill Valley is 12 miles north of San Francisco in Marin County. Students have access to the museums, theater, opera, symphony, and ballet of the city, and visit the Pacific Ocean and Mount Tamalpais for hiking and nature study. Private bus service is available between the school and local communities; public bus stops are within walking distance of the campus.
Mount Tamalpais School is dedicated to the active pursuit of knowledge and to integrity, community service and fairness. We want our students to embrace diversity, honoring the value of each individual's strengths, choices, feelings and ideas. We strive to celebrate the human spirit by being responsible members of our families, our school community, and our world. We are committed to a strong, interactive and multidisciplinary curriculum, designed to challenge and enlighten, and to faculty who serve as guides and role models for our students.
