Employment Opportunities at Atrium School
Atrium School's PreK – Grade 8 progressive education encourages academic curiosity, creativity, and exploration while fostering each child's intellectual growth. Our students develop confidence in themselves and respect for others within a joyful, vibrant community of nurturing teachers, engaged parents, and enriching partnerships. Atrium School, an independent school in Watertown, serves about 125 students, with each grade typically consisting of 10-17 students.
Atrium School is committed to building and sustaining a richly diverse community that includes a wide range of family structures, racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds, and students with various learning styles. Atrium School’s curriculum and school culture are inclusive of, and responsive to, the diversity within and beyond our community. Our motto, Excellence with Joy, embodies the balance we strive for each day.
Current Openings:
Middle School Cluster Teacher: “Taking Action” Theme (part-time)
After-School Teachers (part-time)
Substitute Teachers (part-time)
Middle School Cluster Teacher, “Taking Action” Theme (part-time, 6-week position)
Atrium School seeks a skilled educator who is excited to teach 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to bring positive change to their communities. Atrium’s “Clusters” program creates concentrated two-week units (approximately three hours per morning) in November, January, and March. In the “Taking Action” Cluster, the teacher will:
Guide 6th graders as they research how to take action, and then help them choose a well-defined, whole-grade cause/goal to research and take action towards. In-class discussions, various forms of research, meeting with changemakers & public servants, and field trips are all anticipated.
Guide 7th graders as they choose their own causes in small groups, reaching into local communities and taking action more independently.
Guide 8th graders as they initiate personal capstone Passion Projects, and support each individual student’s vision to create positive ripple effects and develop lifelong habits as a changemaker.
The “Taking Action” Cluster teacher is an adult with experience as a changemaker themselves, active in grassroots community work, and/or local and state politics. Beyond teaching hands-on classes, this adjunct teacher is responsible for preparing lessons, developing benchmarks, and writing brief narrative evaluations for each student (~15 per cluster).
Cluster classes are sustained, immersive experiences, supporting Atrium’s mission of progressive education in a different way than is possible during the regular daily schedule. Atrium School's PreK – Grade 8 progressive education encourages academic curiosity, creativity, and exploration while fostering each child's intellectual growth. Our students develop confidence in themselves and respect for others within a joyful, vibrant community of nurturing teachers, engaged families, and enriching partnerships.
Schedule and Compensation: 2026-2027:
Clusters will take place three times, Monday – Friday:
11/12-11/24 (9 days)
1/11 - 1/22 (9 days - no school on 1/18 for MLK Day )
3/15 - 3/26 (9 days - no school on 3/19 for PD Day).
Daily hours are 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., with a set-up at 8:30 a.m., class start time of 9:00 a.m., and a snack break from 10:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Instructors will receive a stipend of $2,210 for each 2-week course, as well as a budget for supplies. The total payment for the year is $6,630.
Each grade level will rotate through three cluster classes for two weeks at a time; the Taking Action teacher will teach Grades 6, 7, and 8 throughout the year.
Expectations for Instruction:
The instructor will share lesson plans two weeks prior to course start and have ongoing steady communication with Atrium staff.
Students should engage in hands-on work each day.
Students should engage in an open-ended project, either individually or in groups, related to the course content. This project should take roughly half of the time of the course, and, when possible, include a social justice theme.
We seek candidates who will add to the racial, cultural, and gender diversity of the school community. Additionally, we seek candidates who are committed to building and sustaining a community that is richly diverse and includes a wide range of family structures, racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds.
For further information about the mission, program, and community at Atrium, please visit http://www.atrium.org. To apply for this position, please submit a resume, a cover letter, and the names of three references to Marshall Carter at mcarter@atrium.org. In your cover letter, please mention where you first saw this position posted. No phone calls, please.
After-School Program Teacher (part-time)
Atrium School is seeking an After-School Program teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. Atrium’s After-School Program provides a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment for our students. Atrium is a progressive, inclusive PreK – Grade 8 independent school in the vibrant East End of Watertown, MA. Our program encourages deep academic curiosity, creativity, and exploration to foster each child's intellectual and personal growth.
An ideal After-School Program Teacher candidate has experience working with children, planning activities, and ensuring the safety of students. Teachers are encouraged to bring their own interests and skills to the table when planning for After-School programming.
Responsibilities include:
Planning and leading joyful activities and crafts for PreK – Grade 8 students
Supervising and engaging in outdoor play
Conflict resolution and social-emotional support
Homework support
The regular hours for this position are 2:30 – 5:45 p.m., Monday to Friday, on regular school days. Occasionally, care is offered for full days (8:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.), such as during parent-teacher conferences. Compensation for this position is $21.75/hour. If applicants are looking for more hours, they may also be eligible to substitute teach as needed during school days.
We seek candidates who are committed to building and sustaining a community that is richly diverse and includes a wide range of family structures, racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds.
To apply for this position, please send a resume and cover letter to Sami Martasian, Director of After-School, at smartasian@atrium.org. Please indicate in your cover letter where you first learned about this position.
Substitute Teachers (part-time)
Atrium School currently seeks substitute teachers who take the place of a teacher who is absent for personal, professional, or health reasons. Though long-term subbing situations may arise, the usual commitment is for full or partial days, one or two days at a time. Opportunities for after-school programming subs may also be available.
In PreK to Grade 5, this means assisting the co-teacher who leads the classroom.
In the Middle School, this includes facilitating and carrying out lesson plans for the day for a given class and creating reports to inform the students’ permanent teachers about the day.
Atrium School is a progressive, inclusive PreK – Grade 8 independent school in the East End of Watertown, MA. Our program encourages deep academic curiosity, creativity, and exploration to foster each child's intellectual and personal growth. Our students are diverse and original thinkers, who develop confidence in themselves and respect for others within a joyful, energized community of nurturing and challenging teachers, engaged parents, and enriching community partnerships.
Responsibilities include:
Following lesson plans provided by the regular teacher to create a cohesive and consistent learning experience for students
Managing the classroom effectively to encourage student participation and maintain a positive and creative learning environment
Supervising students in and out of the classroom, including in the halls, on the playground, and at lunch
Qualifications:
A strong candidate for the Substitute Teacher position will possess the following skills and qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in education
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Excellent interpersonal skills
Ability to lead and instruct students of all ages
Ability to adapt plans to specific classrooms
Flexibility and critical-thinking skills
Atrium is committed to building and sustaining a richly diverse community that includes a wide range of family structures; racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds; and students with various learning styles. Atrium School’s curriculum and school culture are inclusive of and responsive to, the diversity within and beyond our community. Our motto, Excellence with Joy, embodies the balance we strive for each day.
Salary for this position is $24/hour.
For further information, and to apply, please contact Front Desk Administrator Ana Mercado at frontdesk@atrium.org. In your cover letter, please mention where you first saw this position posted.