Faculty, Lower Elementary – Junior School

Punahou School celebrates the richness of its traditions as it embraces the responsibility to provide a relevant educational experience in a rapidly changing world. Punahou places students at the center of the curriculum, with the aim of authentic learning in a sequence and pace that is coherent and purposeful to the individual child. A Punahou education seeks to provide multiple pathways towards growth and success for each student through a broad and meaningful program of studies and through rich experiences for exploration, discovery and mastery. Working within a coherent curricular framework that promotes personalized, product-oriented, inquiry-based learning embedded in authentic, meaningful assessments, Punahou seeks to cultivate curious, confident, and self-directed students. We value the rich opportunities for teaching and learning that are inherent Hawaiian values and in the gift of “place” at Punahou. Our faculty attends to the social-emotional learning of our students via intentional opportunities to provide an environment and a range of learning experiences that educate our children for compassionate, moral, and ethical action at school, in our community, and in the world. Our teachers are agile learners themselves, demonstrating a growth mindset and a commitment to their continual professional development. Incoming teachers will join a dedicated and inspiring faculty whose ongoing reflection and renewal is supported by a schoolwide culture of collaboration and innovation.

Punahou is currently recruiting a lower elementary teacher who will attend vigorously to the student experience while delivering effective, research-based instruction. Working within grade level and multi-grade teams, candidates should demonstrate the ability to create an engaging interdisciplinary curriculum that meets the needs of all students by personalizing the learning experience. Punahou strives to provide a personalized learning experience through the use of both structured and workshop approaches to literacy and Envision Mathematics.

The school has made the commitment to include elements of inquiry and design thinking that provide students with practical experiences in addressing real world problems, while also explicitly teaching basic skills and concepts. Candidates must be inclined to work in a highly collaborative and creative environment and be able to interact with and communicate effectively with students, colleagues, and parents.

Scheduling Details:

• Work Year: 9 Months
• School Year: 2025 – 2026
• Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30AM – 4:00PM, schedule may vary based on operational needs
• Faculty Salary Range*: $58,380 – $118,097
• Punahou School offers a comprehensive total rewards program that includes competitive pay and benefits. The pay rate, if displayed, is the minimum hourly rate for the position. Pay for selected candidates will be determined by various factors such as knowledge, skills, abilities, relevant training and experience, and internal equity.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree, post-baccalaureate studies and/or teaching credentials in elementary education preferred.
• Three (3) years of experience teaching in an elementary or pre-K setting.
• Ability to work cooperatively with faculty within and across grade levels.
• Strong knowledge of elementary education curriculum and instructional methodologies, especially in language arts and mathematics.
• Experience in and be able to implement reading and writing workshop and a structured phonics approach for foundational literacy.
• Understanding of personalized learning, developmental theories and their implications for practice, and the ability to assess and employ a variety of teaching strategies to meet individual needs.
• Familiarity with a variety of formal and informal student assessment tools to measure learning, and the ability to communicate progress to students, parents, and colleagues.
• Ability to use technology as a tool to enhance personalized student learning, measure student understanding and progress, and assist students with learning differences. Proficient use of educational apps and instructional software.
• Ability to build positive relationships with the students and their families.
• Inclination towards pursuing and maximizing professional development opportunities to improve student learning.
• Ability and willingness to learn enthusiastically as a member of a Professional Learning Community, to connect with local, national, and global Professional Learning Networks, and a commitment to sharing learning experiences with colleagues.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills with the ability to respond effectively; ability to communicate effectively in large and small group settings.