Department:

Administration/English Language

Position:

Pioneers Baccalaureate School in Nablus, Palestine, is currently hiring for the following position.

• College Counselor/English Language Teacher

Description:

The college counselor serves as the primary point of contact for students and parents throughout the college admissions process, including helping students find and apply for programs, write and edit essays, fill applications, and liaise with universities. The college counselor should also take initiative to network and make connections with colleges to facilitate student admissions, including organizing and attending college fairs.

The College Counselor also serves as a part-time English teacher. This is approximately 14 teaching hours per week. High school students continue to read a wide variety of texts as well as preparing for CLEP/AP English Language/Literature exams. Teachers design their own lessons and create supporting materials while following a curriculum map. Teachers should feel comfortable working independently and be ready to dedicate time to planning thoughtful and rigorous lessons, which help students learn how to think critically and guide them to consider multiple ways and methods of solving problems, through which they apply what they have learned to solve problems they face in their own lives. Games, activities, and projects that engage students and support learning are highly encouraged at all grade levels.

Primary Duties:

• Creating and updating 12th grade transcripts for the college admissions process, writing counselor recommendations for college applications, and holding workshops for current and rising seniors on college essay drafting and help with specific application details.
• Maintaining a database of students' official document copies to keep official names and personal information of all high school students on file for use whenever needed. Also, the position entails holding an annual group meeting with current 10th graders in the computer lab to create CollegeBoard accounts for all students.
• Holding individual college and career planning meetings with students from the 11th and 12th grade. Knowledge about admissions processes of American universities located in the United States (and by effect US colleges in the Middle East) is necessary.
• Giving one or two lectures to each high school grade annually on different college and career related topics decided by the school.
• Recording the admissions data of students, and keeping a record of admissions requirements of four local universities. Additionally, expanding and maintaining the school's list of college admissions contacts for scholarship and study opportunities. This part of the position includes coordination with the Education USA office in a nearby city and the arranging of college fairs once public health guidance permits doing so.
• Being in charge of all matters related to the graduation requirements of students: keeping a record of student scores on standardized tests like the SATs, APs, and CLEP tests, and keeping track of whether or not students are fulfilling needed graduation requirements as mandated by the local Ministry of Education.
• Helping facilitate a smooth transition process for students in the high school from one grade to another.
• Holding group meetings with students' parents annually to ensure understanding of school graduation requirements, and meeting parents on an individual basis upon request.
• Knowledge on the college application processes of colleges in EU countries, Turkey, and the Middle East is preferred but not necessary. Needed preparation for this as part of the position can be arranged by the school if necessary.

Desired Qualifications:

• English language fluency (required)
• 4-year degree (Bachelors) (required)
• Proficiency in Google Docs and other Google Workspace apps
• Experience in program management or higher education admissions is strongly preferred.
• Candidates should possess a strong work ethic, a desire for continuous improvement, a flexible and positive attitude, enthusiasm for the topic and teaching, the ability to accept constructive criticism and feedback, and the ability to problem-solve and work independently.
• Specific teaching certification is not required, but prior teaching experience or experience working with children/youth is preferred. The most successful teachers at Pioneers are those that are flexible, innovative, and committed to creating unique educational opportunities for Palestinian students.

Benefits:

• First-year teachers receive 2200 New Israeli Shekels per month (a livable and competitive starting teacher salary in Nablus), with additional increments for subject matter, experience, and qualifications as determined during the interview process, in addition to a 100 shekel monthly transportation stipend.
• Housing (private room in a shared apartment (3-4 people)) with all utilities including water, electricity, and internet covered.
• Round-trip airfare and visa costs covered.
• Government health insurance provided.
• The school can provide information about Arabic lessons or tutoring in the city.

About Pioneers:

Pioneers is a bilingual Arabic/English school serving Grades K-12. We are proud to have received NEASC accreditation in Spring 2021, and we are focused on continual development and innovation. Our rich international program follows Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards in English, Math, and Science, in addition to offering the local Palestinian curriculum. High school students receive a Pioneers diploma in addition to a Palestinian diploma obtained through equivalent scores on CLEP or AP exams.

Pioneers Baccalaureate School was founded to provide a level of education unavailable in Nablus. We challenge and inspire our students to achieve their intellectual and personal potential by approaching each as a unique individual. Utilizing the best of modern pedagogy, while staying true to our Palestinian roots, Pioneers prepares students to be competitive on a global scale. Our graduates will be prepared to innovate, think creatively, and contribute to building a better Palestine and a better world. For more information, visit our website at www.pioneers.ps.

About Nablus:

With around 300,000 people, Nablus is one of the largest cities in the West Bank. Teachers are able to form lasting relationships with colleagues and friends, take advantage of opportunities to learn or practice Arabic, and travel on holidays, weekends, and breaks to explore all the West Bank has to offer. Nablus is still a conservative city with respect to the West Bank as a whole, and in order to maintain the school's good reputation and standing in the community, foreign teachers are expected to uphold certain standards of behavior and dress during their tenure with the school.

To Apply:

Applications are processed on a rolling basis. Our hiring process begins with a general interview, followed by second interviews based on specific positions. Full-year teaching positions generally last from August through May, with the possibility of extension.

To be considered for a general interview, applicants must upload a CV and cover letter through the application form on our website, also accessible here. Questions can be directed to jobs@pioneers.edu.ps.