Lead Educator (Gifted Microschool, PK–5)

Founding Teacher (PK–5 Gifted Microschool)

Arizona Gifted Academy | Scottsdale, AZ
2026–27 School Year

Overview

Arizona Gifted Academy (AGA) is a vibrant, newly formed private microschool designed to serve gifted, cognitively advanced, creative, and deeply curious learners in grades PK–5. We are seeking a warm, thoughtful, and innovative educator to join our founding team.

At AGA, teachers play a pivotal role in designing and delivering engaging, appropriately challenging, and highly personalized learning experiences. Our model is rooted in a constructivist approach and built around interdisciplinary, thematic units, where students engage in sustained, in-depth investigations and produce meaningful work connected to complex ideas and real-world applications.

Many of our founding students demonstrate advanced cognitive ability, with some performing 1–4 years above grade level in one or more subject areas. Our intentionally small cohort sizes allow educators to truly know their students and respond to their readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. We are committed to providing a responsive learning environment that supports students who may otherwise be intellectual outliers, with attention to both academic growth and social-emotional development.

We offer both hybrid and full-time enrollment options to support families, including those whose children are engaged in high-level extracurricular pursuits. Our full-time schedule is Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM, and our hybrid schedule operates Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM. Teachers are provided with dedicated daily planning time. One Friday per month is reserved for optional field-based learning experiences.

AGA is an intentional and growing community grounded in research and best practices aligned with NAGC standards. Our program emphasizes differentiated instruction, flexible pacing, intellectual peer engagement, and the development of higher-level thinking. We are seeking an educator who approaches teaching as a facilitator of learning, values inquiry and depth, and is committed to supporting advanced learners in a collaborative, student-centered environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in the development and implementation of differentiated curriculum designed to meet the advanced learning needs of gifted students across multiple grade levels
• Design and facilitate inquiry-based, conceptually driven learning experiences that promote depth, complexity, and higher-order thinking
• Implement flexible grouping and ability-based pacing, including acceleration and extension based on demonstrated mastery
• Create a learning environment that is inclusive, respectful, and responsive to the academic and social-emotional needs of gifted learners
• Use mastery-based assessment practices, including formative assessment and portfolio-based evidence, to monitor progress and guide instructional decisions
• Provide clear, meaningful feedback that supports student reflection, goal-setting, and continued growth
• Collaborate with colleagues to design interdisciplinary, project-based learning experiences aligned with student interests and real-world problem solving
• Partner with families through consistent, thoughtful communication regarding student progress, strengths, and areas for growth

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience teaching in early childhood or elementary settings (experience with gifted or advanced learners strongly preferred)
• Understanding of differentiation strategies, including curriculum compacting, acceleration, and enrichment
• Familiarity with characteristics of gifted learners, including asynchronous development, intensity, perfectionism, and twice-exceptionality (2e)
• Strong background in curriculum development across core subject areas
• Experience with or interest in inquiry-based, project-based, or constructivist learning environments
• Ability to create a psychologically safe and intellectually stimulating classroom environment
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Familiarity with Montessori principles or flexible learning models is a plus
• Experience in private school, microschool, or tutoring environments is advantageous

What Makes AGA Unique

• Intentionally small class sizes and individualized learning pathways
• Mastery-based progression and flexible pacing aligned to student readiness
• Emphasis on depth, complexity, and critical thinking over coverage
• Interdisciplinary, thematic curriculum with authentic applications
• A balanced approach that supports academic, social, and emotional development
• Strong partnership with engaged families
• A collaborative, mission-driven founding team

To Apply

Please submit your resume along with a brief statement describing your interest in working with gifted learners and your approach to differentiation.

About Arizona Gifted Academy

Arizona Gifted Academy is a Scottsdale-based microschool designed to meet the unique needs of gifted and high-potential learners. Grounded in research and aligned with NAGC best practices, AGA provides a responsive, intellectually rich environment where students engage in meaningful, appropriately challenging learning experiences.

Pay: $30.00 - $50.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule

Experience:

• Gifted or Advanced Education: 1 year (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Scottsdale, AZ 85250 (Preferred)

Work Location: In person