The Speyer Legacy School, a K-8 school for gifted students in Manhattan, seeks an Middle School Assistant and Coordinator. The ideal candidate is independent, self-motivated, flexible, organized, discreet, collaborative, collegial, proactive, and enthusiastic about working with students, families, and colleagues. They have excellent written and oral communication skills, a problem-solving approach, a readiness to take initiative, and a sense of humor. This is a full-time, 12-month position. The Middle School Administrative Assistant reports to the Head of Middle School.

Assistant Duties and Responsibilities 

• Liaise between the Middle School Head and members of the Speyer community, including faculty, staff, students, parents, and visitors

• Manage the calendar for the Head of Middle School, schedule meetings, and ensure timely communication  

• Help manage and attend to the details of Middle School and some school-wide events, such as assemblies, special programming, parent events, faculty meetings, and PD programs

• Serve on the Events Committee and coordinate efforts with maintenance, security, and food service staff for all such events

• Help coordinate the logistics of annual school transition times and events, such as opening days of school and orientations, curriculum night, parent-teacher conferences, report cards, and closing days of school, including graduation  

• Coordinate coverages of classes for teachers, manage the schedules of substitute teachers and Associate Teachers, and coordinate the schedule for special events and programming 

• Support Middle School faculty in the logistics of registering for conferences and PD, including travel arrangements, payments, and coordinating with outside vendors

• Support Middle School faculty in organizing the logistics of school-day field trips, including scheduling, coverages, communicating with families, student transportation, payments, and coordination with outside vendors and organizations.

• Update teacher attendance records, coordinate with the Registrar and Business Office 

• Manage Middle School purchase orders and reconcile the expenses of the Middle School

• Generally supports and anticipates needs of the Head of Middle School in managing the Middle School calendar, schedules for events, preparing spreadsheets, forms, and records, making copies, assisting with hiring logistics, and communicating with all constituencies.

• Help prepare the weekly Middle School Memo and Faculty Meeting schedule and logistics

• Collaborate with other staff members to cover administrative duties when needed, such as taking phone calls, responding to parent requests, and helping with drop-off and dismissal

• Collaborate with other staff members to maintain office machines, organize and inventory supplies, maintain shared office spaces, and order and coordinate furniture orders

• Manage the administration of standardized tests, such as placement tests, CTPs, and Regents Exams.

• Manage overnight field trips. 

• Manage Middle School signature programming such as Financial Literacy, Electives, and others as needed.

• Uphold the highest level of confidentiality and professionalism

• Perform additional duties as assigned 

Requirements, Skills, and Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree preferred 

• Minimum of three years of experience as an administrative assistant, preferably in an educational or non-profit setting

• Strong interpersonal skills and the desire to work as a member of a team

• Flexibility, adaptability, creativity, and good problem-solving skills

• Superb oral and written communication skills 

• Excellent organizational and project management skills 

• Experience working with Google software, including Docs, Sheets, Drive, and Calendar 

• A commitment to cultural competency and to fostering an inclusive environment that supports students of all backgrounds.

Salary Range

The annual salary range for this full-time, twelve-month position is $69,000 to $81,350. The position on the scale will be based on years of experience.

Application Information

To apply, please send your resume, cover letter, and the contact information of three references to employment@speyerlegacyschool.org. Please indicate “MS Administrative Assistant” in the subject line.

The Speyer Legacy School welcomes candidates who will add to the diversity of our community and who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their previous work environments.

The Speyer Legacy School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or family composition or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its employment, education, admission, financial aid, and other policies and programs.

The Speyer Legacy School seeks a dynamic, innovative, and passionate part-time Chess teacher to be a member of the school’s Lower School faculty beginning September 2026, joining a team that includes four faculty members: The Director of Chess Instruction, on Chess Co-Teacher two Resident Masters (RM), and one Resident Grandmaster (GM). Reporting to the Director of Chess, this position is responsible for collaborating with faculty and staff to teach in support of the school’s mission and curricular goals. The ideal candidate will work with an eye on diversity and inclusion in chess, possess creative problem-solving skills, a sense of humor, enthusiasm for designing innovative curriculum, and strong interpersonal skills that allow one to cooperate and collaborate effectively with others.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Work a flexible schedule. Approximately 20 weeks will include coaching on Saturdays or Sundays at local tournaments including:

  • Arrival before the commencement of the first round, or at a time specified by the Director of chess and working a 6-hour day. 

  • Provide opening preparation and impromptu game analysis to students, reinforcing their effort with positive feedback and illuminating areas of improvement and misunderstandings. 

  • Giving parents advice on tournament logistics, as well as study habits, work ethic, and mindset.

• In addition to weekend coaching, the Resident GM will coordinate with the Director of Chess to schedule the following activities with Spyer Students and Staff

  • Host weekend training at Speyer for Speyer’s most advanced learners. 

  • Attend Faculty Meetings to Review Speyer Chess Curriculum and student progress and offer insights and suggestions. 

  • Visit Curriculum and After School classes to teach in tandem with other chess faculty. 

  • Ensure students are developing good study habits and learning by doing. 

  • Collaborate with larger Chess faculty to develop Speyer Chess Curriculum that is current, vibrant, and extraordinarily differentiated.  

  • Collaborate with larger Chess faculty to aid Chess faculty’s learning and engagement in current Chess events 

• Coach exclusively Speyer Students at major scholastic events including City, State, and National Chess championships. Coaching at these events includes an additional paid stipend. 

• Demonstrate a passion for lifelong learning and actively pursue professional development rooted in individual and schoolwide goals. 

• Demonstrate a desire to meaningfully integrate technology into the classroom.

• Update curriculum and materials as needed.

• Promote respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion  as a core value of the School, a shared responsibility in partnership with the school community.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities  

• An active player with an international title of WGM, or GM is preferred. WIM and IMs can also be considered for this opportunity. 

• 5+ years of chess teaching experience and knowledge of child development, best practices, and current trends in education are a plus. 

• Demonstrated classroom management skills, including time, space, and materials for most effective learning.

• Experience in differentiated instruction.

• Creativity and innovation in both curriculum and instruction; ability to incorporate 21st century skills.

• Capable of generating high quality instructional materials.

• Outstanding interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.

• Ability to integrate technology effectively into classroom instruction to enhance student learning.

• Skilled in creating a learning environment that is challenging, motivating and age-appropriate.

Compensation: 

• Commensurate on experience: 

• For preparation, coaching, and impromptu analysis at local tournaments, the range is $300 to $500/ day. 

• For preparation, coaching, and impromptu analysis at overnight tournaments, the rate is $600/ day.

• For direct instruction with students in afterschool settings, and other activities listed above, the rate is $150 hour

Application Information

Please apply by sending your resume, cover letter, a one-page educational philosophy statement, and names of three references to employment@speyerlegacyschool.org. Please indicate “Chess Teacher” in the subject line. The Speyer Legacy School welcomes candidates who will add to the diversity of our community and who have demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in their teaching and learning.

The Makerspace Coordinator and Creative and Computational Thinking Teacher position is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and experienced teacher, technologist, and tinkerer with a deep understanding of educational technology and a focus on computational thinking and creative problem-solving. 

Speyer has a superb, stocked, and bustling Makerspace (“Makers Lab”) that provides a safe space to foster creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and exploration of ideas, and invites students to tinker, build, and innovate. Our inquiry-based learning and "learning by doing" model provides a platform for immersion in creative processes that weave together technology, analysis, logic, and innovation.

Creative and Computational Thinking (CCT) is a core course taught to students in Fifth through Eighth Grade. It encompasses topics such as computational and algorithmic thinking, design thinking, digital storytelling, systems, and digital citizenship.

The role requires flexibility and collaboration to advance the use of technology both in the CCT class and by encouraging and supporting teachers’ meaningful use of technology within academic disciplines and through interdisciplinary, project-based work. The Makerspace Coordinator and CCT Teacher is a member of both the Tech Team and the Middle School faculty, and at the forefront of the evolving technology offerings at Speyer, driving innovation and contributing to the overall school technology vision. 

This is a full-time, 10- or 12-month position based on skill set and availability, reporting to both the Chief Information and Technology Officer and the Head of Middle School. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain and organize the Makers Lab (and Makers annexes) with a focus on age-appropriate safety 

• Teach Middle School Creative and Computational Thinking course 

• Develop and implement curriculum for the CCT scope and sequence

• Support Middle School technology integration, leveraging technology to support best practices in pedagogy

• Provide back-up support for teachers, students, and administrators in their day-to-day technology needs

  • Resolve technical issues reported in our helpdesk ticketing system

• Assist with management of various cloud platforms, such as GoGuardian and Schoology

• Providing back-up troubleshooting and support the software, hardware, and systems, including classroom multimedia and student and teacher devices, which may include:

  • Assist with setting up events with audio/visual equipment

  • Plan one-on-one and group workshops and professional development sessions

  • Support families as needed through our parent support email service

  • Perform additional duties as assigned

Requirements, Skills, and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred.

• Minimum of 3 - 5 years’ prior teaching experience in a similar role is preferred

• Experience in educational environment, preferably in a comparable K-8 environment

• A track record of being an innovative, committed, positive, helpful, energetic, flexible, adaptive, creative, and effective educator

• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and parents

• A teacher’s disposition: approachable, patient, gentle, and supportive

• Troubleshooting and problem-solving skills

• Insatiable desire to learn and dedication to educational technology

• Enthusiasm to help students and teachers use technology in meaningful ways

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to work on multiple projects, with competing priorities, to completion

• Experience coding in multiple programming languages preferred

• Experience with current technologies used in educational institutions

• A strong foundation in pedagogy and teaching methodologies integrating technology into curriculum and instruction

• Maker’s Lab management experience preferred

  • Maintaining safety first 

  • Using and maintaining tools and equipment

  • A clear vision of the “Maker Movement” and how it supports the 21st century learner

  • A passion for  tinkering, making, and doing

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Salary Range

The annual salary for the full-time, 10-month position is $77,250-120,000, commensurate with experience. There would be additional compensation for the 12-month role scenario.

Application Information

To apply please send your resume, cover letter, and the contact information of three references to employment@speyerlegacyschool.org. Please indicate “Makerspace Coordinator and CCT Teacher” in the subject line.

The Speyer Legacy School welcomes candidates who will add to the diversity of our community and who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their prior work and educational settings.