Upper School Religion / Interdisciplinary Humanities Teacher Long-term Substitute Teacher

WHO WE ARE

Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart provides a diverse and rigorous college preparatory environment that inspires young women to become confident, compassionate leaders. As a member of a global network of more than 150 schools, we educate to the core of our 200-year tradition through the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria: a personal and active faith in God, a deep respect for intellectual values, a social awareness that impels one to action, the building of community as a Christian value, and personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.

Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart educates young women to think critically, embrace challenges, model resilience, confront injustice, seek equality and lead globally in the pioneering spirit of our foundress. Our graduates change the world.

 THE ROLE

Forest Ridge seeks a talented, passionate and engaging Upper School Religion Teacher to serve as a long term substitute from August 25, 2025 – January 15, 2026. This is a part-time position that includes teaching five courses in our mod schedule and serving as an advisor to a small group of juniors.

Religion classes at Forest Ridge are guided by all five of the goals of Sacred Heart education: a personal and active faith in God, a deep respect for intellectual values, a social awareness that impels to action, the building of community as a Christian value, and personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. These classes blend academic study, spiritual practice, service, and the arts as we support our students in growing their relationships with themselves, with God, and with others in their communities.

We are committed to creating safe and welcoming environments for all of our students, where students of all faiths can learn about religion and deepen their personal spirituality. As a Catholic school, we teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the history, traditions, and spirituality of the global Catholic Church, and we also teach about the many faiths and belief systems in our world. We explore the role of religion in history and current events, and we challenge students to develop ethical thinking, discernment, and a practice of service to others. Religion classes meet each student where they are and emphasize what it means to be a Child of the Sacred Heart.

As a Catholic, Independent, Sacred Heart school, we have many streams of tradition that we draw from in our courses. In Religion, these include the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education, the principles of religious literacy from the American Academy of Religion, and the frameworks for Catholic education from the Archdiocese of Seattle.

We are looking for an educator who is passionate about teaching adolescent girls, who works well both independently and with a team, and who employs a variety of teaching strategies to meet the diverse needs of our students. Furthermore, Forest Ridge seeks faculty and staff whose philosophies align with our Sacred Heart mission and who enthusiastically believe in educating the mind, body and spirit of each student.

TEACHING AT FOREST RIDGE

• Forest Ridge offers an intellectually invigorating, interconnected and experiential curriculum.
• The entire Forest Ridge experience is designed to support the growth of girls, particularly in the academic and leadership spaces more traditionally held by boys.
• The curriculum at Forest Ridge has been developed and updated by the faculty who teach it.
• Forest Ridge teachers work collaboratively across disciplines and grade levels to integrate learning experiences for students.
• The Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria guide faculty and staff in their interactions with families and colleagues.

 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Upper School Religion Teacher, reporting to the Director of Upper School, will join a collaborative department of colleagues to build a creative, engaging and student-centered learning environment, employing best practices for educating students in an inclusive setting. Specific responsibilities for this position include:

• Teaching Religion courses that may range from 9^th – 12^th grade
• Supporting a group of 11^th grade student advisees
• Provide support for students outside of class time (answering homework questions, providing extra writing help, etc.) as needed;
• Actively collaborate with colleagues to design curriculum, assessment and instructional practices in alignment with best practices to create innovative and equitable learning experiences for all students;
• Attend department, team, and faculty meetings as scheduled;
• Participate in the life of the school community by attending school assemblies, divisional gatherings, school events, etc.;
• Attend and respectfully participate in communal prayer and other faith services.