Bethlehem Farm Caretaker-Home School Support Position Description 

Each member of our Caretaker community has felt called to life and service at Bethlehem Farm. Some join the Bethlehem Farm caretaker community for one year while others have made an indefinite commitment. All of us have a unique story to tell when asked, “How did you end up at a hilltop farm in the mountains of West Virginia?,” yet each of those stories share common themes: a desire to be a part of an intentional community, to seek God every day, to strive for sustainability, and to serve, especially in low-income home repair. These are just a few of the blessings and challenges of life at Bethlehem Farm. 

Do you feel called to a life of prayer, simplicity, community, and service? We invite you to prayerfully consider joining us in our journey by applying to be a Caretaker-Home School Support at Bethlehem Farm. This position is eligible for the AmeriCorps education award. 

Definition 

With the supervision of the Bethlehem Farm Director (or his/her designee) and accountable to the family of the children and/or the Caretaker Community, the Caretaker-Home School Supporter serves as a liaison between the homeschool curriculum planner and the children who live at Bethlehem Farm.  This caretaker also assumes other roles and responsibilities as needed by the community. For the 2023-2024 school year, there is one child that needs instruction. Miriam Fitts will be a seventh grader. She has lived at Bethlehem Farm her whole life and enjoys reading, exploring, and biking. 

General Duties & Responsibilities 

• Open to living a close committed community life 
• A person of faith open to the Catholic tradition 
• Participates in chores, Caretaker meetings and plans prayer as assigned
• Interacts with volunteers, participating in all aspects of group weeks as a role model 
• Maintains professional boundaries and works well with others 
• Willingness to work under a variety of situations with flexibility 
• Performs regular self and group evaluations with the guidance of Community Facilitator • Upholds Christian standards and values as described in “Responsibilities of Community Members” in the Bethlehem Farm Community Handbook Work site 

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Maintains frequent communication between the homeschool curriculum planner and the student 
• Executes daily school schedules for students, openness to non-standard school hour/year schedules such as academics in the morning and projects in the afternoon. 
• Delivers lessons and supervises instruction written by the homeschool curriculum planner, including science, social studies, reading, writing, math, faith formation, art, music, and physical education.
• Supports the social and emotional development of the children in formal and informal ways
• Models emotional consistency in the face of adolescent disequilibrium 
• Maintains and ensures physical and emotional safety of the children during the school day 
• Builds and maintains positive rapport with parents, children, and homeschool curriculum planner
• Supervises summer servants or volunteers in assisting with homeschool instruction, when available or possible. 
• Plans and/or facilitates student participation in collaborative education opportunities (i.e. field trips) in the local community 

Qualifications 

• Commitment to the Bethlehem Farm mission and quality education for children 
• A working knowledge and belief in Catholic social teachings 
• Open to prayer, simplicity, and living in community 
• A Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in Education or equivalent work experience a bonus, but not required
• Classroom experience a bonus, but not required 
• Interest in developing teaching skills through mentorship by veteran teacher 
• Commitment to learning about adolescent development and education best practices 
• Possession of a curious mind and commitment to modeling a growth mindset 
• Willing to engage in the local community (i.e. homeschool groups and field trips) and open to accessing West Virginia public school resources. 
• Desire a minimum of a one year commitment with a 2-year commitment preferred 
• Possession of a driver’s license and a good driving record