Current Openings

Sun Valley Community School is seeking a dynamic Upper School Theater Teacher who would be responsible for leading a dynamic, inclusive, and vigorous theater program for high school students at Sun Valley Community School. This educator teaches up to three theater courses per term—including acting, theater history, directing, and/or technical theater—and directs two full-scale theatrical productions each year. The position blends classroom teaching with artistic leadership and mentoring students as both performers and theater-makers. A commitment to equity, collaboration, and student-centered learning is essential.

This is a full-time teaching and directing position, with benefits, beginning August 11, 2025. Additional duties will include serving as the theater manager, a student advisor, participating in the school’s extensive Outdoor Program, and engaging in additional Upper School co-curricular activities. For the right candidate, the position could also include Residential Life responsibilities and/or housing. 

Upper School Theater Teacher Qualifications

• At a minimum, a B.A. in Theater, English, or some creative or related field
• A love of theater and experience with production, acting, directing
• A passion for working with teenagers
• Core Teaching Responsibilities:
• Teach up to three sections of Upper School theater courses each term (e.g., Acting, Directing, Theater History, Technical Theater, Shakespeare, Devised Theater), adapting curriculum to meet student needs and interests
• Direct at least two major theater productions annually (fall musical, winter play), including play selection, audition processes, rehearsals, and collaboration with production teams
• Manage the Sun Valley Community School theater (see outline of responsibilities below) 
• Guide upper school students through the process of applying and auditioning at serious BFA and summer training programs
• Provide artistic and logistical leadership for Upper School theater productions, working closely with designers and student crew
• Support student engagement with all aspects of theater-making, including dramaturgy, design, performance, and backstage work
• Maintain a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment that encourages risk-taking, creative expression, and collaboration
• Collaborate with faculty across disciplines and divisions to integrate theater into broader curricular and co-curricular offerings
• Mentor student artists, fostering growth in theatrical skills, personal confidence, and critical thinking
• Coordinate performance schedules, communicate with families and school leadership, and manage rehearsal calendars
• Contribute to the life of the Upper School through advising, event support, or other duties as assigned
• Lead two outdoor program trips per year, including Fall Campout and NYC Creative Arts Winter Trip

Core Theater Management Responsibilities

• Manage the Theater Calendar for all events held in the theater, accounting for lead/rehearsal/set-up time for major school productions.
• Ensure a lack of conflicts between assemblies, movies, speakers, performances, workshops, classes, etc. 

• Promote, balance and account for both internal use and external organization use of the theater in scheduling.
• Arrange for and archive materials related to performances and productions that take place in the theater.
• Develop and communicate to interested faculty training standards for the operation of equipment in the tech booth.
• Develop and communicate to other users/operators of the theater the policies, procedures, and protocols for the use of the lighting, projection, and sound equipment used in the tech booth.
• Help schedule tech support for all theater events.
• Develop, in coordination with the Facilities Director, an inventory of equipment and a corresponding short, medium, and long-term maintenance schedule for the theater lighting, sound, and projection equipment. 

Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and two letters of reference to Alessia Carega (acarega@communityschool.org). 

ABOUT THE POSITION
Building on 14 years of 100% parent, faculty, and Board participation, the Director of the Annual Fund will be instrumental in growing our Annual Giving. This plan will include strategies and programming to engage our parent, community and alumni donor bases. The AF Director should be a relationship builder and have a commitment to details. Stewardship—through authentic and impactful outreach, programming, and reporting—is a priority. The Director will identify, cultivate, and steward meaningful relationships with both dedicated and prospective donors, seeking and securing gifts for the Annual Fund, as well as identifying potential campaign and planned giving prospects. 

In conjunction with the gift management team, and, when appropriate, the marketing team, the Director will effectively and accurately track and acknowledge gifts, coordinate donor recognition through a comprehensive stewardship plan, and drive the delivery of annual reports and communications regarding the Annual Fund.

The Director should work with the Board, Head of School, and  Director of Development to maximize capacity and participation. 

This is a year-round, full-time position with benefits reporting to the Director of Development. There are no supervisory responsibilities. This position starts September 2, 2025 or earlier. 

PRIMARY DUTIES + RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create and manage a comprehensive fundraising plan and appeal schedule: 
  • Set, manage and reach dollar and participation goals for the annual giving program
  • Create and manage a calendar/schedule of multidimensional appeals that leverage a variety of media (e.g., electronic solicitation, direct mail appeals, face-to-face solicitations, events) to communicate with potential and current donors
  • Assess program at the end of the year and lead annual planning
• Manage Annual Fund volunteers including recruitment, management, and training
• Use Raiser’s Edge to track visits, produce contact notes, and drive constituent follow-up
• Expand the alumni program
• Build relationships with constituents and personally solicit an assigned pool of prospects
• Coordinate the gift entry and acknowledgment process with the gift management team
• Draft and coordinate Annual Fund solicitation and acknowledgement letters
  • Provide notes for the Head of School to personalize thank-you letters
• Analyze results, track progress from year to year and generate reports and statistics
• Contribute content to school publications and social media as appropriate collaborating with the Marketing and Communications team. 
• Support the annual auction which is a critical component of our annual giving program
• Attend on-campus and off-campus events, as appropriate
• Assist with prospect research
• Other responsibilities as assigned by the Head of School

QUALITIES
We seek a resourceful candidate with experience in annual giving, alumni relations, sales, marketing, or a related field. The candidate should also have a good mind for details, a sense of humor, and an engaging presence. Strong, clear writing skills and Spanish proficiency are plusses.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and two letters of reference by August 1, 2025 to Trent Smither, Director of Development at tsmither@communityschool.org.  

Fill out an application here. 

About Sun Valley Community School: 
Our philosophy? Build community. Take risks. Grow your curiosities. Pursue your passions. Aim for personal bests. We are a preK-12 day and boarding college prep school of 435 students set in the iconic mountain resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho. Our faculty and staff are passionate about the outdoors, the arts, innovation, athletics, adventure, and the work they do with students. They are engaged and encouraging and believe in our student-centered approach. 
Our students are open to new experiences, take advantage of the natural environment, thrive in a small-town community but have a solid sense of the broader world. A Sun Valley Community School experience balances intellectual inquiry with adventure. We ask students and faculty alike to push comfort zones and seek understanding. We value inclusivity, authenticity, and critical thinking. 

A Sun Valley Community School Elementary education is a child-led journey of discovery, fueled by the energy of a dedicated faculty on campus and in the natural surroundings we explore. Starting at the age of two in our Reggio Emilia-inspired program, we encourage our students to follow their passions and explore their creativity while building a strong academic foundation. Throughout our Elementary program, we use authentic challenges and situations—in the classroom, in the lab, on the stage, in the art studio, or in the wilderness—to teach students to work together and build skills while developing essential character strengths. Students learn to value setbacks as well as successes and approach both with optimism and perseverance. Small group discussion, hands-on projects, and teamwork are hallmarks of our learning process. When our students complete their elementary education, they have the independence, confidence, and ability to thrive in Middle School. 

Please see our website for further details about our school’s guiding principles as well as our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work.

Sun Valley Community School is an equal opportunity employer. The school encourages, seeks, and will employ applicants the school deems qualified for the position sought, regardless of age, ethnic background, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identification, or physical ability, with reasonable accommodation to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. 

Sun Valley Community School es una escuela que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades. La escuela alienta, busca y contratará a los solicitantes que la escuela considere calificados para el puesto buscado, independientemente de su edad, origen étnico, nacionalidad, raza, religión, orientación sexual, identificación de género o capacidad física, con ajustes razonables para cumplir con las responsabilidades del puesto.