Join Our Team

Summer Camp Staff

ZoomDance is an action adventure story telling movement program offering classes, parties, and camps throughout the year. Our summer camp is a full-day program for kids ages 3-8 years. Children will experience a creative, joyful, movement-based arts camp in which they feel encouraged, supported, and can be their full selves. Teachers and Counselors will facilitate this by providing dance and movement classes, art and sensory experiences, group games, circle time, and open invitations around our weekly themes. They will also guide community building amongst the group, encouraging thoughtfulness about the many people who compose our community and how to care for the people and spaces around us.

We encourage you to visit the CAMP page of our website to learn more about our program, and especially to read “Commitment to Supporting Teachers” and “Social Justice and Our Community”.

ZoomDance is committed to building a staff reflecting the diversity of our campers and encourage applications from those identifying as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, AAPI, and/or disabled.

 

Location

756 S. 11th Street, Philadelphia, 19147

Our studio and classrooms are up one straight flight of stairs.

Schedule

Program Dates: July 8 – August 30*

***We are bringing in extra staff the last few weeks of August, accepting interest and applications now on a rolling basis.***

The Basics

  • Camp has two classrooms for most of the summer, each with a Lead Teacher and an Assistant Teacher or Counselor. Also on site is an Assistant Teacher as floater, and an Assistant Director. 
  • Our program takes place both indoors and outdoors.
  • We are seeking teachers, assistant teachers, and counselors who will are fully vaccinated and boosted.
  • You can read our full scope of COVID-19 management HERE.
  • ZoomDance is working on opening a preschool! All positions have the potential to work with us longer term if desired.
  • Hours listed below are mostly full-time, but we will likely have a couple opportunities for part-time as well. Additionally, we are always seeking a handful of teachers and counselors to add to our substitute roster, and we usually bring in extra staff for the second half of August. So reach out! 
  • Pay rates listed below are starting, with increases for returning staff, experience, certifications, etc.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Pre-camp planning and admin: ~40 hours from spring through late June. Will include weekly meeting with Director and most work will happen on your own schedule. Exact start date TBD in communication with Director and your work availability.

Training/ setup/ prep – whole team on site:  July 1, 2, 3

Program Dates: July 8 - August 30

  • Assistant Director hours on site 8am-3:30pm Monday-Friday
  • Paid for 40 hours/week to accommodate potential follow-ups happening after the camp day.
  • $20/hour, paid weekly
  • Availability for entire summer is essential. 

  • Assisting with registration, calendars, communication and advertising for the summer camp season.
  • Regularly checking the CAMP email box, and sending welcome emails. 
  • Managing snacks, supplies, and materials for weekly themes
  • Prepare, print, and post documents for camp (such as rosters and schedules)
  • Overseeing staff scheduling changes that may arise, confirming weekly hours
  • Creating daily update emails to parents with activity notes and photos 
  • Gathering and organizing camp photos
  • Assist the Teachers and Counselors in maintaining the safety of all campers during the day
  • Liaison with parents during drop off and pickup
  • Overseeing and coordinating classroom staff throughout the day
  • Communicating daily with the director
  • Assisting in devising and implementing of staff training
  • Involved in setting up the camp classrooms, and occasionally re-sorting and tidying the supplies on hand
  • Generally contributing to tasks that maintain the smooth operations of summer camp

This position will be in close collaboration with Director Sarah Gladwin Camp. It will involve regular dedicated attention, creativity, initiative and problem-solving.

  • Available 5-10 hours/week from May through late June (mostly on your own schedule).
  • Full-time availability for 8 full weeks of camp plus training. 
  • Reliability – we have a small staff and everyone is essential
  • Excellent communicator
  • Ability to self-direct, you will be the lead person on site daily
  • Experience in an administrative and/or management role
  • Enthusiasm for collaboration
  • Comfort with or willing to learn empathy-forward classroom management style
  • Excited to help build a community grounded in mutual respect and compassion for others
  • Passion for engaging with young kids.
  • Willingness to step into the classroom or assist with students for special events or if a staff member calls in.
  • Adaptability – leading camp in the era of COVID-19 necessitates that our staff is responsive and flexible should we need to adjust protocols, schedules, or approach as the summer progresses. These changes will be devised in communication and collaboration with the staff.

  • Experience teaching young children, especially arts-based or preschool classes
  • Summer camp or preschool experience
  • Your own arts practice (music, visual art, dance, theater, etc)
  • Comfort communicating effectively with families 
  • Diversity training or fluency in social justice concepts around race, gender, and disability

 

TEACHERS

Training/ setup/ prep – whole team on site:  July 1, 2, 3

Program Dates: July 8 - August 30

  • Teacher hours 8:30am-3:30pm Monday-Friday
  • $18/hour, paid weekly
  • paid lunch & breaks

  • Lead classes, activities, and circle time, and help facilitate freeplay, snack and lunch for a group of 3-8 year olds. 
  • Collaborate with ZoomDance director, assistant director and other teachers to build the details of the weekly thematic curriculum
    • Each teacher will be responsible for leading specific activities or classes throughout the week, and will assist and support when others are leading
    • Work as a team with the assistant teacher and counselor in your classroom
  • Be present daily, with the campers, staff, and families
  • Facilitate conflict resolution and support relationship building between campers
  • Help maintain a tidy and sanitized environment for camp
  • Help monitor children’s health and maintain a safe environment, including frequent hand-washing
  • Attend brief weekly check-in meetings with the teaching staff, counselors and the directors to refine our offerings, language, classroom management, and operations and to address any trouble spots or eurekas that happened that week.

  • Availability for 8 full weeks of camp plus training/setup
  • Experience teaching young children, especially arts-based or preschool classes
  • Reliability – we have a small staff and everyone is essential
  • Comfort with or willing to learn empathy-forward classroom management style
  • Excited to help build a community grounded in mutual respect and compassion for others
  • Passion for engaging with young kids and their inner workings. Game to help them discover new things and deep dive into their curiosities.
  • Enthusiasm for collaboration
  • Excellent communicator
  • Ability to self-direct. As a small team, everyone will do everything and we need all eyes active all the time. We seek to empower everyone on the teaching team to know how camp is run such that anyone can jump into any role or assist as needed.
  • Adaptability – leading camp in the era of COVID-19 and working with young children necessitates that our staff is responsive and flexible should we need to adjust protocols, schedules, or approach as the summer progresses. These changes will be devised in communication and collaboration with the staff.

  • Summer camp experience
  • Your own arts practice (music, visual art, dance, theater, etc)
  • Great story-teller
  • Comfort communicating effectively with families 
  • Experience with curriculum development
  • Diversity training or fluency in social justice concepts around race, gender, and disability as to be able to answer questions and provoke thoughtfulness in age-appropriate ways

 

ASSISTANT TEACHERS

Training/ setup/ prep – whole team on site:  July 1, 2, 3

Program Dates: July 8 - August 30

  • Assistant Teacher hours ~35 hours/week between 8:30am-5:30pm,  Monday-Friday
  • $17/hour, paid weekly
  • paid lunch & breaks

  • Assist and support the teacher as they lead classes, activities and circle time for a group of 3-8 year olds, and lead some activities yourself.
  • Facilitate freeplay, snack, lunch, and rest time.
  • Work as a team with the teacher and counselor in your classroom
  • Be present daily, with the campers, staff, and families
  • Facilitate conflict resolution and support relationship building between campers
  • Help maintain a tidy and sanitized environment for camp
  • Help monitor children’s health and maintain a safe environment, including frequent hand-washing
  • Attend brief weekly check-in meetings with the teaching staff, counselors and the directors

  • Availability for 8 full weeks of camp plus training
  • Experience working with young kids 
  • Reliability – we have a small staff and everyone is essential
  • Comfort with or willing to learn empathy-forward classroom management style
  • Excited to help build a community grounded in mutual respect and compassion for others
  • Passion for engaging with young kids and their inner workings. Game to help them discover new things and deep dive into their curiosities.
  • Enthusiasm for collaboration
  • Excellent communicator
  • Ability to self-direct. As a small team, everyone will do everything and we need all eyes active all the time. 
  • Adaptability – leading camp in the era of COVID-19 and working with young children necessitates that our staff is responsive and flexible should we need to adjust protocols, schedules, or approach as the summer progresses. These changes will be devised in communication and collaboration with the staff.

  • Summer camp experience
  • Your own arts practice (music, visual art, dance, theater, etc)
  • Great story-teller
  • Comfort communicating effectively with families 
  • Experience leading arts-based or preschool classes
  • Diversity training or fluency in social justice concepts around race, gender, and disability as to be able to answer questions and provoke thoughtfulness in age-appropriate ways

 

CAMP COUNSELORS

Training/ setup/ prep – whole team on site:  July 1, 2, 3

Program Dates: July 8 - August 30

  • Counselor shifts are 8:30am-3:30pm, 9:30am-5pm, or 12-5:30pm Monday-Friday
  • $16/hour, paid weekly
  • paid lunch & breaks

  • Assist and support the teacher as they lead classes, activities and circle time for a group of 3-8 year olds, with potential to occasionally lead sessions yourself.
  • Facilitate freeplay, snack, lunch, and rest time. 
  • Be present daily, with the campers, staff, and families
  • Facilitate conflict resolution and support relationship building between campers
  • Help maintain a tidy and sanitized environment for camp
  • Help monitor children’s health and maintain a safe environment, including frequent hand-washing
  • Attend brief weekly check-in meetings with the teaching staff, counselors and the directors

  • Availability for 8 full weeks of camp plus training
  • Experience working with young kids 
  • Reliability – we have a small staff and everyone is essential
  • Comfort with or willing to learn empathy-forward classroom management style
  • Excited to help build a community grounded in mutual respect and compassion for others
  • Passion for engaging with young kids and their inner workings. Game to help them discover new things and deep dive into their curiosities.
  • Enthusiasm for collaboration
  • Excellent communicator
  • Ability to self-direct. As a small team, everyone will do everything and we need all eyes active all the time. 
  • Adaptability – leading camp in the era of COVID-19 and working with young children necessitates that our staff is responsive and flexible should we need to adjust protocols, schedules, or approach as the summer progresses. These changes will be devised in communication and collaboration with the staff.

  • Summer camp experience
  • Your own arts practice (music, visual art, dance, theater, etc)
  • Great story-teller
  • Comfort communicating effectively with families 
  • Experience leading arts-based or preschool classes
  • Diversity training or fluency in social justice concepts around race, gender, and disability as to be able to answer questions and provoke thoughtfulness in age-appropriate ways

 

We Offer

  • Training in our unique, attuned, active style of leading young kids
  • A vibrant community atmosphere and a workspace valuing safety
  • Openness to evolution and growth of our programming, structures, and understandings
  • Snacks and drinks always stocked for staff.
  • All time toward camp is always paid – meetings, training, setup, classes, cleanup, etc.

How to Apply

Please send a letter of interest sharing your enthusiasm and background relevant to this role. We’re looking for something in the one- to two-paragraph range. If writing is not where your voice best thrives, you may instead submit a short video. CV’s are appreciated but not essential, though we do need to know your relevant experience in some format. We will be replying promptly and conducting interviews on a rolling basis. We are committed to building a staff reflecting the diversity of our campers and encourage applications from those identifying as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, AAPI, and/or disabled.

You can submit your letter, video, CV, and/or references to camp@zoomdance.org

Please direct questions to camp@zoomdance.org or (215) 326-9613