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Last Updated: 12/10/2024 12:04:14 PM EST

School Overview

Why teach at Pythagoras Academy?

Pythagoras Academy provides an ideal balance of subjects and disciplines with conceptual bridging across arts and the sciences. Each day we support students to engage in a variety of hands-on experiences. We teach them how to apply their interests, motives and talents to reach their full creative potential to solve real world problems.

To facilitate this well-rounded, lifelong learning and growth, we capitalize on the value of learning through the Fine Arts. We are excited by research findings that support our belief that the arts nurture creativity while also assisting cognitive, social and emotional development. It is within the arts that a learner’s most invaluable transferable skills are found: collaboration, creativity, leadership, aesthetics, critical thinking and communication.

Creativity not only builds self-esteem, it also teaches students the value of patience, focus, and constancy of purpose – all qualities that are necessary for success in any field, as well as life in general.

Our Mission, Vision and Values

We strive to create, support and maintain powerful, engaged learning in both the arts and the sciences.

Our foremost goal is to develop our students’ critical thinking. We also emphasize creative thinking, as well as innovation, excellence, aesthetic appreciation, expressiveness and joy. We take inspiration in our educational approach from Pythagoras, a classical Greek philosopher, whose brilliant work informed many of the renaissance humanist ideas, and from there, much of our modern thinking.

Our core values are:

  • Passion: We deeply enjoy the craft of educating, and our focus is on inspiring our students.
  • Technical knowledge: We are knowledgeable about how to help students to gain skills and a deeper understanding of concepts.
  • Curiosity: We are naturally curious about people and ideas.
  • Innovation: We work collaboratively and creatively on the leading edge of current research in the field of education.
  • Social-emotional intelligence: We are skilled at teaching in a way that helps students to feel safe to be themselves and to develop confidence. We are open-minded and open-hearted in everything we do.

Our Unique Programs

Each year we create a full musical theatre production in our elementary school that rivals the high school productions of other schools. We have an outstanding Fine Arts program (which includes music, art, musical theatre) for all elementary students.

Pythagoras Academy has great expertise in helping all students to master academic reading, writing and mathematics. We offer a creative and robust French and Mandarin program, with students performing plays in French.

We are a well-resourced school and can provide many creative and unique opportunities for our students. For example, some of our elementary students compete in an international lego robotics competition.

The Community

Vancouver’s lower mainland is a culturally diverse area with extensive opportunities for both outdoor and cultural pursuits. Being on the West Coast means easy access to water sports and the Gulf Islands, and our close proximity to the mountains allows for access to snow sports in the winter and hiking and mountain biking in the summer.

Our school is based in Richmond, where you will find sports complexes (such as the Richmond Skating oval), shopping, restaurants, art galleries, museums, hospitals, community centres and more.

School Community

Pythagoras Academy provides an extraordinary education for all children. Each child’s unique path to achievement is supported through an academically exciting and challenging program. We have high expectations for all of our students, and support them to reach their full potential in all aspects of achievement – academics, arts, social skills, and community involvement – all of which prepare students for success and personal fulfillment in their lives.

A dynamic, diverse community of teaching professionals works collaboratively, innovating and inspiring one other, as well as their students. The teachers get to know their students closely, and recognize and nurture the intellectual, developmental and cultural uniqueness of each child.

Lifestyle and Recreational Opportunities

The list of recreational and cultural opportunities is long, and includes skiing, kayaking, biking, tennis, golf, hiking, curling, theatre and music.

Draw for Employees

Our collaborative and professional staff support and help each other on big and small projects. Team Leads provide great leadership, supporting new staff and guiding their teams throughout the year. Collaborative times are built into our weekly schedules to ensure we have ample time to solve challenges together and share innovative ideas.

Pythagoras Academy invests in high-quality professional development opportunities (both in house and externally) with a focus on collaborative learning opportunities with practical applications.

Salary and Benefits

Salaries range from $52, 931-$84, 906. We offer medical and dental benefits, a 5% matching RRSP program and sick days and personal days.

Why you’ll love it here

Our staff prides itself on excellence in the area of teamwork. You will be joining a positive and proactive group of people with dynamic energy and a well-rounded knowledge of effective teaching and learning. We are a growing organization with opportunities for leadership. Our school is a particularly good fit for educators with a vision of making a difference in the lives of children. We appreciate new ways of thinking and creativity in unit planning.

Our Thinker In Residence supports our staff to consider leading-edge educational practices and implement these practices in their teaching.

The staff at Pythagoras is very social and there are many ways to connect outside of school hours. We also support teachers’ ideas and encourage staff to “think outside of the box.”

Professional development is well-supported

Once a year, staff select a professional development opportunity ($200 budget) and are able to attend an independent school conference. We also have five additional scheduled professional development days over the year as well as built-in collaboration time in our weekly schedule.

Application Requirements

Please submit copies of your:

  • Cover Letter
  • Resume
  • Degree(s)
  • References