Who We Are

Penland School of Craft is an international center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 423 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 16 teaching studios and 60 historic and contemporary buildings. We are an equal opportunity employer with a staff of 70 and serve 1500 students and 14,000 visitors annually. Penland operates with a $54 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $6.7 million. We are located about an hour northeast of Asheville, NC.  Our mission supports individual and artistic growth through creative practice and discovery.

Commitment to Equity,  Diversity, and Inclusion

Penland welcomes everyone. Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, and other people who identify as people of color or BIPOC individuals are encouraged to apply, as are people holding other marginalized identities related to gender, sexual orientation, ability, and class background.

We believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to fulfilling our mission. We want to inspire and nurture the human spirit, and we value the perspectives and contributions of all people. We want the Penland experience to include varied ideas, world views, and personal characteristics. Penland is committed to being a community that welcomes and respects everyone regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, race, religion, philosophical or political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, geographic origin, and socioeconomic status. We are committed to providing an environment free of discrimination.

Position Summary

The Penland Summer Camp Assistant will provide classroom and administrative support for summer camp activities, working intensively with ten teaching artists and experiencing a variety of teaching styles, techniques, and approaches to instruction. Penland’s Summer Camp is a day camp program serving youth ages 3 to 17. This summer, we will hold six one-week half-day camps, one two-week half-day, and three full-day camps.

Primary Responsibilities

Before and after the camp season:

• Work with the Penland Program Coordinator to prepare the classrooms and playground before the season begins.
• Deep clean and return furniture to its place at the end of the camp season to ready classrooms for the school year.

Daily Tasks:

• Report to work 30 minutes before the start of camp each day to assist with setup.
• Welcome students and manage the daily check-in and check-out process.
• Assist with camp activities as guided by the instructors.
• Prepare, serve, and clean up after snack.
• Clean up tasks at the end of each day, including washing dishes, emptying compost, wiping tables, sanitizing surfaces in bathrooms, and sweeping floors

Weekly Tasks:

• Conduct a brief instructor orientation on Mondays before each camp begins.
• Manage the first aid kits and student emergency folders.
• Monitor the playground hazards (ie. wasps/bees, poison ivy, etc.)
• Photograph camp activities and upload images.
• Collect student evaluations and enter their responses in a spreadsheet.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications (Required)

• Minimum of one year of experience working with children, preferably in a range of ages.
• Love working with children and have the ability to nurture a fun and positive camp environment.
• Ability to successfully attend to an individual child’s needs while also keeping an eye on the group.
• Ability to be diplomatic and maintain composure with a diverse group of children with varying needs.
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
• Strong communication skills.
• Flexibility.
• Must have current COVID vaccination and boosters or a Penland-approved exemption.

Qualifications (Desired)

• Completed coursework in the field of education.
• Strong interest in the arts.
• Spanish language proficiency.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Close attention to detail.

Physical Demands

This position requires the applicant to walk unaided up and down hills and over uneven terrain, bend, stoop, reach above their head, have use of fine and gross motor skills, and work in close quarters. The applicant must have normal visual acuity at near and far distance with correction and hear the spoken word with correction. The applicant must be fluent in English. The position demands frequent exposure to inclement weather. While performing the duties of this job, the applicant is regularly required to sit and work at a computer. The applicant is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls and talk fluently. The applicant must occasionally lift and/or move heavy objects weighing up to 75 pounds.

Compensation

The position is for 40 hours per week for 7.5 weeks from mid-June to early August. The assistant’s schedule will be determined each week based on the camp schedule. Some weeks the schedule may be lighter and others it may be heavier, but it will not exceed 40 hours. Hours will be contained to a time window of 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. The hourly rate of pay is $13.50.  Employees are eligible for the staff summer camp benefit if they have a family member (child, grandchild, niece, or nephew) interested in attending. The benefit is the tuition for one half-day camp, not including materials fees.

To Apply

The position will remain open until filled, however, the initial review of applications will consist of applications received by March 15, 2022. Send resume and cover letter addressing relevant experience and interest in the position, personal contact information, and email contact information for at least three references to Alyse Ostreicher, Human Resources Manager, employment@penland.org. Please include Summer Camp Assistant as the subject of your email.