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How to Apply for the Outdoor Science Teacher Position 

Application Steps

  • Familiarize yourself with our program and the job by examining this web site, or by giving us a call. If you decide to apply, then:
  • Send your cover letter, resume, and any other application materials you have ready to the L.A. County Office of Education and to all sites.
  • Call the school sites to set up an interview date and time.
  • Complete the remaining application materials (if any) and send them to the County Office and the school sites.
  • Show up for your interview.

 

Application Materials

Select the links below, or continue scrolling down this page to read a description of each of the items listed. A completed application consists of:

 

Common Application Questions

Application Materials

These items do not need to be sent all at once. If all you have right now are a résumé and cover letter, then go ahead and send them. At least that gets you into our applicant pool quickly. You can send the other items as you get them completed. The paperwork items should be sent to the address for Gary Widdison listed on the contact page. It would be VERY helpful if you would also send or fax copies to each site. You can contact any of the site directors to set up an interview or ask questions.

Cover Letter
It is very important to include in your cover letter detailed information on how to contact you. Occasionally, very qualified people have been passed over simply because they did not keep in contact with us, and we did not have sufficient information to contact them. Please make sure we know how to contact you throughout the entire length of the hiring process (through the end of June). It might also be helpful to include in your cover letter the dates when you are available to interview.

Résumé
Self-explanatory. You all know what a résumé is.

Short personal biography
Anything from a couple of paragraphs to one page is fine.

College transcripts
These don't need to be official transcripts. Copies of unofficial transcripts are fine. We just want to see what classes you have taken.

References
Letters of recommendation are O.K. If you have some, by all means include them. Names and phone numbers are even better. We want to have people to call who know you. Include a minimum of three references, at least one of which (preferably more) is a recent employer/supervisor.

LACOSS Application Form
Most items on the application form are self-explanatory, with the possible exception of "Location". Some people apply to LACOSS with no preference for the site to which they would be assigned. Some prefer one site over the other, but would accept a position at any site if offered. Other applicants would only accept a position at a specific site. The "Location" blank is the place to list your preferences, if any.

Interview
We strongly encourage all applicants to interview in California at one or more of our school sites. Not only do we want to meet you, but we want you to interview us. We want you to see where you would be working, meet the folks you'd be working with, see your housing options, etc. We want you to be sure LACOSS is a place that fits your needs and goals. It's very difficult for us to determine if you are a good fit for LACOSS based on a phone interview, and it's equally difficult for you to determine if LACOSS is a good fit for you. A lot of preference will be given to applicants who take the initiative to interview in person

Interviewing at more than one site might significantly increase your chances of being offered a position. You should plan to interview at any site at which you are interested in working. In other words, if you would accept a position at any of our school sites, you should interview at each of those sites. Conversely, if you would only accept a position at one specific site, then there is little reason to interview at the other.

Plan to spend at least a half day at each site you are visiting. We can provide overnight accommodations for you at either of the school sites. Be prepared to present a 20-30 minute lesson to students during your visit. Planning a lesson which integrates with the LACOSS curriculum would be a good idea. All interviews should be completed by early June for fall positions.

If you are flying to California to interview, the best airports to use would be either Los Angeles International (LAX) or Ontario. Plan on renting a car or arranging other transportation for yourself from the airport to the school sites. It's about 300 miles round-trip from any of the airports to both sites and returning to the same airport. When you set up an interview, we will provide you with directions to the sites.

Occasionally we have more openings to fill than applicants who have interviewed in person. In those situations, we are sometimes forced to hire based upon phone interviews, and/or to extend our closing date. If you are unable to interview in person but still want to be considered, you can increase your chances significantly by sending us a video of you teaching a lesson to students. If you do not interview in person, and do not send a teaching video, your chances of being offered a position are very slim.

Common Application Questions

Can I apply online?
We don't have an online application process, but you can send your application materials via email. Sending your documents as PDF's is best.

Do I really need to come to California for an interview?
It's not absolutely essential, but is STRONGLY encouraged. We will fill any openings we can with applicants who have interviewed in person. Only if we still have openings would we consider hiring based on phone interviews, and that's pretty uncommon. If you are serious about working for us, you really should plan to interview in person. One of our goals is to make the Outdoor Science Teacher job as much like a professional teaching position as possible, and we expect professionalism on the part of our applicants. We realize that traveling to California may be a significant expense for out-of-state applicants, but we rarely hire based upon phone interviews. We don't wish to burden you with the cost of an unproductive trip, but neither can we assure you a position prior to an interview. Contacting us by phone or email can be an effective way to determine your chances and help you decide whether to spend the money to travel to California for an interview.

I live in Canada (or the UK, or Venezuela, or India, or ...). Can I apply?
Yes, you may apply. We would be glad to hire folks from outside the US. Please be aware, though, that you need to have legal permission to work in the US already set up before applying. We have neither the time, knowledge, nor finances to assist you in obtaining visas or other immigrant documentation necessary for work in the US.

This is important so let me repeat it. If you do not have legal permission to work in the United States of America, then please do not apply. If you apply anyway, all you are doing is wasting both your time and ours.

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© LACOSS, 2012
Last Revised: April 11, 2012
Comments or Questions? webmaster@OutdoorScienceSchool.org