Summer Boats Guide

Preuzmite prijevod na hrvatski jezik.

Program Overview

The Field School of Hvar is a family slow travel program on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. Our values are stewardship, enlightenment, and dignity. Our mission is to create a place where families can live well; to develop a community on Hvar that sequesters carbon, enhances biodiversity, and enriches the heritage of the island through its everyday activities; and to create a pedagogy centered on community that can inform other schools around the world. Read more about our mission and values here.

Field offers a summer program, which is more like camp, and an academic-year program, which has more robust learning goals in literacy, math, history, and science. In the 2026-27 year, our focus in history will be the pre-historic and ancient world. Our focus in science will be biology, taxonomy, and anatomy. Hvar is a phenomenal classroom for both subject areas – with numerous active archaeological sites and easy access to diverse ecosystems. Read more about our summer program.

Location

The Field School of Hvar is based in the reception building of the Fontana Resort, which is located in the small seaside town of Jelsa on island Hvar. Families and teachers generally stay at the Fontana or in Jelsa, creating a village atmosphere. Our core school facilities for consist of:

• A 220sm learning center, which houses a simple makerspace, learning materials, and a large, unshaded terrace. There is a bathroom here and cubbies.

• Walking access to a variety of beaches, which range from busy and exposed to secluded and shady.

• A private garden with 3 raised beds. There is a bathroom here, a covered terrace, and a climate-controlled interior in case a child is unwell or needs to rest. This is a pleasant one-hour walk with children or a 5-minute drive.

Learners also spend a great deal of time in public spaces which are within walking distance of the Learning Center, such as fields, villages, museums, and parks.

Dates

This is a permanent role beginning on Monday, June 1, 2026. Summer program dates are as follows:

• Summer 2026

  • Session 1: June 13 - June 27

  • Session 2: June 27 - July 11

  • Session 3: July 11 - July 25

  • Session 4: July 25 - August 8

  • Session 5: August 8 - August 22

Hours

This is a full-time role. Summer hours are from 1pm-9pm. Faculty hour is from 1pm-2pm.

Reports to

This role reports to the Academic Dean.

Job Summary

Our boating theme, which we call “Explorers,” is one of three summer tracks for children ages five through ten. This program is not a sailing or a boatmaking course. It is about creating a deep encounter with the history and identity of the Adriatic through one of its most iconic objects: the boat. The track will incorporate elements of boatmaking, carpentry, nautical history and lore, navigation, sailing, paddling, fishing and/or marine biology, depending on the strengths and passions of the Guide.

The key project or output of the Explorers track is a “wacky regatta.” Children form small groups to craft small boats that channel a legend or episode in the history of Dalmatia, such as prehistoric explorers, Greek colonists, pirate princes, Venetian traders, Marco Polo, or partisan fighters. These boats are constructed out of found or recycled materials. Learners “race” the boats in a small canal at the end of each session and also present a skit showcasing the story and learning behind their creation. These small boats are also an opportunity for learners to experiment with concepts like drag, buoyancy, and current. We use a curriculum called Destination Imagination to support general creativity and collaboration skills, as well as more specific lesson materials for relevant history and science topics.

The Explorers Guide will rotate through age groups over the course of the summer, which is comprised of five 2-week sessions. The age groups are as follows:

• Six 5- and 6-year olds

• Eight 7- and 8-year olds

• Ten children ages 9 and older

Typical Schedules

A typical day flows as follows:

• Begin in Learning Center with all-school circle. Children sing a Croatian song and practice a few words

• Break into age groups. Set the stage for the day with a tutorial. For younger children, this could be a story. For older children, it might be a science lesson. Groups then go outside to do nature study, experiments, or skill development.

• Pause for a meal. To reduce time lost to transitions, this is generally eaten outside, picnic-style where students have been spending the first part of the day.

• The second part of the day is dedicated to project work. In the summer, each theme has an associated project. For example, the Explorers build models of historic boats using upcycled materials. During the academic year, projects will connect academic learning in science and history with community service.

• Return to Learning Center for book buddies with older learners and pick-up.

• Faculty hour is used to prepare materials for the day, manage paperwork, and get support from colleagues for any questions or challenges.

Typical week:

• In general, we aim to spend two afternoons or evenings each week on ancient history and two on biology.

• In the summer, one day each week is a field trip – usually a boat trip to a nearby uninhabited island called Zečevo (Rabbit Island), which offers a forest-school atmosphere. In the fall, field trips are more varied.

• Whenever possible, field trips will be led by parent chaperones, allowing the Guide a working day each week to host workshops for local children and adults, as well as time for lesson planning, project preparation, and classroom maintenance.

• The end of the day Friday is always an all-school showcase with parents. These are generally fairly short, but are longer at the conclusion of a project, when parental involvement is often welcome.

Key Responsibilities

Learning Design

The Academic Dean and Director will provide the Early Years Guide with a behavior handbook, curricula for literacy, phonics, science, and history, as well as necessary materials. The Guide is responsible for thoroughly digesting and weighing these resources, adapting them to his or her own strengths and style, and for building group culture through his or her own repertoire of games, rituals, and strategies.

Teaching

• Ensure the safety and well-being of 6 or more children in indoor and outdoor environments.

• Implement a high-quality place-based curriculum that ties to international learning standards and reflects the Field School of Hvar’s educational mission.

• Guide children to articulate and uphold their own norms, use restorative justice strategies for managing conflict, and maintain clear and consistent communications on behavior management with colleagues and parents.

• Collaborate with fellow educators and staff, creating a wholesome, supportive and positive work environment.

• Communicate with parents and report medical or behavioral incidents in accordance with school policies.

• Offer a positive and informative presence to parents in informal settings, especially pick-up and drop-off. In general, the Academic Dean and Director handle private meetings with individual families should issues or concerns arise.

• Administer first aid and outdoor rescue should the need arise.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in elementary education, child development, or a related field preferred.

• Further certification in nature-based education, classical education, and other child-centered pedagogies is preferred.

• Formal training in topics related to nature, outdoor recreation, and artisanship is preferred.

• Lifeguard and child first aid training are preferred. If a successful applicant does not have lifeguard training, he or she must obtain it before starting work.

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years of professional childcare or education experience.

• Prior experience and passion for project-based learning, outdoor education, history, and/or science is preferred.

• Personal experience or affinity for fishing, boating, marine biology, and Mediterranean history is very welcome.

Skills

• Patience, empathy, and a passion for working with children in an alternative education environment.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for teamwork and parent communications.

• Physical resilience to work with children outdoors in hot or rainy weather is essential.

• Responsive Classroom, Conscious Discipline, or similar backgrounds.

• Croatian/dialect language skills and knowledge of island Hvar are preferred.

Salary and Benefits

• Salary is €375/week which is €4,500 in total

• Accommodation is included: a private, one-bedroom apartment at the Fontana Resort, which is where our program is located and an easy 10-minute walk from the town of Jelsa

• All benefits and protections in accordance with Croatian law for seasonal work contracts

• 20% tuition discount for children

Please note that The Field School of Hvar cannot consider candidates who do not have the legal right to work in the European Union.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Field School of Hvar is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.