Overview
Alzar School teachers motivate, inspire, and educate our students both in and out of the classroom. They are passionate educators who are excited to share their knowledge of content areas, enthusiasm for the outdoors, and curiosity for cultural learning.
Alzar School is a semester school for students in 10th and 11th grades. We are a nonprofit, accredited independent school. Our students are highly motivated teenagers who want to make a difference in the world. Alzar School’s main campus is in Cascade, Idaho, but each semester includes extended cultural immersion in Chile. Faculty travel with the students to Chile, living and working there for approximately 7-8 weeks each semester. Alzar School offers students challenging and engaging instruction at Honors or AP level. Additionally, Alzar School teachers serve as outdoor instructors on either backpacking (multi-day, backcountry settings) or whitewater kayaking and/or rafting expeditions. Each semester, students and faculty spend four weeks on expedition (North America / Rocky Mountains and in Patagonia, Chile). We accomplish our mission to ‘build leaders who positively impact the world’ through the intersection of academics, outdoor adventure, and cultural immersion. As a school community, we value diverse experience, perspectives, identities, and skill sets.
Teacher contracts are for a two-year minimum commitment. New teacher training begins July 27, 2026. Our fall semester begins in Idaho and ends in Chile, and our Spring semester begins in Chile and ends in Idaho. Winter break for faculty is Dec.24, 2026- Jan.10, 2027. Faculty have the choice to return to the US during this time, or stay in Chile (with access to Alzar School housing, vehicles, kayaks etc.). Work for the 2026-2027 school year concludes May 26, 2027. Over summer, teachers have approximately two months off.
Qualifications:
- strong knowledge of content area (either through past studies, professional experience, or direct teaching experience)
- demonstrates passion and enthusiasm for the content
- adaptable, able to take challenges in stride
- strong communication and interpersonal skills
- robust experience either 1) backpacking or 2) whitewater rafting and/or kayaking or 3) transferable skills from another outdoor sport
We invite applicants from a variety of backgrounds to apply, and firmly believe that a divers
About Alzar School + Gap
Alzar School is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Our mission is to “build leaders who positively impact the world.” We do this through various programs and learning opportunities, principally as a semester high school for 10th-11th grade students. In addition to the semester we offer a growing slate of programs including gap semesters, short summer courses, a center in Chile (Base Patagonia), and a commercial raft company (Confluences River Expeditions). We believe that experiential learning happens powerfully at the intersection of academics, outdoor adventure, and cultural exchange. As a school community, we value diverse experiences, perspectives, identities, and skill sets.
