Teaching in Kayenta

We are proud of our home, our heritage, our land. Learn how teaching at Kayenta Unified School District No. 27 not only enriches your career and offers great benefits but also awakens and rejuvenates your senses with its breathtaking beauty. Come visit Kayenta for yourself, and see why this land is truly like no other!

Experience the Joy of Making a Difference

Teachers get an incredible amount of joy in seeing the difference they make as students gain new insights, become more interested in a subject, and learn about themselves. Every day, teachers mold the future by making an impact to their students’ views and understandings. Teachers foster creativity, develop character, help students fashion lenses with which to view the world, and provide students with the skills they need to reach their potential and lead productive lives. Many individuals are attracted to teaching through their sense of service—they want to make a clear, tangible difference in the lives of others. As a teacher, you see the fruits of your efforts every day as you use your intelligence and creativity to help students become excited about and identify the science in their lives. 

About Kayenta

Kayenta, or "Tó Dínéeshzhee'" as it is called in Navajo, is part of the Navajo Nation and is in Navajo County, Arizona. The 93% Native American population is about 5,500. It is located 27 miles south of Monument Valley and contains accommodations to welcome visitors. The Kayenta Township is the only municipal-style government within the Navajo Nation. The Kayenta Chapter is a political subdivision and works in partnership with the Kayenta Township. 

Kayenta is home to the Kayenta Fourth of July Rodeo and the Monument Valley Film Festival and only minutes from the Monument Valley Balloon Fest. Kayenta is centrally located in the northeastern corner of Arizona and is near many great area attractions. Breathtaking landscapes of varying climates and types are just a one to three hour drive away.

About Our District

Kayenta Unified School District is a great place to discover, explore, and work as a teacher. It is where Native American culture and innovation merge to create the future. We welcome you to continue learning while you teach and to touch lives forever. Our district serves a 92% Native American K–12 student population of approximately 2,000. Although there are unique challenges faced by Native students who walk in two worlds, they are eager to learn and blend both their traditions and the modern ways of life.

Landscapes

Kayenta is located near some of the most beautiful landscapes on Navajo land. Thousands of tourists each year are attracted to Kayenta and Monument Valley for its breathtaking scenic wonders and unparalleled beauty of towering formations of red sandstone walls, arches, slot canyons, natural bridges, and sandy desert terrain. The backcountry offers intimate opportunities for solitude, quiet, and the thrill of exploration while respecting nature and the sacred land.

Benefits

Teacher Housing

  • Apartments, townhouses, and houses ranging from one to four bedrooms

  • Monthly rental fees range from $350 to $500, depending on number of bedrooms

  • Utility expenses to tenants include electricity, gas (if applicable), water and sewage, and garbage pick-up

  • Rental fees are subject to change from time to time

Employee Health Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage

  • Dependent coverage is available

Supplemental Pay Opportunities

  • After school tutoring

  • Addendums for extra-curricular activities, sports, department chairs, or grade level leaders

  • Teacher performance pay (Proposition 301)

Districtwide Programs

  • Structured English Immersion

  • McREL’s Classroom Instruction That Works

  • Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teachers

  • Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA)

  • Navajo Language and Culture Orientation

Teacher Loan Forgiveness

The Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program was implemented to encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching profession. Under this program, if you teach full time for five complete and consecutive academic years in certain elementary and secondary schools and educational service agencies that serve low-income families and meet other qualifications, you may be eligible for forgiveness of up to a combined total of $17,500 on your direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans and your subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans.