Preschool Teacher

SALARY RANGE: $54,630 - $114,862 Annually based on degree, student contact hours, and FTE

JOB SUMMARY

The Mid-Pacific Preschool Teacher creates a safe, inclusive, inquiry-rich learning environment grounded in Reggio Emilia–inspired principles and a view of children as capable, competent, and full of potential. As a teacher-researcher, the Teacher listens, observes, documents, interprets, and reflects on children’s thinking to develop emergent curriculum and meaningful project work. The Teacher partners with families and collaborates as an equal member of the Preschool team—including the Pedagogista, Atelierista, fellow Teachers, and Assistant Teachers—while sharing responsibility for children’s learning, care, and safety.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Teaching, Learning, and Classroom Practice

• Provide in-person day-to-day classroom teaching, guidance, management, and active supervision of children in indoor and outdoor settings.
• Build positive, respectful, responsive relationships with children; recognize their individual strengths, identities, interests, and developmental needs.
• Support social-emotional growth, independence, self-regulation, relationships, and developmentally appropriate conflict resolution.
• Collaborate with the Preschool team on daily routines, schedules, curriculum, learning experiences, and consistent classroom practices.
• Use observation, conversation, questions, and children’s work to inform teaching decisions and respond to emerging learning needs.
• Participate actively in team planning, reflection, and analysis of children’s experiences; contribute to the wider life of the school.

Reggio Emilia–Inspired Learning and Project Work

• Approach children as capable, competent protagonists in their own learning; honor their theories, questions, interests, and multiple ways of expressing understanding.
• Act as a teacher-researcher: observe and listen closely, develop hypotheses, document learning, interpret children’s thinking, and reflect with colleagues.
• Collaborate with the Pedagogista, Atelierista, fellow Teachers, and Assistant Teachers to develop, sustain, and revisit meaningful short- and long-term inquiries.
• Design thoughtful provocations, materials, experiences, and environments that invite exploration, relationships, creativity, and deeper investigation.
• Remain open to unexpected directions and multiple possibilities rather than predetermining inquiry outcomes; use reflective dialogue to shape curriculum.
• Contribute to Project Stories and other documentation of group inquiry; plan and coordinate research trips, risk assessments, transportation, family communication, materials, and child-specific needs in accordance with school procedures.
• Identify and request curricular materials, play equipment, and supplies that support emerging projects.

Pedagogical Documentation and Learning Stories

• Observe and capture significant learning through photographs, video, audio, children’s words, drawings, constructions, conversations, and work samples.
• Transcribe conversations as appropriate; collect, label, organize, securely store, and maintain physical and digital documentation files.
• Review, analyze, and interpret documentation with the Preschool team to make children’s thinking, development, relationships, and learning processes visible and to inform curriculum.
• Create and contribute to documentation panels, classroom displays, galleries, blogs, and other communications that share the learning process with children and families.
• Share responsibility for writing individual Learning Stories and group Project Stories, including thoughtful observation, interpretation, and analysis.
• Collaborate with the Pedagogista, Atelierista, Teachers, and Assistant Teachers on drafting and review; complete revisions, editing, labeling, submission, and final storage within established timelines.

Assessment and Family Conferences

• Use ongoing observation, pedagogical documentation, professional reflection, and child-development knowledge to assess each child’s growth, interests, strengths, and needs.
• Use evidence of learning to inform classroom practice and communicate a nuanced understanding of each child’s development.
• Prepare for, participate in, and lead assigned family conferences; write and revise conference summaries and reports following appropriate review.
• Maintain accurate, organized, and confidential student records and complete required reports within established timelines.

Learning Environment

• Prepare the classroom before children arrive and cultivate the environment as the “third teacher”—welcoming, aesthetically thoughtful, inclusive, accessible, and responsive to children’s inquiries.
• Collaboratively plan classroom flow and organization; intentionally select, present, rotate, replenish, and make materials accessible to children.
• Maintain the cleanliness, readability, organization, safety, and aesthetic quality of learning spaces; clean and disinfect materials according to procedures.
• Regularly evaluate and adapt how spaces and materials foster independence, relationships, creativity, inquiry, and engagement.

Child Health, Safety, and Well-Being

• Share responsibility with all Preschool team members for children’s health, safety, care, and active, attentive supervision throughout the school day, including playground and outdoor learning.
• Maintain awareness of children’s whereabouts, activities, interactions, and individual needs; use safe, respectful, developmentally appropriate physical interactions.
• Follow school health, safety, child protection, and licensing procedures; respond appropriately to accidents, injuries, medical concerns, and emergencies.
• Ensure learning spaces, materials, and equipment are safe and appropriately maintained.
• Prioritize children’s active supervision, care, safety, and well-being over documentation, email, administrative tasks, or other responsibilities.

Family Partnerships and Communication

• Build trusting, respectful, responsive, and reciprocal relationships with families as essential partners in children’s learning.
• Communicate thoughtfully, accurately, and regularly through informal conversations, email, telephone, classroom blogs, program updates, conferences, and family meetings.
• Share children’s learning through Learning Stories, pedagogical documentation, galleries, displays, and other established channels; participate in family education opportunities.
• Discuss sensitive concerns with the Pedagogista and/or Principal as appropriate; protect family and child confidentiality and share information only with those with a legitimate professional need to know.

Collaboration, Materials, and Professional Responsibilities

• Work as an equal collaborative partner with the Pedagogista, Atelierista, fellow Teachers, Assistant Teachers, Principal, and other school personnel; this position does not supervise other staff.
• Contribute to shared classroom and program responsibilities, clear communication, collaborative decision-making, and a respectful professional culture.
• Participate constructively in meetings, planning, documentation analysis, and pedagogical dialogue; ask questions, share interpretations, and welcome differing perspectives.
• Give and receive professional feedback; address challenges directly and respectfully through constructive dialogue and shared problem-solving.
• Coordinate classroom practices and routines with Assistant Teachers without exercising personnel supervision.
• Identify, order through approved procedures, organize, maintain, and responsibly use materials, technology, cameras, audio equipment, and other documentation tools; return and prepare equipment for reuse.
• Arrive prepared and on time; meet deadlines; maintain accurate records; attend required faculty and team meetings, professional learning, conferences, open houses, performances, and school events.
• Engage in continuous learning and reflective practice in early childhood education, Reggio Emilia–inspired pedagogy, and contemporary educational theory.

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Participate in the development of a safe and healthy workplace.
• Comply with the instructions given for their own safety and health and that of others, in adhering to safe work procedures.
• Take reasonable care to ensure their own safety and health and that of others.
• Report any injury, hazard or illness immediately to their Supervisor and Human Resources.
• Not place others at risk by any act or omission, not willfully or recklessly interfere with safety equipment.
• Act as a role model by demonstrating safe work behaviors.
• Identify, assess if necessary, and control hazards within the area of responsibility.
• Ensure that equipment/supplies are properly maintained.
• Maintain relevant knowledge of safety laws.
• Mandatory reporting of sexual abuse to law enforcement or child protective services, and Human Resources. Sexual abuse includes child molestation, any actual or alleged illegal or otherwise wrongful sexual conduct with a minor, and serial sexual misconduct, any actual or alleged illegal or otherwise wrongful sexual conduct with more than one victim; and committed by or alleged to have been committed by any perpetrator who is not a student of an included entity.
• Develop safe work procedures and ensure adherence to procedures.
• Ensure compliance of safety policies and procedures.
• Communicate safety issues with employees.
• Ensure that employees are provided with information, instruction, training and supervision that they need to work safely.
• Ensure that employees are aware of and abide by all relevant safety procedures.
• Encourage early reporting of incidents and forward information to Manager and Human Resources immediately.

TEACHER PROFILE

• Fostering Effective Relationships: The Teacher builds positive working relationships with the classroom, school, and local community.
• Establishing an Inclusive Learning Environment: The Teacher creates a safe, caring environment that is inclusive of and engaging for all learners.
• Demonstrating a Professional Body of Knowledge: The Techer shows an understanding of content knowledge and an appreciation for ongoing learning in the discipline.
• Validating a Professional Pedagogy: The Teacher ensures that every student is provided quality and optimum learning experiences.
• Inspiring Instructional Leadership: The Teacher models practices that support evidence-informed teaching and learning and motivates and inspires others to excellence.

QUALIFICATIONS and/or EXPERIENCE

The following qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities are required for successful performance in this role.

Education and Professional Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education with significant coursework in Early Childhood Education; Child Development; or a closely related field.
• Significant professional experience working with young children in an early childhood setting and demonstrated knowledge of developmentally appropriate practice.
• Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Child Development, or a related field preferred.
• Experience with or substantial professional learning in the Reggio Emilia Approach strongly preferred; approximately four or more years in a Reggio Emilia–inspired setting preferred.

Knowledge and Expertise

• Knowledge of child development, inquiry-based curriculum, emergent project work, pedagogical documentation, and reflective assessment.
• Commitment to the image of the child as capable and competent, families as partners, and the environment as the third teacher.

Technical Skills

• Ability to use cameras, audio/video tools, digital documentation systems, email, and common educational technology responsibly.
• Ability to organize and securely maintain digital student records and documentation.

Communication and Collaboration Skills

• Strong oral and written communication, including family communication, documentation, and Learning Stories.
• Ability to collaborate respectfully with colleagues, share responsibility, and engage in reflective dialogue and constructive problem-solving.

Professional Competencies

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Curiosity, flexibility, empathy, professionalism, accountability, and a commitment to continuous learning.
• Strong organization, time management, follow-through, and regular and predictable attendance at work.

WORK SCHEDULE

This is a full-time, in-person, 10-month position. Regular program hours are 7:15 a.m.–2:45 p.m. Hours may be adjusted to maintain teacher-to-student ratios in accordance with DHS licensing requirements and to meet professional responsibilities, including conferences, meetings, school events, professional learning, and documentation. Teachers receive a 30-minute lunch break, generally between 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., scheduled to ensure appropriate supervision of children. Regular and predictable attendance at work is required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Our campus consists of multiple buildings on 44 hilly acres that requires frequent walking including uphill and stairs. The individual is required to talk and hear, often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel and to manipulate keys on a keyboard. The employee may be required to stand, walk, lift and carry approximately 10-15 pounds, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, bend, kneel, crouch or crawl. Requires close vision.

MENTAL DEMANDS

On a daily basis, must frequently problem solve, make decisions, interpret data, organize, speak, write, plan, and clearly communicate.

EQUIPMENT USE

Frequently uses: telephone, computer, iPad, Google Apps for Education, Blackbaud Education Edge Database. Occasionally uses: copiers, printers, and other office hardware.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Indoor work is frequent. Outdoor work, loud noise, and exposure to cold/hot temperatures may occur occasionally.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Mid-Pacific Institute provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, marital status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.