Lead Teacher

This is a unique role. We are seeking experienced early childhood educators with significant experience working with diverse child and family populations but who are not yet Montessori-credentialed to become Lead Teachers at our Kent Valley school. In this role, you will embark on a six-month intensive Montessori training program before opening your own classroom in early 2025. This training will include teacher onboarding, virtual and live Montessori academic study, in-person training (“residency”), and a classroom practicum. You will receive targeted coaching from Bezos Academy’s in-house Montessori instructional experts and earn your MACTE-accredited Montessori early childhood credential free of charge. You will primarily complete training on-site at your school.

Upon completing the training, you will launch and lead a classroom of up to 20 children ages three through five at our Kent Valley school, part of our network of high quality, tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschools in under-resourced communities. You will plan, prepare, and deliver instructional activities that facilitate active Montessori learning experiences. You will create learning opportunities that support the cognitive, language, social, emotional, and physical development of every child. You will build relationships and communicate regularly with families to support each child’s development. In this role, you will support two assistant teachers and report directly to the Head of School.

To thrive in this role, you must have a strong appetite for learning and improving your practice as an educator, be independently motivated but also excited to learn alongside a cohort, address challenges with vigor and a strong sense of personal accountability to overcome them, and have strong interest in the Montessori pedagogy and its child-centered approach to putting young people on a strong educational trajectory. You should also have honed your skills as an early childhood practitioner, gaining expertise in child development, and have strong communication skills, particularly in working with children and families from diverse backgrounds in low-income communities. Above all, you demonstrate passion for our mission to expand access to high quality preschool in under-resourced communities. This role will require a significant initial commitment, but it is an investment in your long-term development and offers the opportunity to make a critical contribution to the lives of young children.

LOCATION

We are actively hiring for Lead Teachers to embark on this Montessori Intensive Training at our Kent Valley school (317 4th Ave S, Kent, WA 98032), which will open in fall 2024.

We anticipate a June 11, 2024 start date for this intensive training program. In order to open your own classroom in early 2025, you must successfully complete the program and earn your credential before the end of 2024.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, salaried position.
• The full salary range for the Lead Teacher position is $68,000 - $109,000 per year. The upper portions of the salary range are typically reserved for existing employees who demonstrate strong performance over time. Starting salary will vary by qualifications and prior experience.
• This role includes 22 paid days of scheduled breaks, 7 paid days of vacation, 3 paid days of personal time off, 7 paid days of sick (care) time, 10 paid holidays, and additional time off if required by applicable law. Benefits for this role include medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer contribution match, paid parental leave, an employer-matched flexible spending account for dependent care, and more. Please see here for details.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree
• Two or more years of experience as a Lead Teacher, teaching children aged 3-5 years with strong outcomes
• Two or more years of prior work experience with children and families in low-income communities in the US
• Ability to meet all credentialing criteria for lead early childhood teachers in Washington state (with the equivalent of 30 college quarter credits in Early Childhood Education OR hold a valid Washington State Teaching Certificate with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education or Early Childhood Special Education)
• Ability to meet all additional training and eligibility requirements of Washington state, with required documentation uploaded into the MERIT system prior to start of employment
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently through self-paced online training modules
• Experience monitoring and maintaining accurate records on the progress of individual students
• Ability to independently supervise, communicate effectively with, and care for young children safely, including ability to lift a minimum of 40 lbs
• Demonstrated personal commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and experience working across lines of difference
• Willingness to travel, as necessary, for in-person training events

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience teaching or guiding students in a child-led learning environment (i.e., Montessori, Reggio, etc.) 
• Experience working with children with special needs
• Proficient in a language other than English (particularly Spanish)

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Complete the training program and earn a Montessori credential by the end of 2024
• Actively learn in synchronous and asynchronous, in-person and virtual settings, and from multiple coaching and mentoring partners
• Exhibit ownership across the training program to ensure personal growth and development
• Plan, prepare, and deliver instructional activities that facilitate active Montessori learning experiences
• Use the Bezos Academy curriculum and current research-based instructional practices to develop integrated units of instruction that meet both the group and individual needs of students
• Prepare and maintain a clean, orderly, and attractive Montessori environment with the instructional resources needed to meet the development needs of every child in the classroom
• Create an environment that demonstrates rapport with and respect and kindness for, all students as well as between students
• Use Bezos Academy assessment tools/strategies such as observations, children's work samples, continuums of development, portfolios, etc. to help make instructional decisions for individual students
• Monitor and maintain accurate records on the progress of individual students; use school-approved screening and evaluation tools
• Use relevant, approved technology to support instruction
• Communicate necessary information regularly to students, colleagues, and families regarding student progress and student needs
• Establish a positive relationship with families and students, providing regular communication with families about their children
• Maintain teaching skills and participate in professional development activities
• Engage in on-going self-assessment and refinement of practice as well as in collaborative professional growth
• Participate in collegial activities and meetings designed to make the entire school a productive professional learning community
• Support the learning and development of assistant teachers

This role includes 22 paid days of scheduled breaks, 7 paid days of vacation, 3 paid days of personal time off, 7 paid days of sick (care) time, 10 paid holidays, and additional time off if required by applicable law. Benefits for this role include medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer contribution match, paid parental leave, an employer-matched flexible spending account for dependent care, and more