1st Grade Class Teacher

AWSNA: Assoc. of Waldorf Schools of N. America; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 56,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full tuition remission for faculty children

Health care including vision and dental

Simple IRA retirement savings plan

Financial assistance for continuing education

Job summary

Camellia Waldorf School in Sacramento is seeking a Lead Teacher for the First Grade for the 2026-2027 school year. The ideal candidate will embody warmth, humor, and professionalism, creating a nurturing classroom environment while collaborating with colleagues and parents.

The position requires a Bachelor’s degree and completion of Waldorf teacher training. Responsibilities include planning lessons, supervising students, and engaging with families. Benefits include health care, retirement plan, and competitive salary.

Qualifications

• Completed Waldorf teacher training.
• Must have successful teaching experience.
• Demonstrate commitment to self-development beyond the classroom.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the orderliness and warmth of the classroom.
• Plan and prepare all lessons in line with Waldorf pedagogy.
• Supervise students during class times.
• Support the development of an Assistant Teacher.
• Participate in required faculty meetings.
• Develop strong relationships with families.
• Write midyear and year-end student reports.
• Plan and supervise field trips.
• Engage in professional development activities.

Skills

Successful teaching experience

Commitment to self-development

Strong relationship with anthroposophy

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Completed Waldorf teacher training

Job description

Overview

Camellia Waldorf School seeks applicants for a rising First Grade Class for the 2026-2027 school year. Teaching first grade requires humor, warmth, and a strong sense of form and boundaries. Camellia seeks to maintain the health of the teachers and support the continued study of anthroposophy. We are looking for teachers committed to working collaboratively with colleagues and our parent community.

Lead Teachers at Camellia Waldorf School hold the heart of the educational experience. They bring warmth, clarity, imagination, and professionalism to the classroom while partnering closely with colleagues and families. Lead Teachers nurture a learning environment that supports the healthy development of each child and strengthens the fabric of the school community.

About: We are located on the ancestral lands of the Maidu people in the serene Pocket Area of Sacramento CA. Camellia Waldorf School, founded in 1989, is an AWSNA-accredited school with 188 students from diverse backgrounds. Our 3-acre campus is nestled on the bank of the Sacramento River beneath towering pines. Camellia’s strong and devoted community boasts dedicated parents and friends, with a Board of Trustees made up of current parents, faculty members, and enthusiastic parents of long-graduated alums.

Camellia is committed to bringing the fullest curriculum to one of the most diverse Waldorf School student bodies in North America. We offer classes from preschool through eighth grade, and our program includes Spanish, Strings, Choir, Handwork, Woodworking, Movement, Gardening, Circus Arts and Sports teams.

Essential Job Duties

• Classroom Environment: Ensure the orderliness, cleanliness, beauty, and warmth of the classroom as a “second teacher.” Create and maintain a developmentally appropriate and inviting learning space. Ensure appropriate student supplies are ordered, distributed, and maintained. Manage classroom supply and field trip and food budgets responsibly.
• Curriculum, Planning, and Teaching: Plan and prepare all lessons, including the submission of an annual plan at the start of each school year. Deliver developmentally appropriate, engaging, and student-centered lessons in alignment with Waldorf pedagogy.
• Supervise students during class times, including snack and lunch. Implement agreed upon accommodations from Student Support Plans.
• Assistant Teacher Development: Supervise and support the development of an Assistant Teacher, when assigned and pending enrollment. Offer guidance, feedback, and regular check-ins to promote a healthy and collaborative working relationship.
• Punctuality and Schedule: Maintain punctuality and reliability, including being on campus from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Follow daily and weekly schedules and contribute to the smooth flow of the school day.
• Faculty Participation and Committees: Actively serve on two faculty committees. Attend and participate in all required meetings, including Full Faculty Meeting, Three Sectors Meeting, Section Meeting, Peer Support Meetings, August and June Meetings, February Conference Week. Attend all required school trainings (e.g., safety, sexual harassment, mandated reporter).
• Family and Community Engagement: Host four class family meetings per year. Serve as the primary point of communication for families. Develop strong relationships with families built on warmth, respect, and healthy communication. Provide biweekly updates to all class families. Call, email, and meet with parents as needed. Plan and lead two parent-teacher conferences per student per academic year. Participate in all events and festivals in which the class is involved. Respond to all parent communications within 48 hours.
• Student Reports and Documentation: Write midyear reports (Grades 4–8) and year-end reports. File incident and behavior reports in a timely manner and notify parents when such reports are filed.
• Field Trips: Plan field trips and submit proposals for approval. Coordinate logistics with the school and families. Lead and supervise students during all field trips.
• School Events & Activities: Participate in all events that involve one’s own class and/or happen during a school day, including assemblies, concerts/recitals, Michaelmas, Winter Spiral, Winter Faire, and May Day. Participate in other community events and ceremonies regardless of class involvement or the day of the week, including Outdoor Work Day (before school year begins), School Blessing Day, Opening Day, Welcoming Picnic, and Graduation.
• Professional Development: Participate in all professional development activities scheduled during the school year and, when applicable, in the summer. Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to deepening one’s understanding of child development, Waldorf pedagogy, and best teaching practices.
• Community Building: Foster a strong sense of community within the classroom and among families. Model inclusive, compassionate, and collaborative engagement.
• Alignment with Waldorf Education: Lead Teachers are expected to embody the values of Waldorf education, bringing reverence, imagination, rhythm, and developmental insight to their work. In partnership with colleagues, families, and students, Lead Teachers help sustain the warmth and excellence that define our school community.

Qualifications

• Our ideal candidate will have completed Waldorf teacher training, have successful teaching experience, possess a strong relationship with anthroposophy, and demonstrate a commitment to self-development beyond the classroom.
• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Must complete LiveScan background check and TB testing prior to hiring.

Employment Details

Benefits include full tuition remission for faculty children, health care including vision and dental, Simple IRA retirement savings plan, competitive salary with CA Waldorf Schools, and financial assistance for continuing education and professional development.

Salary Range: $56,000-$70,000.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter, resume, personal biographical statement, and professional references to [e-mail].

Learn more at our website https://www.camelliawaldorf.org/