Head Teacher Lower School

Bank Street College of Education; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Bank Street College of Education is seeking an experienced Head Teacher for 1st Grade to commence on August 31, 2026. This full-time, ten-month position offers a salary of $60,000 – $115,000, and requires innovative curriculum development and collaboration with an Associate Teacher.

The ideal candidate will be committed to progressive education, mentoring teachers, and fostering strong family and community engagement in support of students' social-emotional development.

Qualifications

• Passionate and skilled in curriculum development and instruction.
• Commitment to progressive, equity-focused education.

Responsibilities

• Plan and teach lessons aligned with children's developmental needs.
• Design culturally responsive curriculum emphasizing social studies.
• Collaborate with learning specialists to support diverse learning needs.

Skills

Collaborative teaching

Child-centered education

Progressive education

Instructional technology

Education

Extensive experience teaching at the elementary level

Job description

Head Teacher, 1st Grade – Start Date: August 31, 2026 – Salary: $60,000 – $115,000 (covered by the Professional Employees' Federation (PEF)) – Schedule: 10‑month position, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, with one extended day per week until 5:00 PM for section meetings.

About the Position – The Bank Street School for Children is seeking a passionate and skilled Head Teacher for 1st Grade. This is a full‑time, 10‑month position in which the teacher takes primary responsibility for curriculum development, instruction, and assessment across all subject areas while working closely with an Associate Teacher, subject‑area specialists, and families. The Head Teacher will mentor the Associate Teacher and provide guidance for their professional growth. The ideal candidate is collaborative, child‑centered, and deeply committed to progressive, equity‑focused education with extensive experience teaching at the elementary level.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and teach lessons in all subject areas, including math, language arts, social studies, and science, aligned with children's developmental needs and Bank Street's progressive curriculum framework.
• Design culturally responsive, interdisciplinary curriculum with special emphasis on social studies as the core of classroom life and learning.
• Apply knowledge of strategy‑based literacy and mathematics instruction; use data to differentiate learning for all students.
• Design and maintain a materials‑rich classroom environment that reflects the curriculum and the current work of the children.
• Create and prepare materials that serve the curriculum.
• Lead engaging morning meetings and community‑building practices (e.g., Responsive Classroom) that support the social‑emotional development of each child.
• Use a range of instructional technologies to support and enhance student learning.

Student Support and Assessment

• Enable the social‑emotional, physical, and intellectual development of every child as a primary professional responsibility.
• Meet the needs of the whole class while providing individualized instruction and support.
• Collaborate with the student learning and support team, which includes learning specialists and a school psychologist, to support students with diverse learning needs.
• Write two comprehensive narrative reports per year on each student's progress, along with weekly classroom updates to families.

Collaboration with Colleagues

• Mentor and provide weekly supervisory support to an Associate Teacher.
• Serve as cooperating practitioner for graduate students placed in the classroom; plan cooperatively with the classroom team and hold weekly supervisory meetings.
• Meet with graduate students and their advisor from Graduate Programs three times per semester, depending on their degree program.
• Collaborate with subject‑area specialists (art, music, library, shop, P.E./movement, Spanish) to design and implement curriculum.
• Participate in weekly age‑group and all‑staff meetings; meet regularly with your division supervisor.

Family and Community Engagement

• Hold two formal parent‑teacher conferences per year and remain available for additional meetings as needed.
• Communicate regularly with families about student progress, classroom life, and school events.
• Work collaboratively with parents to increase mutual knowledge and understanding of the children.