Lead Infant Guide *housing available*

American Montessori Society Inc; Town of Rhinebeck (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing on-campus

Job summary

Wildflower Montessori in the Hudson Valley seeks a Lead Guide for the Nido classroom (6–18 months). You’ll build a responsive, child-led environment with outdoors daily learning and deep family partnerships.

The role emphasizes warm, nurturing support, developmentally appropriate guidance, and collaboration with a growing team. Start date Sept 2026, with transition to Lead Infant in Jan 2027.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience working specifically with infants.
• Commitment to Montessori Infant‑Toddler (0–3) credential or ongoing enrollment.
• Associate degree in Early Childhood OR CDA credential.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain a purposeful, curated environment for infants.
• Build strong, trusting relationships with families.
• Lead daily outdoor immersion and sensory exploration.
• Mentor the Assistant Guide and foster collaboration.
• Ensure compliance with NYS OCFS regulations (sleep, feeding, hygiene).
• Participate in school events, meetings, and professional development.

Skills

Customer focus

Education

Associate degree in Early Childhood

CDA credential

Job description

Wildflower Montessori is a boutique school in the Hudson Valley opening in January 2027 serving students from infancy through age 5. Situated on 5 acres, our curriculum lives at the intersection of Montessori practice, nature-based learning, and project-based inquiry. We are looking for founding guides who hold a deep respect for the child, love to learn alongside their students, and are eager to help us grow this vision from the ground up.

The Role

We are looking for a Lead Guide for our Nido classroom (6 months to 18 months) who will be responsible for building a responsive environment based on the needs and curiosities of the children in the space. The ideal educator for this role is someone who is warm and nurturing, who can build strong, trusting relationships with families, and who can design experiences to extend wonder in our youngest students.

The Nido lead strives to truly see each child and curates the child’s experience based on who they are and where they are developmentally. They are comfortable moving beyond a traditional Montessori setting, incorporating a responsive, child‑led approach and daily immersion outdoors in the garden and forest.

Key Responsibilities

• Classroom & Observation: Create and maintain a purposeful, curated, and organized environment that encourages movement and self‑directed discovery. Observe, document, and reflect on developmental progress of each child and adapt the environment and materials to their emerging skills and interests.
• Family Partnership: Act as the primary point of contact for families, providing clear communication regarding their child’s development and daily transitions.
• Outdoor Exploration: Lead daily outdoor immersion, regardless of the weather, facilitating sensory discovery and wonder in a natural setting.
• Serve as a mentor to the Assistant Guide, modeling the school’s values of respect and inquiry while fostering a collaborative team environment.
• Ensure all daily operations meet NYS OCFS regulations, including safe sleep, feeding, and hygiene standards.
• Full participation in school events, meetings, and professional development required.

Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience working specifically with infants.
• Certification: A Montessori Infant‑Toddler (0–3) credential or a commitment to obtaining one is required. We are happy to discuss how we can support your enrollment and growth within an accredited certification program.
• Education: Associate degree in Early Childhood (or related field) OR a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.
• You are comfortable with the startup nature of a new school and hold a desire to help shape school culture. You enjoy collaborating and planning with team members and are receptive to coaching and feedback. Wildflower dedicates resources and time for regular professional growth and training.

Essential Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit on the floor at the child's level and navigate outdoor terrain.
• Ability to push or pull a multi‑child wagon or crib and manage gear for outdoor excursions in various weather conditions.

Benefits & Additional Information

• Housing: Eligibility to apply for a potential on‑campus affordable housing benefit available for a limited number of teachers.
• Compensation is commensurate with experience and current market standards.

We are a team that cares, learns, and grows together.

*There is a potential to start this position in September 2026 alongside the Primary teacher, shifting to the Lead Infant role in January ’27.