Lead Preschool Teacher

Mass Audubon; Edgartown (MA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Mass Audubon seeks a Lead Preschool Teacher for its Fern & Feather Preschool, responsible for creating and implementing nature-based curricula for young children. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a passion for teaching, a commitment to connecting children with nature, and the ability to foster a safe and productive learning environment. This role emphasizes collaboration with co-teachers and effective communication with families, aligning educational activities with Mass Audubon’s strategic goals.

Qualifications

• Must have EEC Lead Preschool Teacher certification.
• 3+ years of experience in early childhood settings required.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills essential.

Responsibilities

• Develop curriculum adhering to nature-focused educational frameworks.
• Ensure emotional and physical safety in indoor and outdoor settings.
• Maintain communication with families regarding child development.

Skills

Communication skills

Nature-based education

Play-based learning

Anti-bias education

Education

Massachusetts Early Education and Care (EEC) Lead Preschool Teacher certification

At least 3 years of experience teaching young children

Job description

About This Position
The Lead Preschool Teacher at Mass Audubon’s Fern & Feather Preschool is the primary early childhood educator of the teaching team and holds lead responsibility for the one or more preschool classes, collaborating with co-teachers on curriculum development/implementation, student assessments, classroom management, family communication. They are responsible for co-designing educational experiences for nature preschool students in accordance with Mass Audubon’s Action Agenda strategic goals, Mass Audubon’s education frameworks, guidelines, and policies for Early Education and Nature Preschools, and Massachusetts Early Education and Care (EEC) and overall best practices in nature-based early childhood education.

Lead Preschool Teacher candidates must possess a strong respect for young children and families, a love of teaching young children and a strong desire to connect children and nature and developing values for stewardship of natural and social communities. The Lead Preschool Teacher must have a keen love of designing nature-based curriculum and teaching outside and the ability to plan multi-sensory, play and nature-based, anti-bias, emergent and developmentally appropriate curriculum, incorporating a variety of hands-on/minds-on experiences. The Lead Preschool Teacher is the primary contact for families in the class, prepares progress reports, parent-teacher team conferences and maintains a warm, professional relationship with children, their parents and caregivers.

The Lead Preschool Teacher may supervise Preschool Teachers (EEC certified Preschool Teachers or Assistant Teachers) or per diem educators such as substitute teachers (i.e. supervision in the classroom only) with support from the Preschool Director.

Application Instructions
Please submit a resume and cover letter with your ADP application.

Responsibilities

General

• Provides a physically and emotionally safe environment for young children both within an indoor and outdoor environment
• Maintains clear communication with co-teachers and share teaching amongst the co-teaching faculty team
• Creates and maintains a healthy, safe, and positive environment for children using best practices in early childhood nature-based education
• Works with other faculty colleagues to develop and steward a sense of community, belonging, and connection to nature in the preschool community
• Responsible for emotional and physical health and safety of students and completing accident reports/injury forms as needed as well as medication logs; assist in communicating incidents with parent/guardian at the end of class, obtain signature and provide photocopies for parent and child’s preschool file
• Assess and document student development; complete progress reports twice a year and assist in conducting parent-teacher team conferences, as scheduled by Preschool Director
• Maintain the physical environment by contributing to classroom housekeeping tasks as needed and storing personal belongings away from preschool program space
• Enhance the physical space by thoughtfully placing child-initiated art, emergent language poems, emergent math charts and graphs, photographs of nature, students/families in class community, murals and other learning centers that reflect a nature-based curriculum
• Keeps up with relevant and ongoing changes in policies and guidelines within Mass Audubon, specific Mass Audubon sanctuary, and within MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) policies and regulations
• Attend to all required safety and risk management requirements including, but not limited to conducting fire drills, filling out accident forms and medication logs, and informing Preschool Director of safety concerns as noted in daily activities
• Must be?comfortable exploring the natural world?in a?variety of weather throughout the year?for 2 or more hours a day
• Responsible and accountable to all Mass Audubon/MA EEC health and safety policies and guidelines
• Always maintains communication with co-teachers and other relevant staff throughout the day
• Meets weekly with teacher team to plan curriculum /troubleshoot challenges as applicable

Family Liaison

• Communicate with families about their child’s development and daily learning and play experiences including working with teaching staff to plan and conduct parent/teacher conferences
• Professionally communicate with families about classroom activities, lessons, and school community (i.e. written class message or class newsletter)
• Engage with parents/caregivers in conversations about children’s challenging behaviors under the direction of the Preschool Director; be a part of preparing and planning meetings with parents/caregivers to explore appropriate strategies, interventions and possible collaboration with outside consultants
• Serve as a resource for parent-caregivers, families and faculty in supporting healthy child development/growth

Education

• Lead in the preparation and presentation of a nature-based, multi-sensory, integrated, play-based, anti-bias and emergent curriculum for multi-age groups (3-5 years) of children in collaboration with co-teaching faculty that enhances the physical, social/emotional and cognitive growth of young children (this includes regularly teaching one or more preschool classes)
• Understands early childhood development and manages reasonable outcomes and expectations for young children
• Observe, document and assess the ongoing development of each child and write progress reports twice per year
• Communicate and work cooperatively with the Nature Preschool education staff to accomplish program goals
• Completes annual professional development hours as needed/required

Marketing/Community Relations

• Attend and participate in Nature Preschool Open Houses (virtual or in-person), and/or tours of the school, to describe the philosophy of the program, provides a general overview of what the preschool offers young children and their families
• Attend and engage in school-wide community-building social events
• Act as an ambassador for their specific nature preschool as well as Mass Audubon Nature Preschools, recognizing that preschool classes are frequently seen/observed by the public, visiting professionals, prospective families and Mass Audubon staff members

Other

• Attend staff meetings and actively participate in statewide education staff meetings, audience professional learning communities, and professional development trainings as needed and required
• Assist in other sanctuary and regional education activities, as needed

Qualifications
At Mass Audubon, our highest priority is finding the best candidate for the job. Research has shown that people of color and women are less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t believe they meet every one of the qualifications described in a job description. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our described qualifications or you have a less traditional background. We are looking for applicants with the following qualifications:

Must Haves

• Massachusetts Early Education and Care (EEC) Lead Preschool Teacher certification
• At least 3 years of experience teaching young children
• Excellent writing and communication skills and ability to work cooperatively and independently
• Interest and/or experience in nature-based, emergent, play-based and anti-bias early childhood education
• Successful candidates must pass multiple background record checks, as required by Mass Audubon and Department of Early Education and Care, including CORI/DCF/SORI and fingerprints
• Three employment references

Nice to Haves

• First and CPR preferred but not necessary (training provided)