Lead Teacher

Kido International Preschool and Daycare

Chicago (IL)

On-site

USD 38,000 - 54,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Pay

Career Growth

Free tuition for your children (18 mos

3 weeks PTO in first year

Birthday off

Paid holidays

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Short-term disability and life보험

Job summary

Kido International Preschool and Daycare in Chicago, IL is seeking exceptional Lead Teachers for Infant, Toddler, and Two-year-old classrooms. You will shape classroom culture, implement curriculum, and collaborate with a supportive team to foster growth in early learners.

Join a founders-style, people-first culture, with opportunities for professional development and career growth as the Chicago footprint expands.

Qualifications

High School Diploma or GED.
Proven experience teaching or working in a licensed preschool, daycare, or childcare setting.
At least 19 years of age (to meet state licensing guidelines for lead roles).
Lead Teacher Qualified per Illinois DCFS regulations.

Responsibilities

Curriculum & Learning: Plan and facilitate engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences using Kïdo’s curriculum and your own ideas.
Classroom Management: Provide responsive child care in a safe, nurturing preschool classroom.
Family Engagement: Build strong relationships with children and families through regular communication and updates.
Nurturing Environment: Create an inspiring learning space where children thrive and reach milestones.
Team Collaboration: Work with assistant teachers and staff as part of a supportive team.

Skills

Experience in preschool teaching

Bilingual English/Spanish (preferred)

Education

Lead Teacher Qualified per Illinois DCFS

Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education or CDA

Job description

At Kïdo, we are redefining early childhood education by blending the world’s most respected philosophies, Reggio Emilia and Montessori, into a modern, globally inspired framework. We build beautifully designed, high-quality centers where children aren't just cared for, but are empowered to lead their own journeys of discovery, independence, and lifelong learning.

What truly sets us apart is our dual commitment: we build cutting-edge, inspiring spaces for our children, and a deeply supportive, "people-first" professional culture for our educators. As we establish our brand footprint in the Chicago market, joining our team means stepping into a collaborative, forward-thinking environment where your creativity is valued, your professional growth is actively funded, and you can play a pivotal role in shaping a world-class early learning community from the ground up.

Locations: Chicago, IL (River North & New West Loop Location Coming Soon!)

Job Type: Full-Time, Daycare & Preschool

Be Part of the Founding Team in Chicago!

We are seeking exceptional, passionate Lead Teachers / Early Childhood Educators who want to help shape our classroom culture, curriculum implementation, and community from day one. If you are a strong educator who thrives in a collaborative childcare environment and is excited to build something special, we want to meet you.

Current openings are specifically for our Infant, Toddler, and Twos classrooms!

Lead Teacher Responsibilities

Curriculum & Learning: Plan and facilitate engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences using Kïdo’s rich, easy-to-use curriculum, with plenty of room to incorporate your own creative ideas.

Classroom Management: Provide responsive child care while confidently managing a dynamic, safe, and nurturing preschool classroom environment.

Family Engagement: Build meaningful relationships with children and families through excellent communication, daily updates, photos, and regular parent-teacher conversations about each child’s social-emotional and cognitive growth.

Nurturing Environment: Foster an inspiring early learning environment where young children thrive and hit key developmental milestones.

Team Collaboration: Collaborate closely with assistant teachers and fellow staff members as part of a supportive, professional teaching team.

Minimum Qualifications

High School Diploma or GED.

Experience: Proven experience teaching or working in a licensed preschool, daycare, or childcare setting.

Age Requirement: At least 19 years of age (to meet state licensing guidelines for lead roles).

Licensing: Lead Teacher Qualified per Illinois DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE), Child Development, Elementary Education, or a related field; or a valid Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential.

Background: 5–10 years of teaching experience in a licensed childcare program, or 2–3 years of experience in a Montessori school setting.

Language Skills: Bilingual (fluent in Spanish and English) is a plus (reading, writing, and speaking).

Why Join Kïdo?

We are a people-first childcare organization—our early childhood educators are at the heart of everything we do.

What we offer our teaching team

Competitive Pay: Based on education, ECE credentials, and experience.

Career Growth: Direct pathways for advancement into curriculum specialty or assistant director roles.

Childcare Benefit: Free tuition for your children (18 months–5 years).

Classroom Support: Smaller teacher-to-child ratios than Illinois state requirements to support meaningful interactions and stress-free planning time.

Resources: Fully stocked teacher lounge with healthy snacks and a classroom supply cabinet with bi-weekly ordering options.

Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement, comprehensive paid training, and two dedicated school-wide professional development days each year.