Lead Teacher - Upper Elementary

City Garden Montessori School; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Paid Time-off

Pre-Tax health benefits

Retirement Plan

Enrollment preference for City Garden

Discount tuition for Preschool program

Job summary

City Garden Montessori School in Missouri seeks a Lead Lower Elementary Guide to lead a multi-grade 1st–3rd classroom with an Assistant Guide in a rigorous, experiential Montessori setting.

Ideal candidates hold Montessori certification (AMI/AMS) or Missouri DESE elementary certification, with a strong commitment to ABAR values and willingness to pursue certification sponsorship and growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and teaching certification required.
• Montessori certification preferred; MO DESE elementary certification acceptable with sponsorship.
• At least 3 years elementary classroom experience.
• Commitment to equity and anti-biased/anti-racist principles.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Exemplary organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop lesson plans, independent learning exercises, curricula and methods tailored to each child.
• Implement ABAR principles in daily teaching.
• Use assessment tools to guide instructional decisions for individual students.
• Create and communicate weekly learning plans for all students.
• Plan classroom field trips, manage supplies and budgets.
• Complete report cards and progress reports.
• Manage a classroom team of 1–2 adults and coach the assistant guide.
• Assist in school events including conferences, open houses and family nights.
• Obtain and maintain Montessori and DESE certifications as appropriate.

Skills

Strong written & verbal communication

Organizational skills

Equity & ABAR commitment

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Montessori Certification (AMI/AMS)

MO DESE Elementary Certification

Job description

City Garden Charter School (City Garden) is one of the highest-performing charter schools in the state. Our team possesses passion and determination to implement the Montessori approach to educating children in a diverse, public school environment. City Garden is committed to being an anti-biased, anti-racist community and seeks others who are passionate about these values. We are committed to fostering excellence for all City Garden children.

At City Garden we are redefining public education, reimagining community, and reinvigorating our world.

City Garden is a community-centered and people-centered organization at an exciting point in our growth and expansion. Ours is an environment that celebrates vulnerability and centers humanity in the workplace. To learn more about City Garden’s impact on the community, please read some recent articles about us, found HERE and HERE.

Lead Guide (Teacher) – Elementary

City Garden is seeking an educator with a passion for academically rigorous, individualized, experiential education in a diverse public school setting to fulfill the position of Lead Lower Elementary Guide. The Lead Guide will be responsible for leading a multi-grade – 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade – classroom, and will work with an Assistant Guide.

We are seeking candidates who are outstanding, innovative teachers and are interested in growing with our unique model of education. An ideal candidate will have Montessori certification and Missouri state certification.

• For those who have a state certification in Elementary Education, but are lacking Montessori elementary certification, City Garden will sponsor the right candidate in obtaining that certification. Applicants must also be willing to commit to additional coursework/ study during summers and during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic sessions.
• For those who have Montessori Elementary certification from AMI/AMS or other highly regarded Montessori certifying authority, but are lacking the foundation work necessary for Missouri certification in Elementary Education, City Garden will sponsor the right candidate in obtaining that certification.

The candidate must be committed to growing in a school environment that is committed to anti-bias/anti-racism (ABAR) values and practices with a vision to create a more equitable world through education. We are also seeking a candidate who is interested in making City Garden their vocational "home" for many years.

Responsibilities

• Developing lesson plans, independent learning exercises, curricula, and methods that cater to the needs of the individual child while they learn
• Implementing ABAR principles
• Using various assessment tools/strategies to help make instructional decisions for individual students (such as the Missouri Assessment Program, iReady, observations, children’s work samples, continuums of development, portfolios, etc.)
• Creating and communicating weekly learning plans for all students
• Planning and coordinating classroom field trips supplies budget, and ensuring all resources are used in support of educating students and the school’s mission
• Completing report cards and progress reports
• Manage a classroom team of 1-2 adults, including coaching, supervision and input during the assistant guide’s performance evaluation
• Assisting in the development of and participates in school functions, including but not limited to Parent and Guardian Conferences, Open Houses, Transition Nights, Curriculum Nights, Parent Orientations and the Family Field Day
• Obtaining and maintaining certifications in Montessori and DESE as appropriate for the grade level and subject area.

Job Description

The full job description may be downloaded HERE.

Schedule

School hours: 7:45 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday

Length of Work Year: From date of hire through the end of May including, but not limited to, professional development, parent/teacher conferences, and preparatory work

Compensation

This position offers a salary ranging from $42,000.00 to $54,000.00 based on level of education, teaching certification, and years of teaching experience.

Benefits

• Generous Paid Time-off (Fall, Winter and Spring breaks, holidays, and additional days)
• Paid Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance)
• Pre-Tax savings for family health premium costs
• Retirement Plan
• Enrollment preference to City Garden Montessori for child(ren) grades K through 8 who reside in Missouri
• Discount tuition for our Preschool program

City Garden Montessori School is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity, equity and inclusion. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military or veteran status, or other statuses protected by law. All candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Teaching Certification
• Montessori Certification from AMI/AMS or other highly regarded Montessori certifying authority – OR – Certification with Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in the applicable subject and grade level
• At least 3 years elementary grade classroom experience, preferably in a public or urban setting
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and anti-biased/anti-racist principles
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Exemplary organizational skills

Preferred/Additional Skills

Training in systemic racism, dismantling racism and addressing privilege (must have a firm grasp of anti-bias/anti-racism language and framework)