Preschool Principal

Heritage Oak Private Education; Cary (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid holidays and sick days

401(k) plan with company match

Tuition discounts for your children

Professional development opportunities

Education reimbursement and education/

Job summary

Chesterbrook Academy is seeking a Preschool Principal to lead the academic, operational, and cultural life of our campus. This role oversees instructional quality, staff performance, enrollment, family engagement, licensing compliance, and financial stewardship.

You will guide developmentally appropriate learning experiences, coach faculty, foster family relationships, and ensure daily operations reflect high standards. This role requires visible leadership and a growth-oriented mindset.

Qualifications

• Experience leading preschool programs and staff teams.
• Knowledge of licensing, safety, and accreditation standards.
• Strong communication with families and staff.
• Ability to manage budgets, staffing, and enrollment priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the preschool, including instructional program, operations, culture, and family experience.
• Lead implementation of the Spring Education Curriculum with high-quality learning experiences across classrooms.
• Recruit, onboard, coach, develop, evaluate, and retain qualified faculty and staff.
• Observe classrooms, give actionable feedback, and support instructional improvement.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace culture with clear expectations.
• Ensure safety, cleanliness, and compliance with health, licensing, and standards.
• Oversee staffing plans, scheduling, and daily operational processes for a well-run preschool.
• Manage budget, P&L, purchasing, and resource allocation with leadership teams.
• Drive enrollment growth and family engagement through admissions collaboration and tours.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Staff development

Communication

Program oversight

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field

Job description

Chesterbrook Academy is a multi-location school group with campuses in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia offering outstanding private education to preschool and elementary students. Our preschools offer the perfect balance of learning and play, while our elementary program provides a challenging and robust curriculum, innovative instruction, and a vibrant school community. A career with Chesterbrook offers opportunities in education, summer camps, before and after school programs, and regional management with the support of our parent company, Spring Education Group.

Preschool Principal - Chesterbrook Academy

Chesterbrook Academy is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and student-centered Preschool Principal to lead the academic, operational, and cultural life of our school. This role provides overall leadership for instructional quality, staff performance, enrollment, family engagement, licensing compliance, and financial stewardship.

In this role, you will cultivate a safe, engaging, and enriching environment where young children can thrive. You will guide the successful implementation of the Spring Education Curriculum, coach and develop faculty and staff, strengthen relationships with families, and ensure that daily school operations reflect Chesterbrook Academy’s high standards.

This position is ideal for a visible and accountable school leader who combines sound educational judgment with strong operational acumen, a growth mindset, and a can-do approach to building a collaborative, high-performing school community.

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid holidays and sick days
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Tuition discounts for your children
• Professional development opportunities
• Education reimbursement and partnerships

What You’ll Do

• Provide overall leadership for the preschool, including the instructional program, daily operations, school culture, and the student and family experience
• Lead the successful implementation of the Spring Education Curriculum and ensure developmentally appropriate, engaging, and high-quality learning experiences across classrooms
• Recruit, hire, onboard, coach, develop, evaluate, and retain qualified faculty and staff while establishing clear expectations and accountability for performance
• Observe classroom practice, provide actionable feedback, and support teachers in strengthening instruction, classroom management, family communication, and professional growth
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and positive workplace culture in which employees feel supported, valued, and responsible for shared school goals
• Ensure a safe, clean, organized, and attractive school environment that supports learning and meets all health, safety, and operational expectations
• Maintain compliance with applicable state and federal laws, childcare licensing requirements, accreditation standards, company policies, and required recordkeeping practices
• Oversee staffing plans, scheduling, student supervision, emergency preparedness, and other daily operational processes necessary for a well-run preschool
• Manage the school’s budget, profit and loss performance, purchasing, resource allocation, and financial controls in partnership with regional and organizational leadership
• Drive enrollment growth and retention by partnering with admissions and marketing teams, engaging prospective families, supporting tours and events, and delivering an exceptional family experience
• Build trusted relationships with current families through proactive, professional communication and timely, thoughtful resolution of questions or concerns
• Develop strong relationships with community partners and represent Chesterbrook Academy through outreach, school events, and community engagement initiatives
• Partner with other Chesterbrook Academy leaders to support continuity of care, student transitions, shared best practices, and a cohesive educational experience
• Use enrollment, staffing, financial, operational, and student data to identify priorities, make informed decisions, and continuously strengthen school performance
• Model professionalism, sound judgment, integrity, adaptability, and a visible commitment to children, families, employees, and the Chesterbrook Academy community

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field preferred
• Minimum of three years of experience in education administration or business administration preferred
• Minimum of one year of teaching experience required; three years of teaching experience preferred
• Meets all minimum education and experience requirements established by applicable state regulations and accrediting bodies, including any state-required director credentials or certifications
• Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to hire, coach, develop, evaluate, and hold employees accountable
• Working knowledge of early childhood education, child development, instructional quality, licensing compliance, health and safety practices, and school operations
• Ability to manage budgets, staffing plans, purchasing, enrollment priorities, and multiple operational responsibilities with accuracy and sound judgment
• Strong communication, relationship‑building, organization, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills
• Ability to build a collaborative culture, navigate competing priorities, and lead effectively in a dynamic school environment
• Commitment to family engagement, professional development, continuous improvement, and high standards for student care and learning
• Ability to successfully pass state and federal background checks
• Compliance with all applicable state education, childcare licensing, and employment requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In general, this position requires an individual to frequently walk, stand, sit, squat, stoop, reach, kneel, rise from the floor, twist, listen, read, write, and speak the English language. In addition, this position often requires an individual to carry, lift, use repetitive or fine hand movements, and occasionally push, pull, or bend. This position is regularly required to hear and use clear vision with or without correction.

Spring Education Group, including, but not limited to SEG Inc., and their affiliates (collectively “Company”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants for employment and employees are provided equal employment opportunities, including in recruitment, hiring, and assignment, without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion and religious creed, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital or familial status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. The Company expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee or student harassment or discrimination.