Preschool Program Director

Woodland Park School District RE-2; Woodland Park (CO); On-site; USD 43,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Group-Life

Long-Term Disability

Vision (optional)

Job summary

Woodland Park School District RE-2 is seeking a Preschool Program Director to lead the district's preschool program across multiple locations. The role focuses on safety, inclusion, and financial sustainability while collaborating with families and community partners.

The Director oversees operations, licensing, enrollment, curriculum, and district-wide compliance to ensure high-quality early childhood services.

Qualifications

• Colorado teaching or special education licensure is required.
• Colorado Early Childhood Credential or director qualification is required.
• Experience with Colorado ECE regulations, licensing, and quality systems.
• Experience leading preschool or ECSE programs and staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide district-wide leadership for the district's preschool program across multiple sites.
• Establish consistent systems, schedules, and practices across sites.
• Ensure compliance with district policies and licensing requirements.
• Develop staffing structures, schedules, and coverage for student needs.
• Oversee enrollment, UPK, and budget; monitor funding and expenditures.
• Promote inclusive, developmentally appropriate learning environments.

Skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Budget management

Communication

Education

Colorado teaching or special ed licensure

Colorado Early Childhood Credential

ECE regulations/licensing knowledge

Preschool/ECSE leadership experience

Job description

Position Overview

The Preschool Program Director is a relationship-based leader who is passionate about working with young children and families. The Director provides leadership, collaboration, and oversight for the school district's entire preschool program across multiple school locations, working closely with district administration, school principals, preschool and special education staff, families, and community partners. The Director is responsible for ensuring a high-quality, developmentally appropriate, inclusive, safe, financially sustainable, and compliant early childhood program.

PRESCHOOL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Position Overview

The Preschool Program Director is a relationship-based leader who is passionate about working with young children and families. The Director provides leadership, collaboration, and oversight for the school district's entire preschool program across multiple school locations, working closely with district administration, school principals, preschool and special education staff, families, and community partners. The Director is responsible for ensuring a high-quality, developmentally appropriate, inclusive, safe, financially sustainable, and compliant early childhood program. The Director has overall responsibility for program operations, personnel, licensing and compliance, enrollment and funding, curriculum and assessment, student services, fiscal management, health and safety, family engagement, and continuous program improvement.

Salary

• Compensation: $43,051 - $58,425
• Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 hours
• Hours per day: 8 hours
• Number of days per year: 182 days
• Benefits Eligibility: Medical, Dental, Group-Life, Long-Term Disability, Vision(optional)

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

District-Wide Program Leadership & Operations

• Provide overall leadership, administration, and oversight of the district preschool program across multiple school locations.
• Establish and maintain consistent program systems, procedures, schedules, expectations, and practices across preschool sites.
• Ensure compliance with district policies and applicable federal, state, Colorado Department of Early Childhood, licensing, and Universal Preschool (UPK) requirements.
• Maintain required program records, reports, documentation, and compliance systems and coordinate licensing, monitoring, audit, and quality improvement activities.
• Collaborate with district administration, school principals, and district departments to address program needs and ensure alignment with district priorities.
• Serve as the primary district-level resource for preschool program operations, policies, procedures, and early childhood matters.

Personnel Leadership, Curriculum & Program Quality

• Develop staffing structures, assignments, schedules, and coverage plans that support student needs, safety, required ratios, and continuity of services.
• Lead implementation of developmentally appropriate, evidence-based curriculum and instructional practices across all preschool locations and providing performance feedback to preschool staff.
• Establish expectations for high-quality, play-based, inclusive learning environments that support children's social-emotional, language, literacy, mathematical, physical, cognitive, and self-help development.
• Oversee child assessment, monitor instructional practices, documentation, and data-informed instructional planning, and program quality.

Enrollment, UPK, Budget & Fiscal Management

• Oversee district-wide preschool enrollment, registration, placement, waitlists, attendance, and classroom assignments.
• Coordinate preschool enrollment and programming with Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) requirements and funding.
• Monitor UPK eligibility, participation, attendance, funding, and related program requirements.
• Develop and manage the preschool program budget in collaboration with district administration and finance personnel.
• Monitor tuition, UPK funding, grants, expenditures, and other program revenue and funding sources.
• Make recommendations regarding staffing, compensation, curriculum, supplies, equipment, professional development, and other program resources.
• Monitor enrollment and financial trends and make recommendations that support the long-term sustainability of the preschool program.

Student Services, Health, Safety & Compliance

• Collaborate with Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), Child Find, special education and related service providers, and district personnel to support the needs of preschool students.
• Support appropriate Child Find processes, evaluations, eligibility procedures, IEP development, transitions, and service delivery.
• Promote inclusive practices for children with disabilities and varying developmental, behavioral, communication, sensory, and learning needs.
• Establish and monitor systems that prioritize student health, safety, supervision, required ratios, arrival and dismissal procedures, playground safety, emergency procedures, and required drills.
• Monitor required health records, immunizations, medication procedures, incident documentation, attendance records, and other health and safety requirements.
• Respond appropriately to safety concerns, accidents, injuries, suspected abuse or neglect, and other incidents in accordance with district policy and applicable requirements.

Family, Community & District Engagement

• Serve as a primary district-level resource and contact for preschool families regarding program operations, enrollment, policies, funding, and significant concerns.
• Communicate program expectations, policies, schedules, enrollment information, and funding opportunities clearly and consistently.
• Respond to family concerns and facilitate collaborative problem-solving with families and staff.

Required Qualifications

• Colorado teaching or special education licensure.
• Colorado Early Childhood Professional Credential or equivalent Colorado director qualification.
• Experience with Colorado early childhood regulations, licensing and quality improvement systems.
• Demonstrated experience working with preschool-age children and in early childhood education, preschool, special education, or related program leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, supervise, and support professional staff.
• Knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate early childhood practices.
• Ability to meet applicable Colorado Department of Early Childhood and district requirements.
• Successful completion of required background checks and other district employment requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Child Development, Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field, or another qualification
• Experience administering a district-wide or multi-site preschool program.
• Experience with Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK), Child Find, ECSE, and/or IEP processes.
• Experience managing a program budget and multiple funding sources.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of early childhood development, developmentally appropriate practices, and inclusive preschool programming.
• Knowledge of Colorado early childhood licensing and UPK requirements.
• Strong leadership, organizational, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Ability to lead programs across multiple school locations while establishing consistent systems and expectations.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, funding requirements, and compliance responsibilities.
• Ability to establish effective relationships with children, families, staff, administrators, and community partners.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Commitment to providing equitable, inclusive, and high-quality early childhood services.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed district-wide across multiple preschool locations, classrooms, school buildings, offices, playgrounds, and other educational settings. The position requires regular travel between school locations and frequent interaction with young children, families, staff, administrators, district personnel, and community partners. The position requires the ability to move throughout preschool environments and respond appropriately to student, staff, safety, and program needs. Occasional evening or weekend responsibilities may be required for meetings, professional development, family events, or other program activities.

Note: This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or working conditions. Duties may be modified or assigned as organizational needs change.