Toddler Guide

Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School; Dallas, Bayamón (TX, PR); On-site; USD 41,600 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare benefit

Professional development with MINT

On-site farm environment

Paid holidays and summer break

Job summary

Bella Gardens in East Dallas is seeking a Lead Guide for the Toddler Community (ages 0 to 3) in a founding, bilingual Montessori-naturalist program. You will prepare the environment and welcome the first cohort, working under the Founder and Director with a focus on AMI principles.

This full-time, W-2 hour-based role requires AMI credentials (preferred), or active completion, along with warmth, patience, and a commitment to growing a small nonprofit community on a working farm environment.

Qualifications

• A deep commitment to authentic Montessori practice for children ages zero to three.
• Willingness to grow with a small, nonprofit community in its founding years.
• Strongly preferred AMI Assistants to Infancy credential (0–3).
• Bilingual English and Spanish required or strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and maintain a beautiful Toddler environment aligned with AMI principles.
• Serve as the primary guide for a small cohort of children ages 12 to 36 months.
• Support independence, language, movement, and social development through observation and preparation.
• Partner with families as their child’s first educational relationship outside the home.
• Collaborate with the Primary Lead Guide and Bella Gardens team to shape daily rhythm and naturalist practice.
• Participate in ongoing professional development through our partnership with MINT.

Skills

Bilingual English and Spanish

Montessori philosophy

Warmth and patience

Education

AMI Assistants to Infancy (0 to 3) credential

AMS 0 to 3 credential

AMI 0 to 3 training (in progress)

Job description

Bella Gardens is a nonprofit bilingual Montessori-naturalist learning community serving children ages two through six in East Dallas. We are a program of Owenwood Farm and Neighbor Space, which places our environment on a working farm surrounded by gardens, animals, and the daily rhythms of the natural world.

We are opening our Toddler community for the 2026 to 2027 school year and are seeking a lead guide to prepare the environment and welcome our first cohort of children ages twelve through thirty-six months. This is a founding role. The person we hire will help shape a community that will serve East Dallas families for years to come.

THE ROLE AT A GLANCE

Position

Lead Guide, Toddler Community (ages 0 to 3)

Reports to

Erika V. Estrada, Founder and Director

Schedule

Full-time, Monday through Friday, forty hours per week

August 2026

Compensation

Starting at $20 per hour with a defined pathway for phased increases based on experience, performance, and organizational growth. Full compensation details shared during the interview process.

Employment type

W-2 employee, hourly, non-exempt

Who We Are Looking For

This role is designed with newly credentialed AMI Assistants to Infancy graduates in mind. If you are ready to step into your first lead role in a supportive, mission-driven environment, we want to meet you.

REQUIRED

A deep commitment to authentic Montessori practice for children ages zero to three.

Warmth, patience, and genuine reverence for the developing child.

Willingness to grow with a small, nonprofit community in its founding years.

STRONGLY PREFERRED

AMI Assistants to Infancy (0 to 3) credential, complete or in the final stages of completion.

Bilingual English and Spanish (spoken and comfortable using both in the environment).

Experience with a naturalist or outdoor-integrated approach, or eagerness to grow into one.

CONSIDERED

AMS 0 to 3 credential holders, or candidates currently in AMI 0 to 3 training.

Candidates whose language ability is developing but whose Montessori foundation is strong.

What You Would Do

Prepare and maintain a beautiful, developmentally appropriate Toddler environment aligned with AMI principles.

Serve as the primary guide for a small community of children ages twelve to thirty-six months.

Support each child's emerging independence, language, movement, and social development through careful observation and thoughtful preparation.

Partner with families as their child's first educational relationship outside the home, communicating warmly and clearly.

Collaborate with our Primary Lead Guide and the wider Bella Gardens team as we shape the school's daily rhythm and naturalist practice.

Participate in ongoing professional development, including opportunities offered through our partnership with the Montessori Institute of North Texas.

What Bella Gardens Offers

A founding role in a bilingual Montessori-naturalist school where your voice will help shape the community.

A partnership with MINT, our recommended training center, including access to professional development.

A working farm as your daily environment. Gardens, animals, weather, and open sky.

Childcare benefit for your own children, subject to funding, capped at seven percent of income or a twenty-five percent tuition discount.

Paid holidays and paid summer break on regularly scheduled workdays.

A phased compensation review, annually, based on organizational growth and your development in the role.

Colleagues who care deeply about the children, the families, and one another.