Preschool Director

Nature Preschool Teaching Director

Mass Audubon is the largest nature-based conservation organization in New England. Founded in 1896 by two women who fought for the protection of birds, Mass Audubon carries on their legacy by focusing on the greatest challenges facing the environment today: the loss of biodiversity, inequitable access to nature, and climate change. With the help of our 160,000 members and supporters, we protect wildlife, conserve and restore resilient land, advocate for impactful environmental policies, offer nationally recognized education programs for adults and children, and provide endless opportunities to experience the outdoors at our wildlife sanctuaries.

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The Nature Preschool Teaching Director splits their time between the administration, and supervision of a Mass Audubon Nature Preschool (Habitat Nature Preschool in Belmont, MA) in accordance with Mass Audubon's Action Agenda strategic goals and Mass Audubon's education frameworks, standards, practices, and policies and teaching in one of the classrooms. A nature preschool teaching director is responsible for collaborating with their co-teachers on curriculum development, students' assessments, classroom management and daily teaching responsibilities.

Specifically, they are responsible for the coordination and oversight of all curriculum and program development, licensing and risk management, marketing and registration, staff hiring and supervision, program evaluation, budget management, and direct classroom teaching responsibilities. The preschool teaching director supervises a full-time, benefited staff member and also some part-time regular schedules and per diem educators, depending on the school staffing plan and regularly teaches in the classroom and outdoors each week.

They develop and manage program specific budgets with support from the Statewide Director of Nature Preschool and the Senior Director of Education and Engagement.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage operations of nature preschool, meeting Mass Audubon's early education goals and objectives for nature preschools as well as attending to the needs of children, staff and families in the school community
• Develop and steward a sense of community, belonging, and connection to nature within the preschool community
• Create and maintain with preschool faculty a healthy, safe, and positive environment for children using best practices in early childhood nature-based education
• Provide a physically and emotionally safe environment for young children both within an indoor and outdoor environment
• Develop and manage annual preschool operating budget
• Responsible and accountable to all Mass Audubon/MA EEC health and safety policies and guidelines
• Responsible for compliance and implementation of all Massachusetts Early Education and Care licensed childcare regulations and guidelines, including preparation for re-licensing paperwork and visits, maintaining all relevant documents
• Observe, document and assess the ongoing development of students and write progress reports twice per year (when applicable) and review all written progress reports
• Work collaboratively with other wildlife sanctuary and nature center staff to ensure the operations of the preschool are in alignment with the ongoing operations of the wildlife sanctuary
• Maintain the built and natural environment so that it is safe, welcoming and an enriching environment for childhood development and learning
• Must be comfortable exploring the natural world in a variety of weather throughout the year for 2 or more hours a day
• Leads in preparation and presentation of a nature-based, multi-sensory, integrated, play-based, anti-bias and emergent curriculum for multi-age groups (3-5 years) of children in collaboration with teaching faculty that enhances the physical, social/emotional and cognitive growth of young children (this includes a regular teaching schedule)
• Understands early childhood development and manages reasonable outcomes and expectations for young children
• Communicate and work cooperatively with the Nature Preschool education staff to accomplish program goals

Management/Supervision

• Hire, train, manage, supervise and provide ongoing professional development for all preschool program staff and any volunteers
• Maintain clear communication with the teaching staff and ensure that curriculum and instruction is of the highest quality, meets early education standards and outcomes, and is inclusive and culturally responsive
• Communicate and work cooperatively with nature preschool education staff to accomplish program goals
• Conduct monthly or bi-monthly teacher observations
• Conduct monthly staff meetings
• Manage the work schedule of regular educators and arrange substitute educators when necessary

Education

• Lead in the preparation and presentation of a nature-based, multi-sensory, integrated, play-based, anti-bias and emergent curriculum for multi-age groups (3-5 years) of children in collaboration with…