Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Swallowtail School is seeking a warm, nurturing Kindergarten teacher to join our Early Childhood team. The Lead Kindergarten Teacher is responsible for bringing developmentally appropriate curriculum in accordance with the principles and methods of a Waldorf Early Childhood Education for children aged 4 to 6 years. In the forefront of our work will be warmth, rhythm, health, safety, professionalism, a reverence for nature and for one another.

The Lead Kindergarten Teacher is also responsible for forming and maintaining a healthy social life in their class and for incorporating the student families into the school life. They are an important member of the Early Childhood team and are expected to work collaboratively with colleagues, share responsibilities for program delivery, and serve as a role model within the school community.

Swallowtail School serves approximately 150 students from PreK through Grade 8. We are located at the intersection of rural Oregon farmland and the Portland suburbs, with a main campus in Cornelius and a farm property a few minutes away in Hillsboro.

At Swallowtail, we are fortunate to have an exceptionally committed and supportive community of families, and a close-knit collegial group that value working together in collaboration. We have a thriving Early Childhood program with one preschool and two mixed-age kindergartens, and those classes are usually full with a wait list. Grades classes range from 12-18 students. They are well supported by subject offerings (Music, Handwork, Spanish, Movement, Agricultural Arts, Middle School Math, and Eurythmy in blocks).

Grades and Early Childhood classes spend one day per week in the fall and spring at our 26-acre farm property, where they work with our Agricultural Arts Teacher and full-time Farmer to deepen their connection to and understanding of the land.

Specific duties for the Lead Kindergarten Teacher position include:

Regarding the Children and Families

Plan and lead classroom activities such as circle, story, movement, handwork, crafts, sensory experiences, snack, and indoor and outdoor free play in a calm and centered manner

An understanding of first grade readiness

An anthroposophical understanding of the developmental needs of the students

Our shared commitment to bringing greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to Waldorf Education

Provide a consistent rhythm of the day, week, and year with an emphasis on the seasonal festivals and the rhythm of the earth

Attentive supervision of students with an eye to safety at all times

Gently guide children in healthy intellectual, physical, and social-emotional development

Model appropriate behavior and work worthy of imitation

Dress in appropriate gear for the weather when outdoors, and uphold that expectation students

Ensure a beautiful and well-kept classroom

Demonstrate warmth, compassion and love while holding appropriate boundaries with children

Serve as a mentor for the Associate Teacher, guiding them in their tasks with warmth and kindness to maintain a healthy working relationship

Assess the growth and development of students in the program, communicating proactively with parents and administration if a student is in need of extra support

Interview prospective children and their families as part of the admissions process

Offer at least one fall and one spring conference to each family in the class

Help families understand the principles of Waldorf Education and the developmental needs of their children through weekly class emails, distributed readings or other resources, and by planning and conducting at least 3 Curriculum Evenings each year

Write a comprehensive Year-End-Report for each student, due 3 weeks from the last day of school

Jointly hold the Rising First Grade process with other Kindergarten teachers

Host family info evening in February

Ensure completion of Rising First Grade assessments

Schedule and lead presenting the rising First Grade children to the faculty

Regarding Collegial Work and Professional Development

Participate in weekly Early Childhood section meetings, working collaboratively in the areas of curriculum development, planning, student affairs, craft…