Toddler Team Associate & Aftercare Teacher

The Discovery School entered its 35th year of operation in 2025 and is a private, not-for-profit independent school in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, serving children ages 18‑months through eighth grade. Through a progressive framework combining Montessori and International Baccalaureate principles, we aim to provide creative, open‑ended learning spaces where our internationally‑minded, inquisitive, and principled inquirers are encouraged to discover, nurture, and achieve their own goals on their way to becoming the leaders of tomorrow.

Position: Toddler Team Associate & Aftercare Teacher

Location: Jacksonville Beach, FL

Job : 156

# of Openings: 1

The Discovery School Toddler Team Associate Teacher understands and promotes the school’s mission, vision, core values, and policies both within and outside the immediate school community. The Toddler Team Associate Teacher assists the Lead Teacher in preparing and maintaining the indoor and outdoor environments and is responsible for supporting a classroom/instructional program that embodies the Montessori methodology while respecting the children’s individual needs in accordance with the school’s mission and vision.

Associates are primarily responsible for student hygiene and diapering.

The Associate must be prompt in morning arrival, maintain a cheerful disposition, and support a variety of classrooms with a flexible approach to tasks. This role requires active attendance to young children, including standing, bending, kneeling, sitting, and lifting. The primary team associate will handle all tasks as needed and may be required to work additional hours as directed by the Director of Lower School or Head of School.

• Assist the Lead Teacher in the preparation, care, and maintenance of the indoor and outdoor environments.
• Maintain a safe, orderly, and clean environment, following Lead Teacher directives.
• Prepare and maintain classroom materials; coordinate tasks that exceed regular hours with approval from senior leadership.
• Work with individual and small groups of children, supervising snacks/lunch, supply refills, and diapering/toileting as necessary.
• Supervise children in the outdoor environment and maintain strong relationships with parents, characterized by mutual respect and goodwill.
• Observe and maintain accurate classroom records and assist with emergency drills per established protocol.
• Respond immediately to safety issues, accidents, and incidents; report to Lead Teacher and/or Director of Lower School.
• Follow Lead Teacher’s methods of interacting with children and adults, modeling respectful communication and positive directives.
• Attend full staff meetings and any other meetings as requested.
• Assist with projects, programs, and planning as assigned by school leadership.
• Collaborate with colleagues in designing and implementing innovation within the overall program.
• Participate in school functions such as Open Houses, Curriculum Nights, and Parent Orientations.
• Verify child pick‑ups by approved persons, checking identification and calling parents if necessary.
• Ensure the environment is clean for morning set‑up the next day.

The Toddler Team Associate engages in ongoing self‑assessment and refinement of practice, collaborating with colleagues and leadership. This includes:

• Participation in regular evaluation processes, such as classroom observations, feedback conferences, and annual self‑evaluations.
• Engagement in collegial activities (age‑level meetings, curriculum discussions, committees, mentoring).
• Sharing of professional development activities with colleagues.
• Adherence to school policies, personnel handbook guidelines, state regulations, and accrediting organization requirements.
• Initiating growth and change through conferences, courses, and other learning opportunities.

• High School Diploma;
  Bachelor’s degree in education is a bonus but not required.
• Preferred experience with children aged 18‑months to 35‑months and with Montessori or progressive learning approaches.
• Comfort with integrating technology as a learning tool.
• Strong differentiated instruction strategies for reading and…