Nature & Culture Curriculum Facilitator​/After School Lead Teacher

Position Overview

Title: Nature & Culture Curriculum Facilitator / After School Lead Teacher

Type: Full Time, Exempt

Salary: $45,000–$55,000 annually

Leila Day is a progressive, play-based, nature-centered school that honors childhood and builds on best traditions and practices of progressive, early childhood education. The indoor and outdoor classrooms encourage children to explore, wonder, learn, and grow. Located beside East Rock Park in New Haven, we use the woods, trails, streams, and surrounding neighborhood as an extension of the classroom.

This full-time role includes two interconnected responsibilities:

• Nature & Culture Curriculum Facilitator (approximately 4.5 hours daily)
• After School Program Coordinator & Lead Teacher (approximately 2:15–5:45 PM daily)

The ideal candidate is passionate about outdoor education, emergent curriculum, multicultural learning, and relationship-based teaching. A key responsibility of this role is to coordinate, design, and oversee the curriculum and daily flow of the After School Adventure Program, ensuring alignment across two groups:
Juniors (ages 6–7) and Seniors (ages 8–9). This includes ensuring continuity, developmental appropriateness, and intentional planning across both groups.

• Support teachers in developing nature-based and outdoor curriculums for their classrooms
• Help build on seasonal exploration, gardening, storytelling, and environmental observation across our classrooms
• Collaborate on multicultural curriculum inspired by the traditions, histories, and lived experiences of Leila Day families and the broader New Haven community
• Provide materials, ideas, provocations, and experiences that enrich emergent curriculum
• Help organize projects, all-school celebrations, public events, and experiences connected to culture and nature
• Foster children’s sense of belonging, curiosity, and care for the world around them

• Coordinate and oversee curriculum planning for both After School groups (Juniors and Seniors)
• Lead a mixed-age group of high-energy, curious children in engaging after-school experiences
• Plan outdoor adventures, creative projects, games, and hands‑on activities
• Support children’s social‑emotional growth and problem‑solving
• Create opportunities for expression through art, movement, language, and play
• Build strong relationships with children, families, and colleagues
• Maintain an organized and welcoming environment
• Supervise outdoor exploration and transitions in all seasons
• Coordinate all communication with parents and families
• Supervise a staff of one other lead teacher and three assistant teachers

We are seeking someone who is:

• Experienced working with children ages 3–9
• Passionate about outdoor education and emergent curriculum
• Collaborative, organized, dependable, and joyful
• Comfortable leading children outdoors in all weather
• Interested in multicultural education and culturally responsive teaching
• Excited to contribute to a progressive, arts-rich school community

• Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Alternatively, a Bachelor's degree in any field with 12 to 36 specific ECE credits.
• 3–5 years experience working with children
• Minimum 3 years of experience in outdoor education, environmental education, camps, nature schools, or related settings

• Degree in early childhood education or a related field
• Experience with play-based or emergent curriculum
• Experience leading mixed-age groups
• Skills in gardening, science, or naturalist education

• Competitive salary
• Holiday pay
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions available after two years of service