firs & fiddleheads

Lead Preschool Teacher

June 2021

The Firs and Fiddleheads Forest Preschool is a non-profit, faith-based organization, partnering with parents raising kids in our community through Play, Curiosity, and Connection with Creation. Firs and Fiddleheads Forest School is seeking an energetic, passionate, Christ-centered early childhood educator to provide strong teaching, leadership, and direction, entirely outdoors, for children ages 3 to 5.

The Firs and Fiddleheads Forest Preschool provides student-centered learning in a 4-acre outdoor classroom setting, encompassing different habitats and multiple learning centers. This school fosters a learning community, employing the best aspects of progressive educational approaches, including Montessori and Reggio Emilia, in a curriculum that inspires creative thought, critical reasoning and the development of skills in an outdoor environment.

Firs and Fiddleheads is seeking a dynamic, compassionate, and forward thinking Lead Teacher with proven experience in inquiry and student-directed learning. The lead teacher will be responsible for all aspects of the students’ experience and for developing strong partnerships with parents. This teacher must be eager to spend their days teaching children outdoors without hesitation, willing to get dirty and wet at times.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate has a love and knowledge of Creation and the Creator God, in relation to the outdoor classroom. Additionally, the candidate possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills, functions very effectively as a member of a collaborative teaching team, engages enthusiastically with families, is well organized, reliable, and flexible.

Key Responsisbilities

• Develop nature-based activities that reflect the needs of the children, the standards of early childhood education, and the mission of The Firs and Fiddleheads Forest School.
• Implement policies and procedures.
  Obtain and prep necessary supplies and materials.

Teaching & Evaluating

• Able to lead and direct assistant teachers successfully.
• Generate weekly lesson plans that focus on students’ interests and the Creation Story.
• Assess and evaluate the effectiveness and success of preschool programs.

Reporting

• This position reports to The Firs Children and Families Director.

Creating Community

• Assist with planning and facilitating parent and volunteer involvement in programs.
• Participate in Preschool staff meetings and special events to ensure connection with the rest of the staff and members.

Education / Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Early Childhood Education or Environmental Education.
• orking knowledge of basic natural history/ecology concepts.
• Experience teaching children ages 3 to 5 for two or more years, preferably using Montessori, Reggio Emilia, or play-based learning.

Other Skills & Abilities

• Provide a physically and emotionally safe environment for preschool children.
• Able to identify local natural hazards.
• Positive and proactive communication and interpersonal skills.
• Be able to crouch down and spend 95% of your time on your feet outdoors with students each day during all seasons, except in extreme/dangerous weather, such as high winds, extreme cold, etc.
• Successful candidates will need to pass a background check and remain current on First Aid/CPR certifications.
• Forest School Certification or willing to obtain.

More Details

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $15.00 – $17.00 per hour

COVID-19 considerations: At this time teachers wear masks, but this guidance may change as teachers are fully vaccinated.

Start Date: Last week of August

Questions: 

If you have questions about this position, please email or call 360-733-6840.

Job Application

Firs Registrar & Administrative Assistant

To apply for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter as to “why you think you would be a good fit for this position” to [email protected]

If you have questions, please email or call 360-733-6840.