Lead Teacher - Elementary

City Garden Montessori • St. Louis, MO

5d • $45,000 - $62,000

About The Position

The City Garden Montessori School Lead Teacher (Lead Guide) promotes the school’s mission, vision, objectives, and policies within and outside the school community. The role provides instruction grounded in the Montessori method and anti-bias/anti-racist pedagogy, supporting children’s cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual development. The Lead Guide works in partnership with an assistant guide, other instructional staff, and families, and reports to the School Principal.

The Lead Guide plans and delivers instruction based on the school curriculum, state standards, and current research-based practices. The role prepares and maintains an orderly, safe, developmentally appropriate Montessori classroom; assesses student learning and creates weekly learning plans; communicates regularly with families and colleagues; and participates in school events, professional development, evaluation, and collaborative work. The Lead Guide also manages a classroom team of one to two adults and contributes to admissions and staff onboarding activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Teaching certification in elementary grades 1–6 from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) or a reciprocal state department of education, or Montessori certification from AMI, AMS, or another highly regarded Montessori certifying authority. Applicants with only one of these certifications are encouraged to apply; the school states it can help them obtain certification.
• Teaching experience; public-school or urban-setting experience is preferred.
• Deep commitment to whole-child education and demonstrated success meeting children’s needs holistically.
• Grounding in anti-bias education and anti-racist values and principles.
• Eagerness to engage deeply with students, teachers, staff, and families as partners.

Nice To Haves

• Teaching experience in a public school or urban setting.
• Both elementary teaching certification and Montessori certification; the posting encourages applicants who have only one and says the school can help them obtain the other.
• Membership in professional organizations and awareness of major teaching research and professional-learning resources.

Responsibilities

• Provide instruction supporting children’s cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual development.
• Use the school curriculum, state standards, and research-based practices to develop interdisciplinary instruction for group and individual student needs.
• Maintain ongoing dialogue with specialty teachers and coordinate curriculum integration and implementation.
• Work with students of varying abilities, including students with diagnosed learning differences, and participate in related meetings, training, and collaborative planning as needed.
• Use assessment tools and strategies—including state and district assessments, observations, work samples, developmental continuums, and portfolios—to inform instruction.
• Create and communicate weekly learning plans for students.
• Prepare a developmentally appropriate classroom environment with complete furnishings and materials.
• Maintain a clear, orderly, attractive Montessori environment and care for classroom materials and equipment.
• Communicate classroom needs and maintain inventories of materials and supplies in accordance with school policy.
• Foster a respectful, kind classroom community and teach conflict-resolution and problem-solving strategies.
• Ensure children’s safety while they are in the Lead Guide’s care and maintain compliance with applicable health and safety regulations and school policy.
• Manage the classroom field trip and supplies budget in support of student education and the school’s mission.
• Communicate respectfully and professionally with students, parents, guardians, and colleagues while protecting student and family confidentiality.
• Build positive relationships with parents and guardians, communicate regularly about children’s needs, arrange conferences and meetings, and respond to concerns in a timely manner.
• Communicate with the school community about classroom activities and curriculum, and participate in programs that build understanding of the Montessori curriculum.
• Complete report cards and progress reports in accordance with school policy.
• Help develop and participate in school functions, including Open Houses, Transition Nights, Curriculum Nights, Parent Orientations, and Family Field Day.
• Conduct self-assessment, refine classroom practice, and participate in collaborative professional growth and the school’s evaluation process.
• Maintain teaching skills through professional development, conferences, workshops, professional organizations, and awareness of research and learning resources.
• Participate in collegial activities, scheduled meetings, and professional days, and share relevant professional-development information with colleagues.
• Obtain and maintain Montessori and DESE certifications as appropriate for grade level and subject area.
• Conduct new-student interviews and host prospective students in the classroom as requested by admissions.
• Complete and maintain required records, reports, evaluations, student records, tests, and inventories in a timely manner.
• Read and follow the employee handbook and school policies.
• Manage a classroom team of one to two adults, including coaching, supervision, and participation in evaluating the assistant guide’s performance.
• Participate in interviewing and orienting new staff members.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Pre-tax savings for family health premium costs
• Pension retirement plan
• Paid time off, including fall, winter, and spring breaks, holidays, and additional days
• Enrollment preference at City Garden Montessori for K–8 children residing in Missouri
• Discounted tuition for the Preschool program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level