Lead PreK Teacher
Opening Statement
It is an exciting time at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School (SCWS). We look forward to the opportunities that the 2027-28 academic year will bring. With a commitment to diversity, growth, enhanced programs, a campus renovation plan, we can’t help but feel enthusiastic about what the years ahead hold for our school.
We are seeking a Lead PreK Teacher to join our dedicated faculty at the beginning of the 2027-28 school year.
Our new colleague will be warm, energetic, and Waldorf trained with a strong commitment to personal and professional development and an enthusiasm for collegial work. A commitment to working out of Anthroposophy and Social Justice is required. The best-fit teacher for this class will be kind, patient, and also with clear and confidently held boundaries and expectations; follow-through is essential. A sense of humor goes a long way, and the ability to offer engaging practical activities is a must. This teacher will have an interest in connecting deeply with the parent body as some families are longstanding and some are brand new to Waldorf education. An interest in each student’s developmental uniqueness and a willingness to explore creative support for them will be important in the forming of the class, and in serving their needs over the coming years.
About
About our school and community:
Inclusivity and diversity are core values at SCWS and we celebrate them. We are committed to the active practice of diversity, equity, and inclusivity principles in our curriculum, enrollment, community, and festival life.
SCWS occupies a rural, forested campus in the Santa Cruz mountains and serves 160 students from preschool to 8th grade. SCWS honors students’ individual development and capacities and nurtures a love of learning through our rich, AWSNA-accredited curriculum, inspired by Rudolf Steiner. Our community, led by creative Waldorf-trained teachers, encourages the protection of childhood and respect for all life.
A bit more than one hour south of San Francisco, Santa Cruz is located at the northern end of Monterey Bay. It is known for its moderate climate, natural environment, coastline, redwood forests, and the presence of the University of California. Approximately 65,000 residents enjoy an active, progressive, and engaged community that maintains a small-town style.
Essential Job Duties
Specific Duties:
Teach the Waldorf curriculum as appropriate per class level.
- Plan, initiate, and guide the Early Childhood Program in accordance with the Waldorf Philosophy.
- Responsible for the delivery of a daily program that sets the foundation for learning, healthy development, life-long physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth.
- Organize and supervise the class’s participation in the school’s age-appropriate festivals, and other curricular/extra-curricular activities.
- Hold Parent Evenings 3 to 6 times per class year and facilitate individual parent consultation sessions, including Parent/Teacher Conferences, on a regular basis.
Ensure an effective progress monitoring mechanism is in place for the ongoing achievement of students.
- Assess and respond to the evolving needs of individual students as well as the whole class.
- Provide end-of-year reports.
Ensure the effective completion of all statutory in-class requirements.
- Recordkeeping, in accordance with statutory and school-specific requirements.
- Manage classroom behavior in accordance with the school student code of conduct.
- Adhere to school and regulatory safety standards and school policies at all times.
Maintain involvement in the wider teaching staff, school, and community initiatives and adhere to all school policies and procedures at all times.
- Adhere to the school’s policies and procedures and support their implementation, including, but not limited to, the Faculty Handbook and the values, principles, and objectives of the school and teaching staff.
- Attend and actively participate in meetings as required/appropriate, including, but not limited to; weekly faculty meetings, level group meetings, whole school community meetings, and participation in the interview process for new students.
- Participate in school outreach activities, specifically Introduction to Waldorf Early Childhood event.
Perform other ad hoc responsibilities and requirements as and when requested.
- Participate in appropriate training sessions organized by the school.
- Participate in specific school/teaching projects, any other teaching duties as deemed appropriate by the Pedagogical Director, Faculty Chair, Mentoring and Evaluation Team or school Management Team.
Professional Development
Full-time teachers will be required to attend 4 days or 15 hours of professional development activities during the February Break. This includes any conferences or workshops relating to teaching, including online, or appropriate offerings outside of the Waldorf movement. Any professional development at other times of year would be added to the work done during February Break.
Qualifications
Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion – A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and an ability to work with and support a diverse population of students and families. An ability to remain sensitive to the experiences of students, parents and faculty in all situations and integrate feedback into practice.
- Ability to Learn and Teach – Recognizes the importance of learning and motivates others by own enthusiasm. Stays abreast of best practices in schools..
- Relational Skills – Ability to relate well to a wide range of people, including building rapport with students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators. Willingness to work to understand the culture of the school. Knowledge of each child’s challenges and strengths. Skill with conflict resolution, consensus building and decision-making.
- Emotional Intelligence and Maturity – Ability to interact with individuals in heightened emotional states and navigate complex and emotionally challenging situations involving children and adults. A high degree of emotional stability, ability to separate one’s own emotions from a situation, and ability to maintain perspective in the midst of emotional situations is essential.
- Communications Skills – Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituents. Maintains open communications channels with teaching staff, parents and administrators. Able to present information formally and informally in an effective manner both through oral presentations or conversation and through written means. Has a strong understanding of the power of word choice and the need for a high level of tact and professional, accurate communication.
- Time Management Skills – Ability to manage many tasks and projects simultaneously and to prioritize them appropriately.
- Organizational Skills – Ability to balance many tasks and processes, including keeping track of progress on longer term projects or goals, managing details accurately, and following through in a timely fashion.
- Problem Solving Skills – Ability to recognize immediate issues and take decisive action when appropriate. Ability to consider a broad range of internal and external factors when solving problems. Grasps complexities and perceives relationships among different problems or issues. Uses various problem-solving strategies appropriate to the situation, including enlisting others when appropriate.
- Strategic Thinking Skills – Ability to work with others to gather, synthesize, and analyze quantitative and qualitative information and to develop plans for meeting short and long-range goals which support the vision and further the broader strategic direction of the organization.
- Knowledge and understanding of the Mission Statement and purpose of the school
- Proven competency in the classroom, including innovative teaching and recognition of an appropriate response to various learning profiles.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, ability to adjust focus, and sound hearing. The ability to speak clearly and coherently is required. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands, talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, or crouch. Employee is required to operate a computer and office productivity machinery, communicate across a variety of media, and work in close proximity to others. The role may also require the employee to work in inclement weather during special activities.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to listen, physically direct, and speak. The employee is required to stand; walk on a variety of surfaces; climb stairs, bend and squat when communicating with younger students; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.
The noise and activity level in the work environment is variable, with times of quiet and times of high stimulation and activity.
The mental and emotional demands of the position are considerable. The employee will interact with individuals in heightened emotional states and will encounter complex and emotionally challenging situations involving children and adults.
Employment Details
The salary range for this position is $74K – $78K. Additionally, the school contributes 81% to the health benefits for the employee and their eligible family members, full tuition remission for full-time faculty children enrolled at SCWS, $100K life insurance, and professional development. A comprehensive position description and information for this full-time salaried position are available upon request.
To Apply
Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and three references to:
peddirector@santacruzwaldorf.org
SCWS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in admissions, hiring, or employment practices on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, or other statuses protected by law. Diverse candidates and those under-represented in our community are encouraged to apply.
