Director of Early Education

Greenspring Montessori School is seeking a Director of Early Education (DEE). The Director of Early Education is a member of Greenspring Montessori School’s administrative team, reporting directly to the Head of School. The Director of Early Education provides support, guidance, inspiration, and continuing education to our staff, families and other constituents in Montessori philosophy and best practices, as well as current child development theory. The DEE should live by, and be a consistent role model of, Greenspring Montessori’s values of Love, Integrity, Community, Lifelong Learning, and Education for Peace. 

ABOUT GREENSPRING MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Greenspring Montessori School has been offering a Montessori education to students since 1962. Nestled on a 7-acre property that was originally a dairy farm, students ages 18 months through grade 8 thrive in our newly renovated buildings, state-of-the-art Montessori classrooms, and rich outdoor learning environments.

At Greenspring Montessori School, we value life experiences, strong and positive character, and integrity, alongside professional training. We welcome and celebrate people of diverse backgrounds, histories, perspectives, identities, cultures, religions, and races. Our learning environment is strengthened and enriched through a community that reflects the nuances and beauty of an intricate and complex world.

We are guided by our Professional Values here at Greenspring, and we are searching for self-motivated, collaborative, coachable individuals with a passion for learning and growing within our community. Personal values around a reverence for human dignity and a commitment to social justice, honoring the spirit of each child, and a love of nature and our environment are strong indicators of a potential fit for our school.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Faculty Development

• Establish a professional rapport with all faculty members
• Support the spiritual preparation of the adult 
• Assist the faculty program in the Toddler and Children’s House levels in its need to:
  • Be deeply grounded and act from the Montessori method and pedagogy in all aspects of their work 
  • Create inviting, well-designed & beautiful Montessori classrooms with a full range and use of Montessori curriculum and materials
  • Consistently self-reflect, deepening their understanding of Montessori practice
  • Develop a curriculum that draws directly upon Montessori philosophy
  • Develop themselves, as Montessori guides, to their fullest abilities
  • Develop and consistently use effective internal systems for lesson planning, tracking, and reporting
  • Hold Montessori lessons and the growth and development of concentration and independence as sacred
  • Provide families with a satisfactory quantity and quality of honest and kind communication
  • Support cooperative and effective Program Level Teams
  • Actively pursue professional development
  • Observe, know, understand, and behold the students
  • Learn from and inspire one another
  • Celebrate successes and growth, as well as reflect upon and coach challenges and shortcomings
• Nurture and mentor Guides, supporting their success and development
  • Serve as a resource providing advice and guidance 
  • Observe frequently in the classroom settings, offer timely written and oral feedback and support towards best Montessori practices in all classrooms
  • Identify areas of struggle and work with the Head of School to identify opportunities for growth, and if/when necessary, create and implement Professional Support Plans to support the needed growth
  • Regularly review planning, observation notes, and record keeping
  • Support Guides in developing the leadership skills necessary to nurture and support their classroom Partner’s development and growth
  • Ensure that Guides are offering their Partners ongoing feedback and are engaged in team reflection and goal setting meetings. 
  • Set and review progress of annual SMART goals within Greenspring’s GROW Portfolio framework with Guides and support them in achieving those goals. Conduct mid-year check-ins and end-of-year wrap-up meetings

Family Relationships

• Establish a professional rapport with Greenspring families
• Support, cultivate, and lead families in:
  • A clear understanding of the Montessori Method
  • Principles and tools to implement Montessori in the home
  • A strong sense of partnership between the school and parents
  • An honest and clear understanding of their child as a learner
• Be available to parents to discuss Montessori philosophy and answer questions, and facilitate healthy, open dialogue between families and guides

Student Support

• Work in close collaboration with the Director of Student Support to best meet the needs of both classroom Guides and students who present with challenges and monitor progress
• Coordinate various screenings and benchmark assessments
• Collaborate before, during, and after family meetings

Other Educational Responsibilities

• Serve as a liaison between constituents of the school, both internal and external, and the school’s administration and/or Head of School, as appropriate, in order to address questions, concerns, or issues
• Coordinate assessment, progress report, and conferencing  process
• Review and offer edits for all Toddler and Children’s House progress reports before they go home
• Establish continuity and clarity among the programs (can include vertical alignment, benchmarks & curriculum guides) for both Academics and Service Work.
• Support families with concerns in partnering with Guides to address their concerns and support the student
• Support the Director of Admissions in working with new families
• Work closely with the Director of Marketing to offer outreach to families for events, parent education articles, and additional opportunities
• Support the Head of School, providing partnership, support, and counsel
  • Work closely with the Head of School to support the onboarding of new staff
• Attend and contribute to the bi-weekly Team Leader Meetings

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Administrators are required to complete the following professional development requirements annually:

• Visit another school community during the fiscal year.
• Develop a relationship with another individual in your role or a similar role and meet at least once during the year, providing a resource for both school communities
• Complete regular in-house observations of each classroom for 30-60 minutes each
• Take a seminar, workshop, or attend a conference on a topic supporting your professional growth and development in a topic that relates directly to your role
• Read a book to support professional growth
• Engage fully in Greenspring’s Professional Development framework (GROW portfolios), setting and reviewing goals with the Head of School

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Administrators are required to:

• Attend at least two community events per year, engaging with families during the majority of the event

COMPETENCIES

• Impeccable written communication – mastery of grammar and spelling is essential
• Exceptional speaking and interpersonal skills
• Strong understanding of de-escalation techniques and ability to self-regulate and offer regulation – even when others are upset
• Ability to work well both independently and collaboratively
• Willingness to work hard and as part of a team for a common goal
• Profound and complete understanding of, and passion for, the Montessori philosophy and method
• Deep understanding of and competency in Montessori pedagogy – particularly for students six and under 
• The successful candidate will be warm, energetic, positive, and articulate with a tireless work ethic
• Proven record of building strong partnerships with all stakeholders, including students, families, colleagues and supervisors
• Must have a proven track record as a powerful and inspiring mentor 
• Willingness and openness to both receive and offer coaching. Specifically,
  • Accepts coaching graciously and with an open mind 
  • Implements coaching received in a timely fashion and in the manner in which it was intended
  • If applicable, offers regular coaching to direct reports and follows up accordingly, this can include stepping into classroom settings to model best practices
• Strong computer skills and ability to learn new platforms
  • Understanding of Microsoft Office and Google Suite (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets)
  • Ability to learn student information system (Blackbaud)
• Genuine interest in serving Greenspring Montessori School to help it be the best it can be

POSITION DETAILS

This is a year-round, full-time position, and hours of work and days are Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm, but hours often go beyond these limits. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Required:

• A minimum of one high-quality MACTE-approved Montessori certification in either Toddler or Children’s House
• Mastery of Montessori teaching and practice; minimum 6 years teaching experience
• Supervisory experience a plus
• Bachelor’s degree

Preferred:

• More than one MACTE-approved Montessori certification 
• Master’s Degree in Education

Authorization to work in the United States is a pre-condition of employment at Greenspring Montessori School.

Please upload your resume and cover letter via our online application.