Compare your current skills to what this opportunity needs—we'll show you what you already have and what could strengthen your application.
Job Description
Job Title:
Assistant Teacher - Outdoor Nature-Based Preschool (2026-2027 School Year)About Tender Leaves Outdoor Preschool Tender Leaves Outdoor Preschool is proud to be the only fully licensed outdoor nature-based preschool in Kitsap County. Operating in partnership with Kitsap County Parks at Salsbury Point Park in Poulsbo, Washington, our unique classroom features forest trails, open play fields, and rich beach access along the Hood Canal. Our motto is, "By nurturing tender leaves, we grow the roots of strong communities" . We view childhood as a time of wonder, discovery, and limitless potential. We blend the freedom of child-led outdoor exploration with structured, intentional early learning frameworks to prepare children for kindergarten and beyond. If you love the outdoors and want to build a career in early childhood education under the direct mentorship of a certificated teacher, we want to hear from you! Position Overview We are seeking an enthusiastic, nature-loving Assistant Teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. In this role, you will work alongside our Director (a certificated Lead Teacher) from Monday through Thursday, serving as a co-facilitator and learning the ropes of nature-based teaching. On Fridays, you will step into the lead role, guiding the daily schedule and implementing lesson plans designed by the Director or developed by you on occasion. This position is structured as a professional incubator. It is specifically designed for an aspiring educator who wants to master behavior management, learn outdoor lesson planning, gain leadership experience, and grow within our expanding company.
Compensation & Hours Hourly Wage:
$25.00 / hour
Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (35 hours per week)
Academic Term:
Aligns with the NKSD school year calendar (late August 2026 through mid-June 2027)
Key Benefits Paid Time Off:
6 paid sick days per school year. To reward dependability, any unused sick days at the end of the school year can be cashed out. 100%
Tuition Assistance:
Because we are a licensed, Early Achievers-participating program, you are eligible for the state-funded Early Achievers Grant. This program fully covers your tuition, college fees, and up to $1,000 per year for textbooks and supplies to earn your Associate of Arts (AA) degree or stackable certificates in Early Childhood Education (ECE).
Intimate Class Sizes:
Work within an elite 1:4 student-to-teacher ratio (much lower than the state standard) to ensure maximum safety and highly individualized instruction in our outdoor setting.
Professional Growth:
Gain direct, daily clinical mentoring from a certificated teacher. You will also have additional opportunities throughout the year to take on greater responsibilities, plan seasonal curriculum, and lead-teach entire weeks under the guidance of the Director. Our Teaching Philosophy We believe the natural world is the ultimate classroom. Our instructional model is built on three core pillars: Warm Demander Approach (Love and Limits): We believe love and boundaries go hand-in-hand. We greet children with immense joy, validate their feelings, and build deep trust, while simultaneously maintaining firm safety boundaries, high standards, and coaching them through productive struggles.
Emergent, Play-Based Curriculum:
We follow the children's natural curiosity. Whether we are counting animal tracks, exploring the beach, or utilizing our emergent cirriculum to study local flora and fauna, we let the outdoor environment guide our learning.
Structured Curricular Synergy:
We seamlessly weave early academics and emotional safety into nature play. We utilize the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) Pre-K phonics program and the evidence-based Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum to support early literacy and self-regulation, all set against the backdrop of Early Learning Standads.
Daily Responsibilities Safety & Hazard Sweeps:
Assist the Director in conducting daily morning sweeps of our forest trails and beach areas to identify environmental hazards prior to student arrival.
Active Outdoor Supervision:
Maintain a constant line of sight and close physical proximity to students as they navigate logs, trails, and beach shorelines. Perform frequent, routine headcounts.
Instructional Scaffolding:
Actively participate in child-led play. Use "I notice / I wonder" language to prompt critical thinking, language acquisition, and scientific inquiry. Eye-Level Communication & "Think Time": Communicate respectfully by lowering yourself physically to the children's eye level. Give children intentional "think time" to formulate their own answers and process their environment.
Conflict & Emotional Coaching:
Act as a behavior coach. Help children navigate social squabbles using Second Step techniques—teaching them to label big emotions, establish personal boundaries, and resolve conflicts with words.
Friday Leadership:
Lead the Friday preschool routine. Direct supporting staff/volunteers, implement the day's lesson plans, act as the primary contact for families at drop-off/pick-up, and ensure secure site closure.
Brightwheel Logging & Documentation:
Use the Brightwheel app to log student attendance, bathroom routines, and daily activities. Take and upload high-quality learning photos to share with parents daily.
Hygiene & Leave No Trace:
Help children safely use the park restrooms, enforcing strict Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) licensing hygiene standards. Clean up eating areas and ensure our park site is returned to its natural state at the end of the day. Recommended Qualifications (Preferred but Not Required) To maintain our standing as the premier, highest-standard outdoor preschool in Kitsap County, we highly value candidates who possess the following preferred experiences and mindsets: Experience in
Outdoor Pedagogy:
Prior experience working in an outdoor classroom, forest school, nature-based preschool, or outdoor environmental education program. Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Coursework:
Some completed college-level credits in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Environmental Education, or a related field. Familiarity with
Emergent Learning:
An understanding of how to observe child-led play and scaffold learning organically "on the fly" without relying on rigid worksheets or structured indoor drills.
Social-Emotional & Literacy Frameworks:
Prior experience with positive guidance techniques, the Second Step social-emotional curriculum, or multisensory phonics (such as IMSE Orton-Gillingham). Alignment with the "Warm Demander"
Philosophy:
An intuitive ability to combine high behavioral and safety expectations with unconditional warmth, deep respect, and joy.
Advanced Outdoor Safety:
Possession of a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification.
Local Environmental Knowledge:
A basic comfort with Pacific Northwest flora, fauna, and marine life (e.g., identifying local trees, shells, or sea life on the Hood Canal) to help fuel children's curiosity. Required Qualifications To comply with DCYF licensing guidelines for licensed Outdoor Nature-Based child care (WAC 110-302), all applicants must meet the following baseline requirements prior to their start date: Must be at least 18 years of age. High School Diploma or equivalent. A cleared Washington State portable background check with fingerprinting. A negative Tuberculosis (TB) test. Valid Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification. Blood Borne Pathogens (BBP) training and a valid Washington State Food Handler's Permit. Active registration in the
DCYF MERIT
workforce database. Completion of the free "Outdoor Nature-Based Child Care Basics" online training course via dcyftraining.com (can be completed upon hire). Commitment to enrolling in or holding a Washington State ECE Initial Certificate or Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Early Childhood Education, fully funded by our state tuition assistance program. Ability to work comfortably outdoors in all Pacific Northwest weather conditions (rain, wind, snow, and sunshine) while carrying a backpack with emergency supplies.
