Head of School (Pedagogical Executive Director) Reggio-Inspired Nursery School

Head of School (Pedagogical Executive Director) Reggio-Inspired Nursery School Build a school educators travel to see. Small, intentionally premium, Reggio Emilia-inspired nursery school for children ages 3 months through 5 years. We believe the environment is the teacher, that emotional regulation comes before academics, and that children are capable, curious, and worthy of deeply respectful care. We are not a traditional childcare center, and this is not a traditional director job. We're looking for the educational heart of our school, a pedagogical leader who will mentor teachers, coach families, shape culture, and protect the quality and emotional safety of every classroom. You won't be managing a 200-child machine. With a cap of 75 children across six small communities, you'll be close enough to know every child, every teacher, and every family, and to build something genuinely extraordinary, from the studs up. If you've spent years becoming a masterful early-childhood educator and you're ready to lead your own school we would love to meet you! What you'll own Teaching quality. Lead a regular cycle of classroom observation, feedback, modeling, and coaching that helps good teachers become exceptional ones. Reggio-inspired practice. Steward emergent curriculum, documentation, provocations, and project work, and keep the environment functioning as the "third teacher" in every room. Teacher development. Onboard and mentor educators, build growth plans, and create a coaching culture where being observed feels like growth, not judgment. Family partnership. Lead developmental conversations with warmth and honesty, build trust, and set the standard for parent communication. Child well-being. Safeguard developmentally appropriate practice, co-regulation, and a behavior-as-communication approach — never compliance or punishment-based systems. Culture & quality. Hire, mentor, and retain a faculty other schools wish they had, and drive toward NAEYC-level quality. Who you are You likely have: 7+ years in high-quality early childhood education (birth-age 6), with real classroom credibility — you've done the work, not just supervised it. 2+ years in a pedagogical-leadership or coaching role (lead/mentor teacher, pedagogista, atelierista, coordinator, or assistant director). Genuine Reggio-inspired fluency — emergent curriculum, documentation, provocations, the environment as third teacher — that you can show, not just describe. A track record of coaching teachers in a way that visibly improved their practice. A strong foundation in child development: attachment, co-regulation, self-regulation, and behavior as communication. Experience holding hard, compassionate conversations with families that kept the relationship intact. A bachelor's degree in early childhood education, child development, or a closely related field. A plus (not required): Master's in ECE, child development, or educational leadership. Experience in a NAEYC-accredited, lab, university-affiliated, nature/forest, or international school. Sustained Reggio study (NAREA, a Reggio Emilia study tour, Boulder Journey, Hilltop, Opal-lineage learning). Atelier/studio background, infant-toddler (RIE/Pikler) depth, bilingual (Spanish), or inclusion/behavioral-support expertise. You'll thrive here if you are warm and grounded, calm under a hard Tuesday, low-ego but high-standards, aesthetically attuned, and the kind of leader who builds other people up rather than making everyone depend on you. You see children, not behaviors — and you're still actively studying your own craft. What we offer Competitive salary, based on experience. Employer-subsidized health benefits; retirement match. Generous paid time off plus school breaks. A real annual professional-development budget (NAREA, Reggio study tours, institutes) we invest in your growth. Heavily discounted tuition for your own young child. The rare chance to shape a school end-to-end alongside a founder who will protect your time for the work that matters. How to apply Send your résumé and a short note telling us why this work, the story underneath your résumé. If you have documentation panels, learning stories, or examples of project work you're proud of, we'd love to see them. Our school is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, and for the children and families we serve

Pay:

$68,000.00 - $74,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Employee discount Health insurance Paid time off Professional development assistance Relocation assistance Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person