Program Description
Evergreen Community School is a small (60 students), NAEYC-accredited, non-profit preschool in Santa Monica, California. We are a community of dedicated teachers and families committed to a progressive, social-constructivist model, learning together and embracing the world with compassion, creativity, wonder, and joy. Our staff is made up of 15 full-time teachers and administrators, including an atelierista and a pedagogista.
We are searching for a teacher for an opening in Fall 2026. This position is a full-time (40 hours per week), 10-month contract, mid-August 2026 through mid-June 2027. We’re looking for enthusiastic, dedicated and professional educators with previous classroom experience. Our classroom teachers work in teams of 3 co-teachers in the classroom, atelier, and outdoor environments. Knowledge of and a strong passion for social constructivist education are a must! We are seeking educators who initiate action with curiosity and intention, who value collaboration and innovative thinking, who have a passion for working with children, and who have a strong image of the child as competent, capable and worthy of respect. Our ideal candidate is flexible, friendly, values lifelong learning, is comfortable with feedback and has strong verbal and written communication skills. Competence with Mac programs, video recording and editing, and photography is essential.
Evergreen staff are warm, friendly, and dedicated to collaborative work. We are committed to professional growth both individually and as a group. Staff are encouraged to pursue their own personal passions, and often weave their interests into their work.
Preschool Teacher Description, Responsibilities, & Duties
- Observing, reflecting and documenting individual and group experiences
- Keeping a portfolio for each child with dated work that shows a progression of skill, interest and activity
- Using pedagogical documentation and portfolios as a guide for developing a curriculum that offers meaningful learning experiences to support children’s demonstrated interests and intellectual, creative, and social-emotional growth
- Creating and maintaining an aesthetically pleasing classroom environment, rich in wonder and designed to instill a joy of learning and positive attitudes towards school
- Developing individual goals for each child while being mindful of group dynamics and collaboration
- Writing and distributing updates to the school community
- Collaborating on a teaching team and with our atelierista and pedagogista on a constant basis
- Building positive, supportive relationships with families by recognizing families as genuine partners with the school and by collaborating and communicating regularly with them
- Participating in professional development meetings, workshops, and conferences at the preschool
- Attending schoolwide and class events such as family meetings and other special events
- Supporting the learning and growth of teammates and colleagues across the school
Preschool Teacher Qualifications and Requirements
Our program requires the following in addition to a BA in ECE or related field, a strong child development background, and at least four years of early childhood experience:
- knowledge of social constructivism and/or the Reggio approach
- proficiency in implementing inquiry-based curricula, with a focus on observation, reflection, and pedagogical documentation
- comfortable, competent and creative in expressing yourself and thinking through writing and speaking
- ability and desire to think creatively about ideas and materials
- commitment to reviewing research in both the early childhood field and related fields, e.g., psychology, art, neuroscience, philosophy
- strong collaborative skills
- well-developed facilitation skills that encourage children to problem solve on their own and foster independence
- joyfulness, a good sense of humor, and team spirit!
- commitment to anti-bias work, both personally and in your teaching practice
- intercultural competence and the ability to work with sensitivity and effectiveness with children, families and colleagues of diverse backgrounds and identities
- commitment to nature-based learning for environmental stewardship and justice
- ability to multitask; strong organizational and time management skills
- digital literacy: competent in using Mac programs (Pages, Keynote); web-based applications, database and cloud storage solutions such as Google Drive; video and photo editing with iMovie and Photos
- long term commitment
- PASSION!
In order to learn from and co-create with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, we seek to foster an inclusive and collaborative environment. We value and respect diversity in its many forms: race, ethnicity, national origin, ability, class, faith, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, and experience.
The annual salary at Evergreen is very competitive and depends on education and experience. As an employee of Evergreen Community School, you are also eligible for our benefits program, which includes:
- Medical insurance
- Option to participate in dental and vision insurance
- Option to participate in a matching 403(b) retirement plan
- Four weeks paid vacation (Winter and Spring Break), and 10 paid holidays
- Medical leave and PTO
- Funds for professional development, including classes, conferences, books, and technology
If interested, please review the content on our website and write a 400-500 word cover letter to accompany your resume that describes your experience and why you think Evergreen would be a good fit for you. Please reference specific aspects of our program in your letter that connect to your previous experience and your personal teaching philosophy.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $32.00 - $35.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- REQUIRED: If interested, please review the content on our website and write a 400-500 word cover letter to accompany your resume that describes your experience and why you think Evergreen would be a good fit for you. Please reference specific aspects of our program in your letter that connect to your previous experience and your personal teaching philosophy.
Education:
Experience:
- Teaching: 2 years (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Santa Monica, CA 90404 (Required)
Work Location: In person
