Location: SELA (Hingham-, MA)
Ages Served: 3 months–5 years
Schedule (Exempt-Salary): 5 days/week
3 days: 8:30 AM–6:00 PM
2 days: 7:00 AM–3:30 PM
Benefits: 401(k), health/vision/dental/life insurance, paid lunch, paid snow days, paid holidays, vacation, Tuition discounts or benefits for the EEHS own children , school uniform provided for specific events-
SELA is a private immersive education organization serving English Speaking children from infancy through 6th Grade.We are seeking a strong, hands-on Early Education Head of School ( 3 months- 5 years old) to lead program quality, staff performance, and day-to-day execution across our early childhood classrooms. This role requires a leader who can build systems, coach teachers, and ensure a safe, compliant, developmentally appropriate environment—while maintaining a warm, high-expectation culture aligned with SELA’s mission and values.
Position Overview
The Early Education Head of School is responsible for ensuring consistent excellence in SELA’s early childhood immersion program. You will lead and support teaching teams and key support roles (including assigned directors, nurse, and floaters as applicable), strengthen classroom systems, oversee curriculum implementation, and partner with leadership on continuous improvement.
This is a highly visible leadership role requiring strong judgment, professionalism, and the ability to manage both instructional quality and operational execution.
Key Responsibilities
Academic Leadership & School Readiness
Own academic quality for ages 3 months–5 years, ensuring children are progressing across language, literacy, early math, social-emotional development, and executive function skills.
Ensure consistent lesson planning expectations, weekly planning cycles, and documentation standards across classrooms.
Monitor child progress and classroom outcomes using observation tools, developmental checklists, and portfolio/documentation systems.
Lead school readiness systems for Pre-K (transition planning, family communication, and readiness benchmarks).
Partner with Curriculum leadership to ensure immersion goals and academic expectations are implemented with fidelity.
Instructional Leadership & Program Quality
Lead implementation of SELA’s immersive curriculum across infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms, ensuring alignment with developmental milestones and best practices.
Ensure classroom environments are prepared, organized, and developmentally appropriate (materials, routines, transitions, and learning centers).
Conduct regular classroom observations and provide real-time coaching, written feedback, and follow-up support.
Support teachers in planning, assessment, and documentation using early education tools and apps.
Promote strong classroom management practices that are respectful, consistent, and child-centered.
Leadership, Coaching & Accountability
Provide hands-on leadership to teaching and administrative staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, trust, accountability, and professionalism.
Supervise, coach, and evaluate teachers and support staff with clear performance expectations.
Identify training needs and deliver/coordinate professional development.
Oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, performance management, and (when necessary) terminations in alignment with SELA policies and Massachusetts EEC licensing standards.
Maintain a positive workplace culture that supports staff retention and continuity.
Provide instructional feedback and teacher support in collaboration with the Assistant Director.
Family & Community Engagement
Maintain open, transparent, and proactive communication with families regarding school updates, policies, classroom activities, and child progress.
Communicate effectively with families both verbally and in writing; ensure timely, respectful responses to concerns.
Organize, promote, and attend family engagement initiatives and events (some events may occur outside regular hours).
Serve as a primary liaison between families and management to ensure inclusive decision-making and responsiveness.
Build relationships with community partners to support enrollment growth and SELA’s reputation.
Licensing, Compliance & Safety
Maintain full compliance with Massachusetts EEC licensing standards, internal policies, and required documentation.
Monitor health and safety systems, emergency procedures, drills, mandatory reporting requirements, and recordkeeping practices.
Ensure classroom and school-wide preparedness for inspections, drills, audits, and compliance reviews.
Operational & Financial Oversight
Supervise the Assistant Director, teachers, and health team roles as applicable; ensure timely, accurate completion of administrative tasks, enrollment tracking, reporting, and family communications.
Create and maintain annual and ongoing staffing schedules to ensure daily operations function smoothly.
Track time-off and payroll-related inputs and provide required reports to HR for payroll processing.
Ensure ratios and staffing schedules are maintained; step into a classroom or support opening/closing the school if required.
Maintain secure, organized digital recordkeeping for staff and children in compliance with licensing and privacy requirements.
Review monthly financial reports prepared by the Assistant Director and provide high-level summaries on finances, enrollment, staffing, and operations.
Approve vendor contracts and major purchases; oversee inventory and operational purchasing controls.
Participate in cross-functional planning with Health, Admissions, Curriculum, HR, and the CEO to ensure consistent SELA standards and smooth operations.
Required Qualifications
Proven leadership experience as a Director/Head of School/Program Director in a private early education organization.
Bachelor’s degree required in Early Childhood Education, Special Needs Education, Psychology, or a closely related field.
A master’s degree is strongly preferred.
Strong knowledge of early childhood developmental milestones (ages 3 months–5 years), curriculum implementation, and classroom quality standards.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, build systems, and drive accountability with professionalism.
Comfort with early education technology/apps for communication, documentation, and classroom support.
Preferred Qualifications
Bilingual in any language preferred.
Exposure to additional languages and cultures (e.g., living abroad, formal language study, or immersion experiences) preferred.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing your leadership approach, your experience with children ages 3 months–5 years, and how you coach teachers and build strong school culture. This is a leadership role. Candidates who do not meet the key requirements (including director/leadership experience in early education) will not be considered.
Pay: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
