Position: Full-time Garden Gate Teacher & Early Childhood Support Teacher

River Valley Waldorf School is seeking an individual to lead the Garden Gate: Caregiver and Child Class program as well as support the Early Childhood department as an Support Teacher beginning fall 2023. 

Garden Gate Teacher Duties

The Garden Gate teacher leads classes with small groups of caregivers and young children. The teacher fosters a nurturing environment in class where teachers and caregivers cooperate in purposeful activity which inspires the children in their play. Children may help or play independently as they begin learning how to be an individual within a group. Teachers model behavior, bring beautiful age-appropriate songs, rhymes, and stories to aid parents in creating a healthy and harmonious rhythm for their child’s day. 

The weekly program takes place Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and includes adult crafts and child development discussions. It is the intent of all our Garden Gate offerings to provide a nurturing and supportive environment for the parents and caregivers as well as the children. Garden Gate is not just for ‘mommies.’ Daddies, grandparents, step-parents and nannies or other caregivers are welcome to bring the children. The teacher also leads two parent evenings per session and provides study materials to assist parents in deepening their understanding of the young child. Garden Gate Teacher responsibilities may also extend to outreach activities at local venues. 

The ideal candidate must also be willing to commit to the ongoing work of diversity, equity, and inclusion and have familiarity or interest in best practices of Waldorf Early Childhood Education. A Waldorf teaching certificate or current enrollment in a Waldorf teacher training program is strongly preferred.

Early Childhood Support Teacher Duties

• Harmoniously work alongside the lead teacher to provide kind and supportive care to our students in a safe indoor and outdoor environment
• Support the lead teacher in preparing and facilitating program activities throughout the day, i.e. help to prepare daily snack; maintain classroom cleanliness and order; participate in circle and storytime, outdoor activities, and any additional needs to support the flow of the day
• Support children in being their best selves and model behavior for students in alignment with Waldorf pedagogy
• Assist lead teacher with the support of students experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges
• Participate in classroom setup, cleaning, and preparation at the beginning of the school year, and cleaning at the end of the school year
• Meet regularly with lead teacher for planning, study of Waldorf pedagogy, and to communicate observations
• Work well with a team, as well as be able to safely manage and lead a group of students when substituting the role of the lead teacher in their absence

Hours and Compensation

This is a full-time salaried position. Salary ranges from $30,000 – $45,000 based on education and experience, and includes participation in the 403b retirement plan as well as healthcare benefits. Background clearances, physical examination, and TB test will be required.

Start Date: 7/1/2023

Required training obtained during employment may include:

• CPR and First Aid
• Mandated Reporter Training
• Stewards of Children – Darkness to Light
• Racial Equity: Anti-bias Training

The 7-acres of River Valley Waldorf School sits on forested hills that overlook the Delaware River on unceded Lenni-Lenape land. We are so grateful for the First Nations people’s reverent caretaking of the land we now call Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania. Upper Black Eddy is located in Bucks County and only 40-60 minutes from major metropolitan areas. Our programs include a caregiver-child program, mixed-age early childhood classes, and grades one through eight. The River Valley community strives to be supportive, and welcoming, and the school has recently deepened its commitment to diversity and equity initiatives. The school is a full member of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN) and is accredited by both the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS). 

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resumé, and a short biographical sketch to either:

email: info@rivervalleyschool.org

mail: River Valley Waldorf School

            1395 Bridgeton Hill Road

            Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972

Equal Rights and Opportunities Policy

River Valley Waldorf School is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We recognize that the range of ethnicities, nationalities, languages, socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientation, learning differences, and life experiences within our community enhances the school’s learning environment, and we are committed to fostering equity and inclusion.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and mentorship. RVWS makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.