Durham Early School Extended Day Assistant Teacher

The Opportunity:

Carolina Friends Durham Early School is seeking a part-time assistant teacher to join our staff in August 2026. This position will include working with 10-12 children ages three through six. The daily hours are from 2:45-5:15 pm. Teachers at Durham Early School enjoy a school community committed to a pedagogy rooted in Quaker philosophy and the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach. Our extended day program is particularly inspired by the Quaker tenet of simplicity and allows for an easeful, outdoor, play-based afternoon for young children in the midst of our busy world.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Supporting the extended day teacher in planning and implementing an emergent, extended day program that allows for following the interests of the children as well as lots of time for open-ended outdoor play
• Assisting the extended day teacher in supervising and supporting the work and play of the children
• Effectively communicating with colleagues and families
• Working collaboratively with the DES staff
• Using keen observation skills to support the children with their work and play during this particular time of the day
• Maintaining an aesthetically pleasing and organized indoor and outdoor classroom environment, which includes tasks related to cleaning, washing dishes, and putting away materials
• Following the safety protocols that are established to keep the children and staff safe

Experience and Skills Required:

• Experience working with children ages 3-6 years old.
• Respect for and love of young children, with a view of children as competent and capable
• An interest in and curiosity about the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching and learning
• Enthusiasm for outdoor education in all seasons of the year
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Strong intra/interpersonal skills, along with a willingness to work flexibly and collaboratively with the whole teaching team
• Demonstrate commitment to understanding and exploring how power and inequality, influenced by factors such as race, class, gender, sexuality, neurodivergence, and different physical abilities, impact our students, families, and colleagues
• Demonstrate an affinity for and interest in the Quaker values as embodied in the CFS community
• Ability to obtain certification in Infant/Child CPR, Basic First Aid
• Willingness to participate in professional development opportunities

Carolina Friends School’s Early School

As early childhood educators, we strive to align our thinking and teaching with a research-based understanding of how children learn and grow. We foster social-emotional development and healthy relationships by knowing each student well and attending carefully to their needs and interests; we enable meaningful inquiry through class projects and experiences in the natural world; we build community through collaborative work and shared decision-making; and we empower student autonomy through structured and unstructured play to enable the development of self-esteem, creativity, problem-solving, and cognitive development. Ours is a pedagogy of joy in a culture of belonging and perpetual learning.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit, when possible, in one complete PDF file, the following to jobopenings@cfsnc.org, with DES Extended Day Assistant Teacher indicated in the subject line:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Statement of Educational Philosophy
• Names and contact information for three references

Resumes will be reviewed immediately and continue until the position has been filled. CFS reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as all materials can be compiled.

APPLICANTS: Please review the Who We Are, Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity, and Important Information for All Applicants sections on the CFS Employment Opportunities page.

Carolina Friends School actively strives to be a community of staff, students, and families of diverse backgrounds. CFS does not discriminate based on age, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, socio-economic background, family structure, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, or military service in the administration of its policies and program.

CFS is an equal opportunity employer in both policy and practice.