Assistant Preschool Teacher

Full-Time Assistant Teacher

New Day School — Portland, Oregon
Start Date: November 1, 2026

New Day School, a nonprofit Neo-Humanist preschool serving children ages 21⁄2–5, is seeking a warm, dependable, and engaged Full-Time Assistant Teacher to join our teaching team.

We offer a nurturing, values-centered environment where kindness, creativity, nature, yoga and meditation, and respect for all living beings are woven into daily life.

A Healthy & Sustainable School

We believe a healthy environment matters for both children and staff. New Day School is Oregon’s first net-zero preschool, with a strong commitment to cleanliness, sustainability, healthy indoor air, natural and non-toxic materials, organic gardens, water conservation, composting, renewable energy, and freshly prepared vegan food.

The Position

The Assistant Teacher works under the guidance of the Lead Teacher and supports the daily classroom program by teaching, guiding, observing, supervising, and caring for children.

Responsibilities include supporting the Lead Teacher in implementing the curriculum and daily classroom activities. They are responsible for helping to maintain a nurturing, clean, safe, and organized classroom, guiding children through routines and transitions, supporting outdoor play and social-emotional development, observing children, and sharing observations with the Lead Teacher.

Qualifications

We are looking for someone who is warm, patient, reliable, collaborative, and genuinely enjoys working with young children. Early childhood experience is preferred.

Applicants must meet all Oregon child care licensing requirements to be eligible for employment, including enrollment in the Central Background Registry (CBR) and current CPR/First Aid certification, Food Handler Certificate, and Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (RRCAN) certification.

Schedule

Monday–Friday, 7:45 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

The daily schedule includes a 45-minute unpaid lunch and two 10-minute paid rest breaks.

Employment Year & Compensation

This is an ongoing, full-time salaried position. New Day School’s regular employment year runs from September 1 through August 31.

The Assistant Teacher position has an annual base salary of $43,020, paid in regular biweekly installments throughout the employment year.

Because this position is being filled after the beginning of the 2026–27 employment year, the employee’s first-year salary will be prorated for the remaining portion of the employment year. For the period November 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, the prorated base salary is $34,717.89.

The prorated salary will be paid in regular biweekly installments through August 31, including scheduled paid school-closure periods.

Benefits

• $2,000 annual medical allowance, prorated for the employee’s first employment year
• Paid school-closure periods, including Winter Break, Spring Break, and approximately 5 weeks of scheduled paid summer closure
• 9 paid holidays remaining during the 2026–27 employment year
• Paid Days Off (PDO) accrued according to school policy following the introductory period
• Freshly prepared vegan lunch on classroom days
• Professional development and mentoring opportunities

The position includes the regular school year, required professional development and in-service days, staff and classroom meetings, school events, and New Day School’s four-week Summer Camp program.

Salary continues during scheduled paid school closures, providing consistent biweekly income throughout the employment year.

Beginning September 1, 2027, continued employment will follow New Day School’s regular annual employment and salary process.

If you are looking for meaningful work in a small school community where children, teachers, healthy living, sustainability, and care for the natural world are valued, we would love to hear from you.

Our school has been serving Portland families since 1979. We are blessed with almost an acre of school campus that includes a huge organic garden, natural playscapes and custom made play-structures along with beautiful classrooms furnished with natural play/educational materials. We enjoy a DIY attitude that celebrates the differences and talents of each person. We also work as a team, with a strong curriculum that is based on Neo-Humanist ethics and values. You can learn more about Neo-Humanist education and our school here: http://newdayschool.org