What are the responsibilities and job description for the Preschool Lead Teacher position at Small Wonders School?
Small Wonders School is seeking an experienced Lead Teacher to join our team! This is a unique opportunity to become part of a school that has been deeply rooted in the Portland community for over a decade. Because we value promoting from within, lead teacher openings are rare, making this an exciting opportunity for the right educator.
As a Preschool for All (PFA) program, we're able to offer something that is increasingly uncommon in Portland early childhood education: low classroom ratios of just 1:7, with three teachers supporting a group of 20 children each day. This allows our teachers to build meaningful relationships with children while creating thoughtful, engaging learning experiences.
At Small Wonders, you'll work closely with our leadership team to bring our Reggio Emilia-inspired philosophy to life through emergent curriculum, monthly investigations, and intentional classroom environments. We don't expect you to know our program on day one- we'll thoughtfully onboard and mentor you so you can confidently grow into our vision.
You'll lead alongside two experienced assistant teachers, collaborating as a team to create a classroom where children feel capable, curious, and excited to learn.
Your day will include:
- Leading engaging morning meetings and circle times
- Guiding classroom routines and behavior with warmth and consistency
- Creating beautiful, open-ended invitations to play
- Planning and facilitating process art experiences
- Collaborating with your teaching team and administration
- Maintaining a clean, organized, and inspiring classroom environment
Qualifications
- Teacher qualified under Oregon licensing requirements
- Minimum 1,500 qualifying hours of experience
- Strong classroom management skills
- Passion for play-based, child-led learning
- Collaborative mindset
Benefits
- Competitive pay
- Health insurance
- 27–30 paid days off annually, plus accrued Oregon sick time
- Ongoing coaching and mentorship from experienced directors
- Supportive team culture
If you're looking for a school where your ideas matter, children are respected as capable learners, and you can grow alongside a passionate team, we'd love to meet you!
Work Location: In person
Salary : $42,650 - $56,179