Experienced Assistant Director Early Childhood Education

The Intro Part

Hi! My name is Katie, and I’m the Director for Thrive Reunion, a swiftly growing organization devoted to providing exceptional play-based learning experiences for young children and cultivating a better humanity for all. We’re looking for a highly qualified Program Assistant Director to work with our incredible team of educators!

The About Us Part

Thrive is a nurturing and supportive community of early childhood professionals that are passionate about the importance of, and interplay between, play and discovery. We currently have five schools where we are creating a thriving community for children, families and educators with exciting advancement opportunities (yes, even for assistant directors!) and a focus on personal and professional growth.

The How Much Will I Make & How Many Hours Will I Work Part (aka the First Thing You Are Probably Reading Part)

We are looking to hire a full-time program assistant director (Monday-Friday, 8 hours/day) for a salaried position making $50,000 to $55,000 per year, plus extensive benefits.

The Benefits Part

We have strong beliefs about maintaining harmony between work and life for all our staff, and those beliefs drive the benefits we offer.

We Believe That Time Is Our Most Valuable Resource

• Over 5 weeks of paid holidays and breaks (you can visit our website, thrivepreschool.com, to see a sample school year calendar)
• 80 hours of paid time off each year in addition to the regular school holidays and breaks
  
  

We believe in caring for others now and into the distant future:

• Full group medical, dental and vision coverage
• Supplemental insurance offerings (disability, accident, hospital, etc.)
• 401(k) plans with employer contribution matching
  
  

We believe the best environment for learning is one built around the community:

• Monthly community give-back programs.
• Seasonal festivals with pumpkin patches, food trucks, ice cream socials and more
• Catered meals in the centers
• Your imagination is the limit—we’re always looking for great new ways to bring the community together, so share your passions with us, and we’ll work together to make something special
  
  

We believe every human being has the right to continued personal and professional growth:

• Professional development and continuing education opportunities as you grow with the organization
  
  

The Are We a Great Fit Part

Compatibility means everything to us. If you are dedicated to the future of our children, thrive when managing and supporting others, and believe in the power of play-based learning, you’re probably in the right place. But let’s get the usual qualifications out of the way first.

Just to make sure we’re on the same page, let’s start with the basics:

• Deep knowledge of hiring, recruiting and retaining staff for childcare programs
• Strong background in the ECE marketing & enrollment processes
• A positive attitude, warm personality and passion for working with young children, families, and teachers
• Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills
• Skilled in the use of electronic systems for the management of enrollment, staffing, student documentation, staff time management, and capable of learning and adapting to new systems as they are introduced to improve the efficiency of our programs.
• Looking to grow and evolve with a new and forward-thinking organization for many years to come
• High levels of self-awareness (emotional IQ, emotional awareness, strengths & weaknesses), and passionate about growth.
• Intentional, mindful and reflective in professional practices
• Ability to receive and utilize feedback and constructive criticism, as well as to provide and give the same collaborative feedback to staff you manage
• Ability to create and maintain professional and positive energies throughout the building and among staff
• Creative and “go-getter” mindset
• Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings (open houses, family-teacher conferences, seasonal holiday celebrations, etc.) We pinky promise to make these as rare as possible
• Must meet minimum qualifications for employment as a director of a large childcare center in the state of Colorado, including training, experience, and background check requirements and have an active director’s certificate
• Minimum of three years of experience as a director or assistant director of a large childcare center in the state of Colorado.
• A Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from a regionally accredited college or university and/or a master’s degree with a major emphasis in child development, early childhood education, or early childhood special education is preferred but not required as we are open to alternative pathways to leadership credentials.
  
  

And Here Are Some Of The Philosophies And Lifestyle Choices We Share With Our Educators That Make Thrive a Special Place To Learn And Grow

• A love of, or appreciation for, nature and spending time outdoors
• Dedication to play-based learning
• Experience, training, and/or knowledge surrounding Reggio Emilia educational practices and philosophies and Conscious Discipline.
• A special talent, skill, or hobby (artistic, multi-lingual, play an instrument, singing, puppetry, storytelling, woodworking, knitting, cooking, gardening etc.) that you would enjoy sharing with the children and staff. We take the “play” part very seriously.
  
  

The Responsibilities Part

As a Program Assistant Director, you’ll work closely with your director, our management team, classroom teachers and support staff to guide all aspects of the program.

Your Responsibilities To The School Will Be

• Assist in the evaluation and training of primary and support staff
• Oversee further development and implementation of inquiry-based/mindfulness-based curriculum, documentation, and work projects of children in accordance with our guiding educational philosophy
• Establish educational standards and goals, and build and uphold policies, procedures, and programs to carry them out
• Foster culture that is in alignment with school missions and philosophies
• Coordinate activities with teachers and staff, including monthly staff meetings, professional development, staff scheduling, and special events (i.e., open house events, back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, holiday celebrations, etc.)
• Review and evaluate new and current programs to determine their efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance with state, local, and federal regulations, recommending any necessary modifications
• Create and disseminate informational materials for program marketing, family/community engagement, and parent education
• Monitor facility safety, security, and maintenance operations and procedures
• Maintain all documentation as mandated by the State of Colorado (i.e., attendance logs, vaccination records, student and employee files)
• Teach classes or courses or provide direct care to children when needed
  
  

Your Responsibilities To The Teachers Will Be

• Facilitate teachers monitoring student progress and gathering information for assessment
• Assist teachers in developing everyday classroom behavioral management solutions
• Support teachers and staff in goal-setting and overall quality program improvement
• Observe classroom to assess teacher-student interactions and instructional methods
  
  

Your Responsibilities To The Families Will Be

• Host tours of the school and communicate with families during the onboarding process
• Confer with parents and staff to develop educational programming and school policies that will support all students
  
  

The Goodbye Part

If you’re interested in providing a brighter future for our children, please don’t hesitate another moment in reaching out! When we find the right person to join our community, we always wish we could have had you with us from the very beginning, but we’ll have to settle for the joy of having you now and growing with you for many years to come. Any questions? Of course, go ahead and ask. That’s what we’re here for. That’s what we’re all here for: to question.

Sincerely,

Katie O'Connell

Director, Thrive Reunion