Lead Teacher / Center Director
**For priority consideration, please apply by Feb. 28, 2020**
Prairie Flower Children’s Center is searching for a Lead Teacher / Center Director to begin in the 2020-2021 school year (or sooner). The primary responsibilities of the Lead Teacher/Center Director are to teach and supervise a preschool and mixed-age kindergarten program serving children 3-5 years old, and supervise the teaching of a parent-child playgroup for 1- to 3-year-olds.
We are seeking an individual who can propel our Waldorf preschool and associated programming into its next chapter. The Lead Teacher/Center Director needs to have the vision, knowledge and the drive to continue with (and potentially expand upon) this program that was started 22 years ago here in Ames, Iowa.
This position is currently part-time at 20 instructional hours per week, but offers flexibility in what is currently being offered, as there is interest within our community to extend our offerings and programming. In years past, the local community has expressed interest in a second preschool and mixed-age-kindergarten program, a daycare offering and grade school program. Moving forward with any of these program ideas would depend on the new teacher/director’s vision, with support from the Ames Waldorf Education Association Board of Directors.
Brief Overview of Our Current Programming:
Currently, Prairie Flower Children's Center programming consists of:
Programming may be modified depending on community needs and the vision of the Lead Teacher/Center Director and Ames Waldorf Education Association Board of Directors.
About Our Location:
Prairie Flower's site is ideal for early childhood movement and connection to nature. Traversing the banks of the South Skunk River, with access to woods and ravines in the adjacent nature preserve, we experience the Midwest’s four seasons in all their beauty.
The red cabin, our indoor space, embraces intentions with sweet charm. Ames is a college town of nearly 60,000 and home to Iowa State University and much ethnic diversity. Ames and the surrounding areas offer many hiking and biking trails and nature preserves (Story County Conservation and Ledges State Park are two favored ones).
The community offers a co-op grocery store, seasonal festivals, farmers markets, local CSA (community supported agriculture) farms, several yoga studios, holistic health providers, coffee shops, ethnic food stores and restaurants, an aquatic center and many fitness centers.
Ames is a 30-40 minute drive to Des Moines, which has an international airport and is also within a few hours' driving to other major metropolitan areas like Minneapolis, Kansas City and Omaha.
Preferred Qualifications:
Other Qualifications:
Benefits:
To Apply:
Interested candidates, please submit a letter of interest and resume to our search committee by emailing
search-committee@prairieflowercc.org. Please be prepared to submit three letters of references upon request. We look forward to receiving your application!
Come join an inspired, vibrant community of families and educators committed to the Waldorf vision!
Apply by February 28, 2020 for priority consideration.
Please visit our website: www.prairieflowercc.org and Prairie Flower Children’s Center's Facebook page for more information.
Prairie Flower Children’s Center is searching for a Lead Teacher / Center Director to begin in the 2020-2021 school year (or sooner). The primary responsibilities of the Lead Teacher/Center Director are to teach and supervise a preschool and mixed-age kindergarten program serving children 3-5 years old, and supervise the teaching of a parent-child playgroup for 1- to 3-year-olds.
We are seeking an individual who can propel our Waldorf preschool and associated programming into its next chapter. The Lead Teacher/Center Director needs to have the vision, knowledge and the drive to continue with (and potentially expand upon) this program that was started 22 years ago here in Ames, Iowa.
This position is currently part-time at 20 instructional hours per week, but offers flexibility in what is currently being offered, as there is interest within our community to extend our offerings and programming. In years past, the local community has expressed interest in a second preschool and mixed-age-kindergarten program, a daycare offering and grade school program. Moving forward with any of these program ideas would depend on the new teacher/director’s vision, with support from the Ames Waldorf Education Association Board of Directors.
Brief Overview of Our Current Programming:
Currently, Prairie Flower Children's Center programming consists of:
- A preschool and mixed-age kindergarten program that operates 4 days a week in the mornings and two afternoons. It is taught by our Lead Teacher/Center Director with an assistant.
- A parent-child playgroup that runs one morning per week. This program is taught by an assistant teacher (paid or volunteer), who is trained by the Lead Teacher/Center Director.
- After-school nature clubs for elementary and middle school youth (taught by assistant teachers, trained by Lead Teacher/Center Director).
Programming may be modified depending on community needs and the vision of the Lead Teacher/Center Director and Ames Waldorf Education Association Board of Directors.
About Our Location:
Prairie Flower's site is ideal for early childhood movement and connection to nature. Traversing the banks of the South Skunk River, with access to woods and ravines in the adjacent nature preserve, we experience the Midwest’s four seasons in all their beauty.
The red cabin, our indoor space, embraces intentions with sweet charm. Ames is a college town of nearly 60,000 and home to Iowa State University and much ethnic diversity. Ames and the surrounding areas offer many hiking and biking trails and nature preserves (Story County Conservation and Ledges State Park are two favored ones).
The community offers a co-op grocery store, seasonal festivals, farmers markets, local CSA (community supported agriculture) farms, several yoga studios, holistic health providers, coffee shops, ethnic food stores and restaurants, an aquatic center and many fitness centers.
Ames is a 30-40 minute drive to Des Moines, which has an international airport and is also within a few hours' driving to other major metropolitan areas like Minneapolis, Kansas City and Omaha.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Childhood Development Associate (CDA) or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE)
- Waldorf Early Childhood Teaching credential
- LifeWays, Sophia’s Hearth or similar training, and a willingness to obtain further training as needed
- Two or more years of Waldorf education experience
- Experience training, evaluating and supervising teaching staff
- Experience with administrative tasks such as record-keeping, scheduling, communicating with utility companies and groundskeepers and compliance with local regulations and codes
Other Qualifications:
- Dedication to Waldorf education philosophy
- Demonstrated capacity to work with and inspire parents
- Confident classroom presence; strong social and communication skills
- Independent worker and self-motivated
- Commitment to excellence in program offerings
- Ability to effectively lead and work with an assistant teacher
- At least 2 years of Waldorf teaching experience
Benefits:
- Competitive compensation
- Tuition discounts on Prairie Flower programming
- Paid professional development training
- Paid time off and paid holidays
To Apply:
Interested candidates, please submit a letter of interest and resume to our search committee by emailing
search-committee@prairieflowercc.org. Please be prepared to submit three letters of references upon request. We look forward to receiving your application!
Come join an inspired, vibrant community of families and educators committed to the Waldorf vision!
Apply by February 28, 2020 for priority consideration.
Please visit our website: www.prairieflowercc.org and Prairie Flower Children’s Center's Facebook page for more information.
After-School Nature Club Assistant Teacher
**Please apply by Jan. 31, 2020**
Position Description:
We are seeking a part-time assistant teacher to help with our after school nature play program, PoemTree, from Feb. 5-May 22, 2020. PFCC’s location in Ames is ideal for early childhood movement and connection to nature. PFCC began 22 years ago, and currently serves children from Ames and surrounding communities in our beautiful cabin in the woods, with 14 wooded acres of streams, ravines and riverbanks to explore.
PoemTree is an outdoor club for children. Our main activity is free play and exploration in the woods, but on any given day you will find PoemTree children learning woods and garden care, along with hiking, foraging, wood-working, whittling, building fires, climbing trees, playing music, singing, hearing nature stories and making up our own, making maps, building forts, and doing other outdoor projects.
We will also be keeping a nature journal and the winter months find us doing more indoor projects, like baking and playing board games, as well as indoor crafting and handwork, from weaving, knitting, sewing, and painting, following the impulses/interests of the children.
Position Details:
The part-time assistant teacher will work for four hours on Wednesdays from 2-6 pm (children ages 5-12). Occasionally, we have teacher meetings or prep work that needs to be done. This position runs from Feb. 5-May 22 and is paid on an hourly basis at $11 per hour.
Responsibilities:
Alongside the lead teacher, the assistant:
The assistant also:
Qualifications:
We seek an individual with a passion for the outdoors. We are looking for someone with the qualities of patience, compassion, responsibility, reliability and flexibility. We seek someone who practices firm but kind boundary-setting, enjoys being with children and has interest or skill in any of the following: board games, wildcrafting, foraging, nature, outdoor safety, cooking with children, handwork and crafting.
The individual also must have the ability to lift at least 50 pounds and to hike nearby rugged terrain; the ability to be outdoors daily during all seasons (sun, rain, snow, cold down to 15 degrees); and excellent communication skills during frequent interactions with other teachers.
The ideal candidate would be available to work Wednesday each week, commit to the school for the entire 15 weeks and be interested in furthering his or her knowledge of outdoor education.
To Apply:
Send a cover letter and resume or CV to prarieflowercc@gmail.com by Jan 31. If you are passionate about helping children access the time, space and freedom this wonderful setting offers, please apply!
Your cover letter should address the experiences and qualifications you bring to this job. You should discuss why you are applying, the strengths you would bring and, especially, what you know about how time in nature impacts children of this age group.
We are a licensed Iowa child care center, and all teachers will need to complete (upon hiring) a background check and wilderness CPR/first aid. We look forward to receiving your application.
For a deeper understanding of our mission, our values and what we do at PFCC: www.prairieflowercc.org.
Position Description:
We are seeking a part-time assistant teacher to help with our after school nature play program, PoemTree, from Feb. 5-May 22, 2020. PFCC’s location in Ames is ideal for early childhood movement and connection to nature. PFCC began 22 years ago, and currently serves children from Ames and surrounding communities in our beautiful cabin in the woods, with 14 wooded acres of streams, ravines and riverbanks to explore.
PoemTree is an outdoor club for children. Our main activity is free play and exploration in the woods, but on any given day you will find PoemTree children learning woods and garden care, along with hiking, foraging, wood-working, whittling, building fires, climbing trees, playing music, singing, hearing nature stories and making up our own, making maps, building forts, and doing other outdoor projects.
We will also be keeping a nature journal and the winter months find us doing more indoor projects, like baking and playing board games, as well as indoor crafting and handwork, from weaving, knitting, sewing, and painting, following the impulses/interests of the children.
Position Details:
The part-time assistant teacher will work for four hours on Wednesdays from 2-6 pm (children ages 5-12). Occasionally, we have teacher meetings or prep work that needs to be done. This position runs from Feb. 5-May 22 and is paid on an hourly basis at $11 per hour.
Responsibilities:
Alongside the lead teacher, the assistant:
- helps provide care and guidance for the children during our club
- assists with daily setup and cleanup for the program
- develops and deepens an understanding of Waldorf-inspired educational philosophy and forest/outdoor school philosophies
- helps with other project planning
The assistant also:
- facilitates play during hikes in the 14 acres of ravines, woods and riverside we have access to
- supervises children during indoor interactions and learning activities
- helps with snack preparation
Qualifications:
We seek an individual with a passion for the outdoors. We are looking for someone with the qualities of patience, compassion, responsibility, reliability and flexibility. We seek someone who practices firm but kind boundary-setting, enjoys being with children and has interest or skill in any of the following: board games, wildcrafting, foraging, nature, outdoor safety, cooking with children, handwork and crafting.
The individual also must have the ability to lift at least 50 pounds and to hike nearby rugged terrain; the ability to be outdoors daily during all seasons (sun, rain, snow, cold down to 15 degrees); and excellent communication skills during frequent interactions with other teachers.
The ideal candidate would be available to work Wednesday each week, commit to the school for the entire 15 weeks and be interested in furthering his or her knowledge of outdoor education.
To Apply:
Send a cover letter and resume or CV to prarieflowercc@gmail.com by Jan 31. If you are passionate about helping children access the time, space and freedom this wonderful setting offers, please apply!
Your cover letter should address the experiences and qualifications you bring to this job. You should discuss why you are applying, the strengths you would bring and, especially, what you know about how time in nature impacts children of this age group.
We are a licensed Iowa child care center, and all teachers will need to complete (upon hiring) a background check and wilderness CPR/first aid. We look forward to receiving your application.
For a deeper understanding of our mission, our values and what we do at PFCC: www.prairieflowercc.org.
