Leelanau Montessori is seeking a passionate, positive, professional educator to serve as a Lead Guide in one of our communities of children.  Must be ready to lead a vibrant, joyful learning community aligning with the mission and values of Leelanau Montessori and to create strong relationships with the children and families.  We are looking for a team-oriented, warm and welcoming addition who is able to manage a classroom of children with an assistant.  

The Lead Guide leads and works in partnership with the Classroom Assistant to plan, prepare, and provide instruction. Guides & Assistants will meet and communicate regularly to discuss plans, divide job duties, and work together to provide for the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social growth of the children in their care. They will do this in keeping with the human needs and tendencies, planes of development, and sensitive periods at the forefront of Montessori philosophy. Together, they have a duty to meet the Michigan Common Core State Standards while upholding the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, the school’s mission statement, and the reputation of the school. The Lead Guide, however, has the ultimate responsibility for the positive functioning of the classroom. All staff are expected to be in the classroom for the hours assigned and to follow the school’s absence protocol.

Qualifications:

• Montessori certified or enthusiastic about pursuing Montessori certification. 
• Bachelor Degree or higher
• Preferred: Valid State of Michigan Certificate (if in a school age classroom)

Reports to: Head of School

Responsibilities:

Preparation of the Adult

• Responsible for ensuring the educational and administrative policies of the school are carried out.  The Lead Teacher is ultimately responsible for both the execution of these policies within the class and the successful operation of the classroom.
• Responsible for working a minimum number of hours stipulated in contract with the school.
  • In case of absence due to illness, it is the teacher's responsibility to give timely notice to the Head of School and other classroom teacher.  If neither can be reached, the Office Manager should be contacted.
  • All teachers are expected to come to work on time and be prepared for the day.

• Able to meet the physical demands of the job, including the ability to carry a child, to get up and down from the floor, and to monitor the children with good sight and hearing.

Preparation of the Environment

Responsible for preparation of the indoor environment and materials, including:

• Spending an appropriate amount of time preparing the environment.
• Preparing all materials in the classroom, ensuring they are complete, attractive, clean and stored in their proper place.
• Ensuring the classroom is clean at the end of each day through general clean-up (dusting, cleaning spills, disinfecting surfaces, etc.)

Responsible for the outside environment and materials including:

• Monitoring the general safety of children while outdoors.
• Ensuring the outdoor equipment is appropriate and cared for.
• Keeping watch for any hazards.
• Ensuring that each child has access to the environment needed to improve skills (e.g. gross motor skills, eye-hand coordination, etc.).

Spends additional time necessary each month, devoted to preparing the class materials and environment and to attend school functions and other school duties.

Parent Communication

• Checks mailbox and e-mail regularly for staff communications.
• Contacts the parents of a child who was absent for more than two days, was hurt at school, or who felt sick at school, when necessary.
• Keeps parents apprised of their child's progress by:
  • Conducting two formal parent-teacher conferences each year.
  • Conducting informal parent-teacher conferences as needed.
  • Attempting to connect with each family regularly.
  • Preparing progress on goals report for each parent-teacher conferences.
  • Preparing a final progress report for children moving to a new level.
• Encourages children's parents to be involved in class projects (i.e. sewing, materials preparation, outdoor projects, etc.) and school events, and elicits suggestions, ideas and assistance from parents on how to improve the classroom and its functioning.

Record Keeping/Classroom Management

• Keeps up-to-date records on the progress and attendance of each child and provides copies of these records to the office at the end of the school year.  Brings any problems to the attention of the Head of School.
• Directs and develops assistants/student teachers by:
  • Meeting monthly to discuss their work and progress.
  • Bringing any problems to the attention of the Head of School.
• Supports peace curriculum and conflict resolution philosophy.
• Speaks/treats children respectfully to foster dignity and mutual respect. Never talks about the child in front of the child.

Professionalism

• Meets professional development requirements each year.  Participates in additional professional development opportunities.
• Contributes to the reputation of the school by conducting oneself professionally at all times and by cooperating in the school publicity and community efforts.
• Plans, supplies, and implements classroom programs in accordance with the scope and sequence legislated by the Michigan Dept. of Education and Montessori philosophy.

Curriculum and Assessment

• Uses all resources available to ensure goals are met during the appropriate year (grade level).
  • Uses Montessori, district, and state assessment data to support student learning.
  • Tracks/monitors students to ensure goals are met during the appropriate year.
  • Addresses gaps in student achievement of goals by utilizing the SST process.