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About The Position
Serve as the assistant director of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Nature Preschool. Assist director in maintaining status of the Garden as a national leader in the early childhood environmental education field, offering developmentally appropriate programs and activities for children, teachers, caregivers, and families that are fun, enriching, and support an understanding of and appreciation for the natural world. Serve as the lead instructor in the four-day-per-week, mixed-age preschool class. Occasional evening and weekend hours are required year-round.
Requirements
- BA or BS degree in Early Childhood or Elementary Education or equivalent experience.
- DCFS director qualification or the ability to attain within 1 year of hire.
- Minimum three years of experience working with preschool-age children required.
- Experience in working with children with special needs.
- Customer service experience, strength in oral and written communication, and basic computer skills.
- CPR/First Aid, membership in Gateways to Opportunity, background check, fingerprinting, and physical examination are required within 30 days of hire. Physical exam should be completed no more than 6 months prior to employment.
- A love of nature and teaching outdoors. Experience in and knowledge of informal education, science or horticulture, and outdoor and environmental education.
Responsibilities
- Teach the four-day-per-week preschool class.
- Work with assistant teachers, volunteers, and interns.
- Manage the day-to-day activities including and not limited to accurate records of attendance, emergency information, medical release information, current email list, communication about the activities to parents, and assessment of children regularly via established method.
- Plan activities that are developmentally appropriate for your class.
- Carry out curriculum indoors and outdoors incorporating the natural world and seasonal changes.
- Prepare items to be used in the day-to-day curriculum; clean up materials at the end of the class day with the assistant teacher.
- Monitor safety and do risk assessments.
- Prepare documentation for each child during the school year for conferencing with parents.
- Take photos and upload them to the private class site for parents to view on a regular schedule as determined by the director. Add appropriate documentation including standards for the parents to better understand nature-based learning and how we meet state standards.
- Oversee the required Garden and DCFS child enrollment paperwork.
- Coordinate and prepare documents for the beginning of the school year, such as rosters and teacher orientation packets.
- Schedule and communicate day-to-day facility needs.
- Assist with inclusion of all participants, emphasizing both individual abilities and common ground with peers.
- Perform daily duties related to attendance or answering calls from instructors.
- Assist the director in administrative duties, including but not limited to licensing, finances, curriculum, assessments, and recruitment.
- Supervise and train Cristo Rey high school interns.
- Serve as liaison to the volunteer team: Schedule time slots, record hours, and assemble task lists.
- Purchase classroom supplies including snack items.
- Assume the role of Director when Director is not on-site.
Benefits
- 2026 A Guide to Your Benefits JP.pdf
