Early Childhood Director 2025-26
Opening Statement
Cedarwood Waldorf School in beautiful Portland, OR, host of the 2025 Pacific Northwest Regional WECAN Conference, is searching for an experienced Waldorf early childhood educator and school leader to join our dedicated, talented faculty as our inaugural Early Childhood Director. If you are looking to serve Waldorf education with colleagues who are passionate about their work in early childhood education, Cedarwood is the place for you! We offer a full benefits package, regular professional development opportunities and educational leadership mentoring in a supportive, vibrant school community.
Job Summary:
Cedarwood’s Early Childhood Director oversees the operations, educational programming and administrative functioning for our early childhood classes and ensures regulatory compliance with Oregon Early Learning Division Licensed Program requirements. The Early Childhood Director ensures high quality, mission aligned early childhood teaching and learning, fosters a positive, inclusive school culture, and supports faculty, students, staff and families in close collaboration with the Head of School and Grades Director to deliver the mission and strategic goals of Cedarwood Waldorf School.
About
Cedarwood Waldorf School brings education to life by weaving together the arts, academics and movement in reverence for the developing child. Situated in the historic Lair Hill neighborhood, our Southwest Portland campus combines eco-conscious contemporary architecture with original 20th Century structures. Just five minutes from downtown Portland and surrounded by green spaces, our neighborhood offers a unique and beautiful balance of natural and city landscapes. Cedarwood Waldorf School is a fully accredited member of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS), the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN).
Essential Job Duties
Key Responsibilities:
Administration and Leadership
- Oversee daily early childhood program operations, including schedules, events, festivals, and resource management.
- Collaborate with the Head of School, Grades Director and faculty leaders to set strategic goals and ensure their alignment with Cedarwood’s mission.
- Collaborate with faculty to plan, develop and implement the early childhood program to meet the evolving educational needs of all children.
- Plan and facilitate early childhood faculty meetings with a focus on child growth.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for staff, parents, and community stakeholders regarding early childhood programs and policies.
- Provide oversight and implementation of regulatory requirements for Oregon Early Learning Division licensed programs.
- Ensure clear and open communication with families, colleagues and community.
- Collaborate with the Grades Director to oversee and support the Auxiliary Programs Coordinator and associated programs.
- Attend and participate in weekly Administration and Program leadership meetings.
- Attend and participate at monthly Board of Trustees meetings.
- Ensure financial accountability with early childhood program budget oversight, development goals, programming modifications, and staffing levels.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School.
Curriculum and Instruction
- Guide the development and implementation of an engaging, mission-aligned, culturally responsive early childhood curriculum.
- Provide instructional supervision for lead and assistant teachers including the appropriate level of mentorship support.
- Foster collaboration among faculty to share best practices and to enhance childrens’ growth and development.
- Facilitate professional development opportunities for early childhood faculty to promote continuous improvement.
Child and Staff Support
- Promote a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment for children and staff.
- Collaborate with early childhood faculty to regularly review conduct of children exhibiting recurring problem behaviors and to develop plans for supporting those children through collaboration and in-depth child study as necessary.
- Ensure timely and accurate documentation of child problem behaviors and related communication with parents/guardians.
- Provide timely behavioral support to children.
- Record and track child behavioral incidents.
- Collaborate with human resource administrators to recruit, hire and onboard early childhood lead and assistant teachers.
- Oversee new child enrollment and withdrawal procedures in collaboration with lead teachers and the Enrollment Director.
- Coordinate and track substitute coverage for planned and unplanned lead and assistant teachers to meet required staffing needs. Provide coverage as necessary.
- Support extended day teachers and programs.
- Ensure timely and accurate daily student attendance reports.
- Arrange rising first grade observations and implement communication strategy.
Qualifications
Qualifications and Experience:
- Minimum Bachelor degree, ideally in early childhood education.
- Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher certificate from an accredited AWSNA institute.
- Minimum 5 years as lead teacher in an accredited Waldorf school early childhood program.
- Satisfy qualifications in adherence to the Oregon Department of Early Learning.
- Experience developing and growing Waldorf early childhood programs.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong leadership, decision-making, and organizational skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities.
- Knowledge of current educational trends, early childhood teaching methods, and implementation of developmentally appropriate multi-tiered systems of support.
- Ability to foster a collaborative, supportive and inclusive school environment.
- Ability to cultivate positive relationships with children, teachers and families.
- Skillful planning and facilitation of team meetings.
- Able to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Employment Details
Start date: July 1, 2025.
Full-time, regular, exempt administrative position including evenings and weekend days related to school festival, program, and outreach events. Minimum availability is 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. The employee must be able to see, hear and talk and have the physical ability to move around, lift objects up to 40 pounds, use standard office equipment, and to assist students throughout the school building and in outside play areas.
Benefits for this position include:
- 100% tuition remission for eligible dependent children.
- Medical/Dental: employer paid 100% of base plan for employee
- Other benefits as described in the Employee Handbook.
Salary: $75-85,000 annually
To Apply
To apply for this professional growth opportunity, please submit a letter of interest and your resume to Dr. Joseph Doucette, Head of School at jdoucette@cedarwoodschool.org.