Early Childhood Lead Teacher | 2027-2028

River Valley Waldorf School is seeking a warm, joyful, and enthusiastic Lead Teacher to join our Early Childhood Department in a mixed-age classroom. We are looking for an educator who appreciates the wonder of childhood, values meaningful relationships, and is inspired by the opportunity to nurture the whole child through a rich, developmentally appropriate Waldorf education.

At River Valley Waldorf School, early childhood is rooted in purposeful play, meaningful work, artistic expression, connection to the natural world, and the rhythms of daily life. Our classrooms extend into the surrounding landscape, where children experience the changing seasons, develop confidence and independence, and cultivate a deep sense of wonder. We are looking for a teacher who embraces this approach and brings creativity, initiative, and a genuine love of working with young children to each day.

General Description

The early childhood lead teacher will form their classroom community in River Valley’s welcoming early childhood building and outdoor play space in beautiful Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Start your day outdoors listening to the birds singing, and spend your day facilitating the growth and harmony of a group of mixed age children.

• Collaboratively work with a team of teachers to provide kind and supportive care to our students in a safe indoor and outdoor environment.
• Work with the early childhood team to support the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the school.
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills to collaborate with colleagues, compose parent information, weekly family newsletters, lead parent education events, write student reports, and lead meetings with parents and guardians.
• Support children in being their best selves and model behavior for students in alignment with Waldorf pedagogy.
• Meet regularly with the early childhood department for planning, study of Waldorf pedagogy, and curricular development.
• Be safety minded, flexible, responsive, and highly skilled at observation.

Our ideal candidate:

• Brings warmth and joy: Creates a nurturing, welcoming environment grounded in authentic connection, good humor, enthusiasm, and respect for each child’s individuality.
• Loves the outdoors: Is energized by an active day that moves fluidly between indoor and outdoor spaces, embracing all seasons and weather.
• Is a thoughtful educator: Has a familiarity with or a strong interest in Waldorf early childhood education, innovative pedagogy, and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Embraces growth and collaboration: Welcomes feedback, approaches challenges with curiosity, and enjoys working alongside colleagues and administrators to strengthen the educational experience.
• Values inclusion and belonging: Is committed to the ongoing work of diversity, equity, and inclusion and to creating a community where every child and family feels valued.
• A Waldorf teaching certificate or current enrollment in a Waldorf teacher training program is strongly preferred.

Hours and Compensation

This is a salaried position with daily hours from 8:00-3:30 pm daily, weekly faculty meeting 3:45-5:30 pm as well as occasional evening and weekend duties such as Back to School Night, Parent Education Evenings, Festivals, and Open Houses. Salary ranges from $42,250-74,000 based on education, certification, and experience. Background clearances, physical examination, and TB test are required.

Start Date & Timeline

Daily during the school year 8:00am – 3:30pm with the additional weekly faculty meeting – time to be determined.

Start Date: July 1, 2027

Required training obtained during employment may include:

• CPR and First Aid
• Mandated Reporter Training
• Stewards of Children – Darkness to Light
• Racial Equity: Anti-bias Training

The 7-acres of River Valley Waldorf School sits on forested hills that overlook the Delaware River on unceded Lenni-Lenape land. We are so grateful for the First Nations people’s reverent caretaking of the land we now call Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania. Upper Black Eddy is located in Bucks County and only 40-60 minutes from major metropolitan areas. Our programs include a caregiver-child program, mixed-age early childhood classes, and grades one through eight. The River Valley Waldorf community strives to be supportive, and welcoming, and the school has recently deepened its commitment to diversity and equity initiatives. The school is a full member of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN) and is accredited by both the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS).

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resumé, and a short biographical sketch to either:

email: info@rivervalleyschool.org

mail: River Valley Waldorf School

            1395 Bridgeton Hill Road

            Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972