Join Our Team as Lead Elementary School Educator at Princeton Friends School!
Are you a caring, curious, and community-minded collaborative educator who delights in the wonder of young children? Do you take responsibility for advancing equity and anti-racist practice through your teaching and classroom culture, honoring and affirming children’s identities, cultures, and voices every day? Do you believe progressive education can be deeply child-centered and academically excellent—grounded in wonder, curiosity, agency, meaningful learning and powerful play? Do you enjoy teaching outdoors every day no matter the weather? If so, you might be the lead teacher we’re looking for.
At Princeton Friends School, all of our faculty work collaboratively to actively bring to life our school’s mission:
Drawing on a rich tradition of Quaker values and practices, Princeton Friends School is committed to creating a diverse, vibrant learning community in which young people engage their natural curiosity, discover and express their individual voices and gifts, acquire intellectual, physical, artistic, and life skills, and develop a sense of responsibility for themselves and others.
As a Lead Teacher in our elementary program, you’ll play a vital role in designing and guiding mixed-age learning experiences that support students’ social, emotional, and academic growth—particularly for children in the 2nd–3rd grade developmental range.
What You’ll Do
- Design and implement a joyful, developmentally responsive, play-based and academically rich curriculum for a mixed-age elementary classroom
- Confidently teach across core subject areas, with particular strength in 2nd and 3rd grade literacy and numeracy
- Create and sustain a welcoming, inclusive classroom community where all children feel safe, loved, and celebrated for who they are
- Intentionally plan learning experiences that support differentiation, curiosity, and student agency within a mixed-age setting
- Guide students through routines and transitions with patience, empathy, and consistency
- Extend learning beyond the classroom, teaching indoors and outdoors in all seasons—including rain, snow, and sun
- Model kindness, flexibility, reflection, and curiosity in relationships with students, families, and colleagues
- Partner closely with colleagues and families to support each child’s growth and development
- Participate enthusiastically in school life, including staff meetings, professional development, school-wide events, and admissions activities
- Take part in shared responsibilities and duties across the school day and week
What You Bring
- Experience as a lead teacher in an elementary classroom, ideally with mixed-age or multi-year teaching experience
- Confidence and competence teaching students in the 2nd–3rd grade range
- A degree in Elementary Education or a related field (Advanced degree preferred)
- Love and respect for children and a belief in the importance of play and relationship-based teaching
- A strong commitment to anti-racism in and out of the classroom
- Experience with Bridges Mathematics, Wilson Fundations or Orton-Gillingham phonetics, Handwriting without Tears, or other similar evidence-based literacy and numeracy curriculum
- Reliability, a collaborative nature, and eagerness to contribute to a close-knit teaching team
- Excitement to extend the classroom to the outdoors every day, in all seasons, no matter the weather—digging, exploring, building, and getting muddy; experience with outdoor education and nature-based learning
- Experience in and/or strong knowledge of Quaker schools or a commitment to learning and applying Quaker values and practices in a school setting
- Training and experience in Responsive Classroom (or is open to being trained)
- A thirst for training and growth opportunities related to child development, social-emotional learning, and early literacy and math programs
- Skills in basic technology tools to support learning and communication
- CPR and First Aid certification (or a willingness to be certified)
- Enthusiasm to be part of a small team where collaboration and adaptability are essential
- Fluency or competency in Spanish or Mandarin (a plus!)
Why You’ll Love Teaching Here
- You’ll teach in a school that takes childhood seriously. We believe strong childhoods are the foundation of extraordinary outcomes. That means time for play, inquiry, reflection, and deep thinking without sacrificing academic excellence or high expectations.
- Progressive education here is intentional and rigorous. You’ll design learning that is interdisciplinary, developmentally responsive, and intellectually rich, with space for curiosity, struggle, revision, and pride in high-quality work.
- Mixed-age learning is a strength, not a challenge. You’ll work in a community that values multi-year relationships, differentiation, and peer learning where children learn with and from one another, and teachers are trusted as thoughtful designers of learning.
- You’ll be deeply supported by colleagues. Collaboration is real here. Teachers plan together, reflect together, and problem-solve together—across grade levels and disciplines—within a small, caring, and committed faculty.
- Equity and belonging are lived, not layered on. Anti-racist practice, identity-affirming curriculum, and community care are woven into daily classroom life, professional learning, and school culture.
- Nature is part of the curriculum. Our campus and surrounding woods are classrooms. You’ll teach outdoors in all seasons, using the natural world to spark wonder, resilience, and meaningful academic work.
- Your voice matters. Teachers at Princeton Friends School are trusted professionals. You’ll have agency, space to grow, and opportunities to shape curriculum, school traditions, and the life of the community.
- You’ll know your students—and be known. Small class sizes and a relationship-centered culture mean you can teach with depth, care, and joy, and see the long arc of children’s growth.
Compensation
- $45,000-$65,000, commensurate with education and experience
- Benefits package for full-time 10-month staff (40 hours/week), including:
- Health Insurance
- Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Retirement: partial employer match
- Childcare Benefits include:
- Tuition Remission: 90% remission for employees’ children enrolled at Princeton Friends School
- Free After School Program care during working hours
- Access to discounted or complimentary summer camp opportunities for employees’ children (ages 4–14)
- Professional Development
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Paid Time Off
Physical Requirements
This position requires the ability to:
- Move actively around a classroom and outdoor campus
- Frequently sit on the floor or low chairs, stand, bend, and lift up to 10 pounds
- Support student safety on the playground and woods
- Engage in outdoor play and exploration in a range of weather conditions
To Apply
At Princeton Friends School, we are deeply committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where all students, educators, and staff can learn, grow, and thrive. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are dedicated to a workplace free of discrimination or harassment.
We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and encourage those who are underrepresented in schools to apply. We also offer accommodations throughout the hiring process—just let us know what you need.
To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for 3 references to jobs@princetonfriends.org. Include the title of the position in the subject line and let us know where you found the job posting in your cover letter. Please send all documents in PDF format.