Preschool Assistant Teacher

Title: Preschool Assistant Teacher

Department/Location: Early Childhood, St. Louis

Position Type: Full-Time, 39-week

Summary

Principia is looking for a Preschool Assistant Teacher with experience in the Reggio Emilia Approach to Learning. In this role, you will collaborate with the lead teacher to create an inclusive and engaging classroom environment where young learners are empowered to explore, question, and grow as curious thinkers and researchers. Your teamwork, creativity, attentiveness, and understanding of early childhood development will be key to your success. Reporting to the Principal – Early Childhood, you will play a critical role in supporting meaningful, child-centered learning experiences. You’ll collaborate with the lead teacher and other Early Childhood educators to nurture a joyful, inquiry-driven classroom community.

Who We Are

At our award-winning Early Childhood through grade 12 Principia School in St. Louis, Missouri, and top-ranked Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, Principia faculty and staff make up a close-knit community of educators, coaches, and professionals taking a distinct approach to education—blending academic excellence with Christian Science-based character education. Principia’s team of over 500 employees supports not only Principia School and Principia College, but also a worldwide network of alumni and friends.

At Principia School, our core value is LOVE. Love and its attributes underpin our foundational beliefs as well as our educational approach. We focus on developing the whole child—intellectually, physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually, preparing students for the next steps in life. We foster a challenging yet supportive environment where character unfolds naturally, and talent is cultivated through boundless opportunities. Character education plays an essential role in every aspect of the student experience, and classroom work is augmented by character trips, leadership development, and real-world, hands-on, project-based learning.

Primary Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a genuine interest in and love for working with preschool-aged children.
• Support the lead teacher in planning and implementing engaging, hands-on learning experiences that foster collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and creativity.
• Engage with children during learning activities to extend their thinking and deepen understanding.
• Build strong relationships with a wide range of students, helping each child feel successful and recognize their unlimited potential.
• Promote an inclusive and respectful classroom environment where all students feel seen, heard, and valued.
• Guide students toward right actions with care, love, and consistency, reinforcing character development.
• Respond to discipline situations in a supportive manner that nurtures personal growth and self-regulation.
• Monitor and support student learning through observation, documentation, and developmentally appropriate assessment tools.
• Work collaboratively and responsively with the lead teacher to meet the individual needs of children.
• Assist in setting up classroom invitations and provocations that spark curiosity and engagement.
• Support daily routines including classroom preparation for lunch, rest time, and transitions.
• Maintain flexibility and a joyful, spiritually grounded attitude in response to changing needs and directions.
• Participate in parent-teacher conferences.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding students, families, colleagues, and school operations at all times.
• Exhibit strong interpersonal skills and communicate respectfully and effectively with all members of the school community.
• Actively contribute to weekly professional development sessions and faculty meetings.
• Complete professional portfolio requirements, including reflections, school visits, goal setting, and walkthroughs.
• Pursue professional growth and apply current best practices in early childhood education; actively engage in the school’s professional learning community.
• Participate in annual goal-setting and regular one-on-one meetings with a supervisor to reflect and grow.
• Demonstrate professionalism through proactive behavior, effective communication, collaboration, organization, follow-through, and adherence to school expectations.
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned to support the day-to-day functioning of the classroom.

Core Competencies

• Positivity: Optimistic, positive, and focused on elevating and bringing out the very best in themselves and others. Faculty and staff are invited to understand teammates’ strengths and how they can complement each other.
• Team players: Ability to collaborate and partner with peers and senior leaders is critical, with an ability to listen, give and receive feedback, and be comfortable exchanging ideas and speaking candidly in a professional and collegial manner
• Strategic thinkers: Ability to consider complex topics from multiple perspectives and offer innovative solutions.
• Communication: Provides regular, consistent, and meaningful information. Listens carefully to others and ensures message is understood. Ensures important matters are shared with all appropriate parties. Communicates in a clear and concise manner. Tailors communication style to needs of the recipient.
• Innovative: Presents a problem-solving mindset that helps our team come up with creative solutions to challenging issues, with a mentality of self-improvement and organizational excellence; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work; develops innovative approaches and ideas
• Planning and Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; manages multiple projects and tasks simultaneously

Minimum Qualifications

• Student of Christian Science preferred
• Supportive of Principia’s guiding statements as articulated here https://www.principia.edu/about/guiding-statements
• Bachelor’s degree in education required; early childhood education degree or certification strongly preferred.
• Relevant teaching experience with young children in a classroom or early learning environment.

The statements above describe the general nature and level of work but are not a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of Principia.

Compensation and Benefits

We offer a competitive salary range for this position, starting at $45,000 for candidates with no prior teaching experience. Salary is commensurate with years of teaching experience.

In addition to salary, our comprehensive total rewards package includes:

• Generous Employee Tuition Discount: Enjoy a 90% discount on tuition (pro-rated for part-time staff) for your eligible children enrolled from Pre-K3 through College (infant and acorn programs excluded).
• Relocation: Principia provides a relocation imbursement of up to 12% of your annual salary, when moving from outside a radius of more than 50 miles
• Professional Development: Access to learning opportunities, training programs, and career growth support.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Learn more about all our benefits here, including comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, a 403(b) retirement plan with Principia matching, and more.

Equal Opportunity

Principia, a mission-driven institution, believes every person has the right to an equitable and respectful educational environment and workplace. Principia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender (identity or expression), sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, or military or veteran status.

In hiring, admissions, and related decisions, Principia—as an institution with a religious mission—gives preference, where appropriate, to Christian Scientists.