Office Manager

The Primary Day School
Office Manager
FT/12 month
School year hours: 7:40 - 4:00;
Summer hours: at the Head of School’s discretion or 9:00-3:00 M-Th and 9:00-1:00 F with three specific weeks of summer vacation shared with all administration

About The Primary Day School:

Founded in 1944, The Primary Day School in Bethesda, Maryland, is a school for boys and girls from Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade. We are the only school in the area that solely focuses on children in this unique age group, and we do so for a very important reason. These are the most crucial learning years in children’s lives, a time when they are bursting with potential, ready for quantum leaps of development.

At Primary Day, everything we do focuses on helping young children flourish—as learners and as people—during this vitally important time of life. The Primary Day School was founded as a demonstration school for the Phonovisual Method, a unique, phonics-based approach to teaching reading and language arts that remains vital to each student’s educational journey today. To learn more about our school and its community, curriculum, and traditions please visit  

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Position Summary:

• Cover the front desk to greet and screen all visitors to the school.
• Monitor student and parent/visitor sign-in.
• Answer and direct all phone inquiries, updating phone system messages and directory as necessary.
• Check and direct or respond to voicemail and email messages.
• Help confirm and manage daily attendance.
• Monitor emergency contacts, including radio and television stations, for information concerning weather or other emergencies, changing messages on school phone and email as necessary.
• Maintain and lead in the creation of the school-wide calendar, having a broad knowledge of school events and procedures for communication with parents, teachers, and staff.
• Manage/Maintain photocopiers, calling for maintenance as necessary and helping teachers, staff, and parents with photocopying needs.
• Sort and distribute mail in a timely fashion.
• Assist teachers, staff, parents, and students with questions or problems such as missing lunches, lost carpool notes, etc.
• Produce, update, distribute, and collect the school directory, emergency forms, class lists, email lists, and annual spring student enrollment forms.
• Schedule parent/teacher conferences in fall and spring.
• Manage and help create schedules: whole school schedule; carpool; lunch and recess; all-purpose room, and coverage for teachers.
• Compile and distribute student emergency information and emergency calling lists for teachers and staff.
• Schedule, time, and in coordination with the Business Manager, perform 10 fire drills per year.
• Coordinate field trips with classroom teachers.
• Plan and coordinate school pictures with photographer, parents, and teachers.
• Coordinate graduation events with Executive Assistant to the Head of School, teachers, staff, and parents.
• Assist teachers and staff with clerical duties as necessary.

Health Responsibilities:

• Maintain a professional, communicative relationship with the school nurse.
• Have an understanding of health/allergy concerns of students and know how to assist them if problems arise.
• Come to the aid of an injured child.
• Maintain current first aid, AED, and CPR certifications.

Professional Responsibilities and Development:

• Dedicate attention to personal professional development through individual study and organization networks.
• Attend workshops and conferences (such as AISGW, AIMS, NAIS.)
• Incorporate this new knowledge into current position.
• Draft relevant sections of accreditation self-study.

Additional Requirements:

• Preparation time as necessary.
• Attendance at all school/staff meetings and in-service workshops.
• Attendance at required school events.
• Support school’s fundraising events, including Annual Giving.

To Apply:

Interested candidates for the position are encouraged to review Primary Day’s website primarydayschool.org. To apply for the position, please send the following to Dannette Evans at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). .

letter of interest
desired salary range
current resume
completed application, application available on the school’s website
references (3)

Final date to receive applications:
February 15, 2026

The Primary Day School’s compensation and benefits are amongst the most competitive of all schools in AISGW (Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington) and AIMS (Association of Independent Maryland Schools).

No Phone Inquiries Please

The Primary Day School is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all personnel and applicants for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; national origin; handicap or disability; sexual orientation; or status as a veteran, Vietnam era, or special disabled veteran.