Primary; Preschool Lead Teacher

Join to apply for the Primary (Preschool) Lead Teacher role at The Fay School

Founded on the principle of building a school “where children come first,” The Fay School serves approximately 300 students aged 3 years to fifth grade in the Uptown area of Houston, Texas. By fostering emotional intelligence and leadership development while providing challenging and engaging academics, the school prepares fifth graders to matriculate to Houston’s most sought‑after middle schools.

The Lead Teacher position is a benefits‑eligible, full‑time position for the term of the school year, typically ten months from August to June. The role reports to the Principal. Lead Teachers create a flexible program and class environment favorable to learning and personal growth, build rapport with students, motivate them to develop skills, attitudes, and knowledge in accordance with each student’s ability, and establish positive relationships with parents and other Fay employees.

• Uses a variety of teaching techniques and learning structures suitable to the age and needs of the students and subject matter.
• Maintains daily lesson plans and updates curriculum maps to reflect current student learning.
• Implements curricula within the context of the School’s overall program and strategic planning goals such as incorporating the use of the outdoors, experiential learning, and leadership development through emotional intelligence.
• Seeks opportunities to increase students’ time in the outdoors and bring the outdoors in.
• Utilizes the Assistant Teacher as outlined in the Assistant Teacher Performance Profile.
• Initiates regular parent communication through class newsletters, progress reports, report cards, individual emails, and phone calls so parents are well informed of events and student progress.
• Uses classroom technology effectively and according to the developmental appropriateness of the grade level. Technology usage is primarily active, and creation oriented.
• Maintains and continuously expands pedagogical knowledge using various resources.
• Sets annual goals and works toward them.
• Attends and contributes to weekly team planning time and aligns teaching with grade level team members.
• Attends weekly department meeting prepared to collaborate.
• Attends bi‑monthly faculty meetings until 4:30 and in‑service days.
• Volunteer for service at one or more Fay community events per year.
• Willing and able to routinely and appropriately use personal smartphone to utilize school apps to communicate, collaborate, and fulfill responsibilities as outlined in this Performance Profile.
• Commitment to ongoing learning including participating in at least eight hours of summer professional development such as a conference or research on a topic approved by the Principal.

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 3 years teaching experience preferably in an Independent School
• Ability to enthusiastically work both indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions including rain, cold, heat, etc. and on various surfaces, some inclined, including grass, dirt, trails, decking, pavement and concrete
• Ability to perform sustained standing and walking, navigating stairs, kneeling, lifting and carrying up to 20 lbs, monitoring children and the immediate environment visibly and audibly and the ability to give audible instructions that can be understood by English speakers in a loud environment
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Teams and Google

• Celebrates diversity and is proactively inclusive of all racial, cultural, socio‑economic, religious, and gender groups.
• Embraces the four domains of Responsive Classroom:
  Engaging Academics, Positive Community, Effective Management, and Developmentally Responsive Teaching.
• Exhibits self‑awareness and self‑monitoring in identifying and solving student, curricular, and school problems. At the same time, the teacher understands the vision, the mission, the strategic plan, and all policies of the school and, when questions or concerns arise, raises them with appropriate colleagues and supervisors.
• Demonstrates effective written and oral communication skills.
• Differentiates instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
• Fosters collaboration among team to build curricula and ensure others are well informed of changes, initiatives, and progress.
• Embraces feedback and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Displays attitudes and actions that contribute to a healthy and collegial teacher culture.
• Supports and actively promotes the organization. Positively reflects the organization’s core values and addresses actions that don’t align with those values.