Windy Hill School - Extended Day Teacher

Extended Day Team Teacher

Windy Hill School at Colby-Sawyer college is a living learning community where children ages 13 months-5 years are seen as capable, curious, and creative - co-constructors of knowledge and meaning. Rooted in the Reggio Emilia approach and nourished by the natural world, our program immerses children in open-ended, nature-rich experiences that honor the hundred languages of children.

As a college laboratory school, we are simultaneously a place of practice, mentorship, and ongoing inquiry. Team Teachers work alongside college students and faculty in a reflective, collaborative environment that benefits both children and the next generation of early childhood professionals.

Role Overview

The Extended Day Team Teacher is a hands-on, collaborative member of the classroom teaching team. You will help co-construct the learning environment, document children's thinking and play, facilitate small-group outdoor exploration, and nurture a warm, responsive community grounded in respectful relationships.

This role is ideal for someone who finds wonder in the small things - a caterpillar on a leaf, a puddle after rain, a child's theory about shadows - and who understands that the teacher's role is to listen deeply, provoke thinking, and follow the child's lead.

Environment & Curriculum

• Co-design indoor and outdoor learning environments that invite inquiry, sensory exploration, and connection with nature
• Contribute to emergent, project-based curriculum grounded in children's interests and the Reggio philosophy

Child Observation & Documentation

• Observe and document children's play, language, and theories through photos, anecdotal notes, and video
• Contribute to learning stories, pedagogical panels, and journey books that make children's thinking visible
• Participate in bi-weekly team documentation review and reflective dialogue

Relationship & Community

• Build warm, trusting relationships with children, families, and colleagues
• Support daily routines - arrival, mealtimes, rest, outdoor time - with intentionality and care
• Communicate respectfully with families through informal daily exchanges

School Year Part Time Position as Extended Day Toddler Teacher: Hours 12:00-5:30, M-F.

Full time, 40 hours per week M-F as a team teacher in our 9-week summer program.

Other Responsibilities include participating in staff meetings, professional development, and reflection as an engaged member of the Windy Hill teaching team.

• Must meet state licensing requirements for early childhood staff (background check, health clearances, first aid CPR certification)
• Demonstrated commitment to responsive and equitable early childhood practice
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills - warm, professional, and clear
• Comfort in learning new technology systems
• Associate's degree or higher in Early Childhood Education or a related field (Bachelor's preferred)

Preferred:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in an early childhood setting, ideally in a lab school, Reggio-inspired, or nature-based program
• Familiarity with Pyramid Model Practices
• Background in nature-based education, forest school, or outdoor learning environments
• Familiarity with Reggio Emilia philosophy, documentation practices, and emergent curriculum

Colby-Sawyer College is a comprehensive liberal arts-based institution located in the scenic Lake Sunapee area of New Hampshire. We have friendly people, beautiful nature, and small-town amenities and shops. We are located about 35 minutes south of Dartmouth College and just 1 hour 30 minutes from Boston. For more information see Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce, NH.

We strive to always be a people-first organization. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for all employees. If you are looking for a place where you will feel welcome and that you belong, Colby-Sawyer College is that place.

Colby-Sawyer is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution. Applicants are encouraged to share what they can offer and how they can help us to achieve and maintain these values in their cover letter.

Interested candidates may also visit Human Resources in Colgate Hall Room 230, Monday through Friday from 8am - 5pm, to alternatively complete a paper application.

Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Colby-Sawyer College is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment which celebrates multiple perspectives. Colby-Sawyer College will not tolerate discrimination in employment or employment-related decisions on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, mental or physical disability, family or marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, genetic information, or gender identity.