Reports to: Assistant Head of School
Status: Full-time, Exempt

School Overview

Established in 1939, Carlthorp School is the oldest independent coeducational day school for grades K-6 located in Santa Monica, California. Carlthorp School provides a strong academic foundation in a diverse and nurturing school community that emphasizes respectful values, responsible work habits, and excellence in order to prepare our students to achieve their highest potential in education and life. We are dedicated to supporting faculty growth and development through ongoing professional development and training. We have 280 students with two lead teachers per classroom of 20 students and two classes per grade level.

Job Overview

Carlthorp School is seeking a dedicated, creative, and nurturing Kindergarten teacher who understands the magic of early childhood education. The ideal candidate is passionate about working with young learners and committed to fostering a joyful, engaging, and developmentally appropriate learning environment. This role requires a deep understanding of early childhood education, play-based learning, and the importance of building strong home-school partnerships. The successful candidate will prioritize fostering a love of learning, creating a warm and inviting classroom space, and supporting the social-emotional growth of our youngest students.

Co-Teaching Model

Carlthorp School employs a co-teaching model to maximize student learning, collaboration, and instructional support. In each grade, two lead teachers work together in every classroom, ensuring small-group instruction, differentiated learning opportunities, and a highly responsive classroom environment. The partnership between co-teachers fosters strong relationships with students and creates a dynamic and engaging learning experience.  Additionally, teachers collaborate across both classrooms in the grade level, allowing for broader planning, shared instructional strategies, and cross-classroom experiences that enrich student learning. This approach ensures consistency in curriculum delivery while fostering a strong sense of community among students and faculty.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and implement engaging, hands-on learning experiences in literacy, math, and social studies, that are developmentally appropriate for Kindergarten students.
• Create a warm, welcoming, and magical classroom environment that fosters curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning.
• Establish and maintain a trusting, nurturing, and safe space for students, supporting their social-emotional development and helping them navigate friendships and classroom expectations.
• Use a variety of teaching strategies, including play-based and inquiry-based learning, to meet the diverse needs of young learners.
• Build strong partnerships with families through consistent, open, and positive communication, including regular newsletters, conferences, and informal check-ins.
• Foster a strong sense of community by incorporating social-emotional learning and character development into daily classroom activities.
• Collaborate with colleagues, specialists, and administrators to ensure a cohesive and enriching Kindergarten experience.
• Stay current with best practices in early childhood education and participate in ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Maintain records of individual student progress and growth, using assessment data to inform instruction.
• Engage in the broader school community, including participation in faculty meetings, school events, and committee work.
• Participate in a minimum of two out of four assessment days for prospective Kindergarten students, which take place on Saturdays in January and February.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Early Childhood or Elementary Education preferred.
  Minimum of 3 years of teaching experience in early childhood or lower elementary education.
• Deep understanding of child development, play-based learning, and early literacy and numeracy instruction.
• Strong ability to create a nurturing and stimulating classroom environment that balances structure with joy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a focus on positive and proactive family engagement.
• Familiarity with educational technology tools such as Google Classroom is a plus.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom and school community.
• Ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Salary: The range is $80,000-$120,000, commensurate with experience

This job operates on a 10-month calendar. Evening and weekend hours may be required for special events.

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter in a single document PDF format to resume@carlthorp.org.