Preschool Director

Temple Beth Israel (“TBI”) is a warm and welcoming family-centered conservative egalitarian synagogue. Our preschool offers programs for children 18 months through Pre-K. We welcome families and students of all backgrounds and religions but our program integrates Jewish values, culture and history into our curriculum. 76 students and their families make up our 2022-23 school year community and the capacity of our program is 90 students. We are seeking a full-time Preschool Director to manage and grow our amazing program, which embodies TBI’s values: Be Inspired, Be Enriched, Belong.

The ideal candidate will have prior experience managing a Preschool or with other school administration, knowledge of Creative Curriculum and Reggio-Emilia influences and the Quality Start program, and demonstrate excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills to successfully interact with our teaching staff, parents and students. Prior knowledge and understanding of Jewish values, culture and history is essential, as these are fundamental building blocks of our curriculum and daily activities. The Preschool Director reports to the VP of Education, or as otherwise directed by the President, and works closely with the clergy and the Director of TBI.

Responsibilities

Preschool Programming Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance the Preschool’s programs, curriculum and policies as well as its short and long-term goals.
• Effectively articulate the developmental and educational philosophy of the school to parents, teachers, and the community.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the school including hiring and supervision of all school personnel (currently 8 teachers and 7 assistants and 3 support staff)
• Coordinate age-appropriate after school enrichment programs for students in the 3’s and Pre-K class.
• Develop relationships with the children enrolled in the Preschool by spending time in the classrooms; at least a few hours per week.
• Manage and coordinate the extended care program.
• Manage and coordinate the Summer Program for incoming 2’s and 3’s.
• Manage and coordinate the end of school “mini camp” for 2’s and 3’s (one week program between the end of school and start of summer program).
• In coordination with TBI’s Director of Engagement, arrange age-appropriate community-wide programs for children from birth to age 5 (eg., PJ Library programming).
• Develop and implement outreach programs to market and promote the school to prospective parents; organize and attend Open Houses, and participate in local events as appropriate (eg. HarborFest & Party in the Park).
• Collaborate with the Preschool Parents Association (“PA”), a committee that is engaged and active in the school’s extracurricular programs, parent programs and fundraising activities; plan and attend events throughout the year that are “outside the school day” (eg., Back to School Picnic, Shabbat and Havdalah, Parents Night Out, Bingo Zingo, Vacation play date, etc).
• Partner with parents, the Port Washington Union Free School District, and service providers to successfully execute IEP’s for children who are receiving EI/CPSE/CSE services or are undergoing the evaluation process for such services.

Preschool Employee Management Responsibilities

• Oversee the full employment cycle of all preschool employees, in coordination with the VP of Education, including:

Hiring and supervision of all preschool employees including, but not limited to:Compensation planning Recruitment Pre-employment reference and background checks Creating a positive and motivating environment Coaching and counseling as needed Disciplinary procedures Annual performance reviews Ongoing training & development of all preschool employees Ongoing open communication with the preschool employees.

Administration Responsibilities

• Maintain an up-to-date and easily accessible database of current student information, as well as a rolling list of prospective students and families.
• Organize and support the admissions process for new and returning students.
• Review, update and distribute parent and teacher Handbooks on an annual basis.
• Maintain and update the COVID policies, as needed, in coordination with the head of the Emergency Preparedness Committee. Ensure compliance with said policies and OCFS/NYS guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with all New York State licensing and Department of Health regulations; main point of contact for our licensing.
• Work closely with Preschool employees to implement our food allergy policy and coordinate CPR/First Aid/AED/Auto Injector training every 2 years.
• Administer the Pre-K Service agreement (UPK) by and between the Port Washington Union Free School District and TBI.
• Collaborate with our Quality Stars Improvement Specialist.
• In coordination with the Office Administration team, ensure the Preschool section of TBI’s website is kept current.
• Attend Directors meetings of affiliated organizations/local preschools.
• Oversee the maintenance of our preschool space; ensure necessary supplies and equipment are available; report any issues with the physical space to the Director of TBI for action/repair by the maintenance staff.
• In collaboration with the VP of Education and TBI’s President, manage school finances including budgeting, tracking financial performance; set tuition and compensation for each school year and summer program.
• Attend weekly TBI staff meetings

Desired Skills and Experience

• 3-5 years prior experience in a comparable position desired; at least one year of experience supervising staff in a child care program or a related field is required.
• At least one year of full-time teaching experience in a child day care center is required.
• MA in Early Childhood Education preferred; Bachelor degree including or in addition to 12 credits in Early Childhood, Child Development or related field is required.
• Children’s Program Administrator Credential (CPAC) preferred.
• Experience managing, directing and delegating to others.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to create a warm and welcoming environment at TBI.
• Demonstrated ability to work proactively and collaboratively with and across multiple constituents, including parents, teachers and TBI staff and lay leaders.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize daily workload; flexibility to pivot as unexpected needs arise throughout the day.

Position Details, Compensation & Benefits

• General Hours: 8am - 4pm M-F
• Position type: Exempt
• Salary: Competitive and commensurate with Experience
• Benefits: TBI offers health insurance to all its full time staff; we also offer generous paid time off including vacation days, sick days, and religious and secular holidays.
• Start Date: Ideal start date is prior to March 1, 2023; however, for the right candidate who needs to complete the school year elsewhere, we can push the start date to July 1, 2023