Temple Beth Shalom
Director of Early Childhood Education
Temple Beth Shalom is a Reform congregation of 350+ families in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. As our Early Childhood Center celebrates its 30th anniversary next year, we are seeking a nurturing and engaged Director who will take our thriving Nursery School and Early Childhood programs into the next 30 years with energy and vision, leading us to meet the evolving needs of Rivertown families.
Our Early Childhood Center (ECC)
For nearly 30 years, Temple Beth Shalom Nursery School has offered the highest quality pre-school education for children ages 2-5 in our area. We provide stimulating experiences to promote the social, emotional, cognitive, language and physical development of our young students while responding to the needs of their families and building a community. Over that time our program has grown to include sessions for toddlers and their accompanying adults, early drop-off, afternoon extended day, and an intergenerational program. The Early Childhood program is generally a family’s first exposure to TBS and provides a gateway for a life-long connection to a Jewish community.
The Director will oversee an exciting and creative program with capacity for 50+ children and a deeply committed, knowledgeable and loving early childhood staff. This is a full-time, 12-month position and is supervised by the Rabbi, works closely with the Temple Board, and collaborates with the Cantor, Religious School Principal, and all Temple staff. The Nursery School is an integral part of the total TBS community.
Overview of Responsibilities (see detail below):
- Management of Early Childhood Staff, including daily coverage and assignments
- Compliance and maintenance of New York State OCFS requirements for Child Care Programs
- Oversight of Nursery School budget and payroll in conjunction with Board Treasurer
- Developing and maintaining strong, supportive relationships with families
- Program analysis and evolution to meet the changing needs of children and families
- Building a culture of learning through professional development
- Marketing, communications, community outreach and enrollment
- Calendar and program scheduling
- Leadership regarding Early Childhood best practices, Early Intervention and CPSE Services, with a dedication to positive outcomes for both children and families
- Building our Temple community for young families by planning and leading programs for families with children 0-5 in collaboration with our clergy and staff
Salary Range: $75,000-$95,000 depending on experience
Hours: 8 am - 3:30 pm, Monday-Friday plus Temple events focused on Early Childhood-aged children and their families
Applications Due By: May 15, 2023
Position Start Date: June 15, 2023
Temple Beth Shalom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.
Contact Information: Please email or send all resumes and information to:
Ms. Gabrielle Lesser, Board Treasurer,
Temple Beth Shalom
740 North Broadway
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
[email protected]
Director of Early Childhood Education
Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following:
Planning and Administration
- Develop a strong vision for the future of the ECC
- Set goals and expectations for long-range planning
- Create and manage the ECC budget in consultation with TBS leadership and Board, including obtaining approval for all hiring and payroll decisions
- Ensure compliance with NYS OCFS licensing requirements, NAEYC Accreditation, and Temple and ECC policies
- Oversee safety procedures and security practices
Curriculum, Programming and Environment
- Oversee the ongoing development and implementation of a comprehensive Early Childhood program with emphasis on age-appropriate play-based curriculum, both secular and Judaic
- Support the teaching teams in structuring classroom routines and problem-solve any challenges
- Create yearly calendar of classes, specials, afternoon programs, family events, and meetings
- Develop and implement preschool, afterschool and family programs throughout the year
- Create a warm, nurturing and safe environment in which children, parents and teachers are treated with respect
- Design and implement student registration and intake processes for new and returning students
- Cultivate and maintain solid parent partnerships through open door, responsive, proactive communication
- Evaluate program participation and enrollment trends and implement adjustments as needed
- Review student development with teachers and identify appropriate programs/resources to address any issues
- Help families navigate the full course of special education programs, including early intervention and CPSE, meetings with school districts, and ensuring that recommendations are being followed
- Oversee ongoing communication with special needs providers, and collaboration with specialists, teachers and parents.
Leadership and Personnel
- Supervise, evaluate and mentor a teaching staff of approximately 15 (Team Leaders, Classroom Teachers and Assistants)
- Recruit and hire new teaching staff as needed within annual budget guidelines
- Conduct staff orientations and lead weekly team and monthly staff meetings
- Prepare written performance evaluations and conduct reviews annually
- Provide training opportunities to meet NYS Office of Child and Family Services requirements
- Design Professional Development opportunities for staff to develop their expertise
- Identify, hire and oversee activity specialists for ECC programs
- Ensure that teaching staff are familiar with the rituals and customs of Temple Beth Shalom
Marketing and Outreach
- Meet with prospective parents and conduct school tours
- Plan and implement a calendar of activities for ECC families, including initial orientation to promote integration into the school and inclusion within the Temple Beth Shalom family
- Prepare marketing strategies and materials (newsletters, social media, and website updates) for ECC and family programs and activities (graphic design experience or Canva knowledge a plus)
- Evaluate effectiveness of all ECC marketing and outreach efforts
Temple and Community Responsibilities
- Work with Temple Staff and Rabbi to ensure community and parent participation in and commitment to early childhood programs
- Collaborate with Religious School Principal to create a bridge from preschool to Religious School
- Support families during lifecycle events to access the full range of TBS resources
- Plan and participate in family and Temple-wide events including Purim, Chanukah and other holiday celebrations, High Holiday and Family services, early Shabbat and PJ Library community events, and social action/tzedakah activities throughout the year.
- Attend Temple staff meetings and monthly Board meetings as requested
- Maintain ongoing involvement in national and regional early childhood associations
- Network with early childhood directors at local congregations to explore best practices
Qualifications and Skills
- Must meet requirements for NYS OCFS Day Care Center Director: https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/childcare/policies/Childcare-Policy-17-05.pdf
- Undergraduate or Masters degree in Education a plus
- Superior relationship building and communication skills
- Expertise in working with families and children
- Strong knowledge of curriculum development
- Capacity for building strong supervisory relationships
- Strong skills and experience in early childhood development and classroom teaching
- Experience in working with all special needs services, including Early Intervention and CPSE
- Knowledge of all Childcare Facility Licensing Regulations and experience in this area.
- Deep understanding of Reform Judaism and Temple Community life, including holidays, customs and culture
- Strong critical, creative thinking and decision-making skills, verbal and written skills
- Proven experience in customer service management, event planning and relationship building
- Competent financial management ability
- Strong knowledge of ShulCloud (or similar CRM/enrollment programs)
- Experience with communication apps, Google Drive (school resources), social media and all forms of online communication and media management