Description
About Us
21st Century Charter School at Gary is part of the GEO Academies network, delivering an innovative K-12 model focused on college and career readiness. As a tuition-free public charter school, we serve students from kindergarten through high school with a strong emphasis on academic excellence, early college opportunities, and career pathways.
Our Early Childhood program plays a critical role in building the foundation for lifelong learning. We are committed to ensuring that all students enter kindergarten with strong skills in literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development.
Position Overview
The Pre-School (Pre-K) Teacher is responsible for creating a nurturing, developmentally appropriate learning environment that supports early childhood growth across cognitive, social-emotional, and physical domains. This role emphasizes kindergarten readiness, structured play-based learning, and strong family partnerships.
Reports To: Principal
Position Type: 10-month
Essential Responsibilities
- Plan and implement developmentally appropriate instruction aligned to Indiana Early Learning Standards
- Deliver a play-based, student-centered learning environment that promotes exploration, curiosity, and foundational skill development
- Build early literacy and numeracy skills through structured and guided activities
- Foster social-emotional development, including self-regulation, collaboration, and communication
- Create a safe, engaging, and inclusive classroom environment
- Monitor and assess student progress using age-appropriate tools and observational data
- Communicate regularly with families regarding student growth, development, and school readiness
- Partner with support staff (Special Education, interventionists, etc.) to meet diverse learner needs
- Establish clear routines, expectations, and positive behavior supports
- Participate in professional development, coaching cycles, and school events
Requirements
Required:
- Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or related field
- Valid Indiana teaching license in Early Childhood or Elementary (or ability to obtain)
- Knowledge of early childhood development and best instructional practices
- Strong classroom management and relationship-building skills
- Ability to integrate technology appropriately in early learning environments
Preferred:
- Experience teaching Pre-K or early elementary students
- Experience working in an urban or high-needs school setting
- Familiarity with play-based or blended learning models
- CDA (Child Development Associate) or Early Childhood endorsement