Lower School Kindergarten Teacher

Job Description

About the School

Georgetown Day School opened its doors in 1945 as the first integrated school in a segregated city. Governed by a Board of Trustees elected by the parent body and administered by an appointed Head of School, it was founded by seven families who wanted to create a school committed not only to academic excellence and educational innovation but also to a value system emphasizing appreciation and respect for others. Believing that diversity was the ground out of which all deep and rich learning occurs, they established a school where all children would be welcome, celebrated, and challenged to be their best selves.

Today, the School's philosophy, programs, and position in the national educational landscape strongly reflect its roots. Having grown from 12 children in 1945 to 1075 students in PK-12 today, GDS is recognized as one of Washington, D.C.’s and the nation’s most dynamic educational institutions.

Since the school’s founding, GDS has called eight different locations home. In the fall of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools were all joined on one extraordinary campus.

About the Position

We are seeking an appropriately qualified and experienced Lower School Kindergarten Homeroom Teacher to join our faculty for the 2024-2025 school year. The successful candidate will be a thoughtful and inspiring educator, keen to work with colleagues, students, and their parents in a student-centered, highly collaborative, inclusive, future-focused, learning environment. The Kindergarten Teacher will work collaboratively in a co-teaching classroom environment with another Kindergarten Teacher to support students.

Location: On campus

Start Date: August 19, 2024

Type of Opportunity: Full-time, salaried, exempt with benefits.

Primary responsibilities include:

Understands early childhood development and that kindergarten is a time of remarkable physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Creates a safe, collaborative learning environment that aligns with the school’s equity-driven mission.

Is flexible, innovative, and solution-focused.

Demonstrates a solid knowledge base of diversity (e.g. race, class, ethnicity, gender, ability) and experience working with a diverse student population and incorporating that knowledge into their culturally, and historically relevant instruction.

Understands different communication styles and modifies classroom interactions accordingly.

Familiar with, and committed to, standards-based assessment, grading, and reporting.

Familiar with, and committed to, Responsive Classroom and the use of positive behavior interventions and supports.

Familiar with, and committed to, the structured literacy approach and teaching students who are neurodivergent.

Works collaboratively with colleagues to design and implement high-quality, engaging learning experiences.

Uses observations/assessment data to inform teaching and improve learning, and to set individual learning goals.

Leverages technology, in support of the learning community.

Responds positively and restoratively to student needs.

Demonstrates a commitment to ongoing professional learning.

Engages our parent community through consistent and clear communication about curriculum, school life, and each child’s personal learning journey.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

A Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education or elementary education is required.

A Master’s degree is preferred.

Three years or more of teaching experience at the elementary school level with early childhood students with some experience supporting students receiving special education services are preferred.

Americans with Disability Specifications

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references using our online application system through ADP/Workforce Now: To find out more about the school, candidates should visit our website at

As an inclusive school devoted to preparing our students to live, work, and lead in an increasingly globalized and multicultural society, GDS is particularly interested in professionals with demonstrated interest and experience in working in such a school setting and is driven by the core charge of working to enhance and bring joy to every student’s individual learning experience in equitable and meaningful ways.