Preschool Head Teacher, Alpha - $120,000/year USD

About the role

Alpha is hiring Preschool Head Teachers to lead Pre‑K classrooms in Manhattan, New York City and Chicago, Illinois. The school trusts educators’ expertise, values play as serious work, and believes relationships come before academics. Teachers design rich, play‑based experiences that build confidence, resilience, early literacy, numeracy, and a love of learning, while ensuring emotional safety, curiosity, and measurable developmental growth. Alpha offers relocation assistance for outstanding educators who wish to move closer to either city.

Responsibilities

You will:

• Design joyful, sensory-rich learning experiences that intentionally build early literacy, numeracy, self-regulation, and social development.
• Create a classroom where every child feels emotionally safe, deeply known, and excited to come to school every day.
• Observe children's development in real time, document meaningful progress, and use those insights to personalize learning.
• Adjust activities around each child's interests and developmental needs, helping every learner make measurable progress.
• Partner closely with families to share growth, celebrate milestones, and support each child's development beyond the classroom.

You will not:

• Supervise children without a clear developmental purpose behind every activity.
• Follow scripted lessons, rely on worksheets, or teach to compliance instead of curiosity.
• Spend your day managing behavior rather than helping children develop emotional regulation.
• Sit children in front of academic software while you monitor from the sidelines.

Requirements

• Able to work full-time, on-site at one of our campuses: Manhattan, New York, or Chicago, Illinois (relocation assistance is available)
• Associate's degree or higher, or any U.S. state teaching license or certification
• At least 2 years of experience working with children ages 3-5 in a structured, play-based classroom or group setting
• Experience documenting developmental milestones using a structured framework or assessment tool (Teaching Strategies GOLD, ASQ, HighScope COR, etc.)
• Authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship

Qualifications (Nice-to-have)

• Experience in a Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Bank Street, or other inquiry-based early childhood program
• Experience in an independent school or an academically ambitious preschool
• Familiarity with child-development frameworks, observation tools, or portfolio-based assessment
• Experience adapting play-based activities to individual interests, needs, and developmental goals

Benefits

• Immediate access to benefits (W2 employee)
• Year-long positions
• Relocation assistance available

Pay

$120,000 USD per year, paid weekly.

Schedule

Full-time, on-site.