Program Director / Lead Teacher — Preschool

HIGH ROCKIES COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Program Director / Lead Teacher — Preschool

Reports to: Executive Director

Hours: Full-time, exempt

Start Date: August 2026

Compensation: $39,381.70–$55,093.50 annually, based on experience and qualifications

Benefits: ICHRA reimbursement up to $530/month for health insurance; most Fridays off

 

Teach with wonder. Lead with roots. Grow something lasting.

High Rockies Community School is building something rare: a nature-integrated preschool rooted in the mountain communities of Park County, designed from the ground up to honor the way young children actually learn — outside, in relationship, through play and wonder.

 

The Program Director / Lead Teacher is the heart of that program. This is a hybrid role: you will hold the CDEC director credential that licenses our preschool to operate, and you will teach. Every day. You will design and deliver a nature-integrated curriculum for our youngest learners, lead and supervise preschool instructional staff, build deep relationships with families, and serve as the operational and programmatic lead for the preschool program within a school community that believes the outdoors is the best classroom there is.

 

You will work closely with our Executive Director, Site Coordinator, Student Services Coordinator, and VAO Collaborative — our operations partner — so that the back-office work (HR, payroll, compliance filings, enrollment administration) stays off your plate and you can focus on what matters most: children, teaching, and program quality.

 

What You’ll Do

CDEC Licensing & Program Compliance

• Hold and maintain the CDEC Director credential required for licensure under the ONBP model standards; your name will be on the license
• Serve as the school’s point person for all CDEC compliance requirements, monitoring visits, and annual license renewal
• Ensure all program policies, health and safety procedures, staff qualifications, and environmental standards meet or exceed CDEC requirements at all times
• Maintain required program records including attendance, health documentation, incident reports, and staff files in organized, inspection-ready form
• Coordinate with the School Nurse on nurse delegation protocols and student health accommodation procedures for preschool-age students
• Ensure all preschool staff complete required CDEC training, CPR/First Aid certification, and mandatory reporter training before working with students

 

Teaching & Curriculum

• Serve as the Lead Teacher for the preschool cohort, delivering daily hands-on, nature-integrated instruction aligned with Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines (ELDGs)
• Design and implement a year-long curriculum grounded in outdoor learning, place-based exploration, and developmentally appropriate practice — building on the nature-integrated framework developed with our preschool licensing consultant
• Maintain a daily schedule and learning environment that reflects HRCS’s commitment to outdoor learning and the distinct rhythms of our mountain community
• Administer developmental screenings and use ongoing assessment to track student growth, adjust instruction, and identify students who may need additional support
• Facilitate timely referrals to the Student Services Coordinator for any student suspected of having a developmental delay or disability, consistent with IDEA Child Find obligations for ages 3–5
• Support smooth transitions from Early Intervention (Part C) to school-based services (Part B) for students approaching age 3
• Maintain student portfolios and facilitate family conferences that celebrate learning and growth

 

Staff Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate preschool instructional staff including assistant teachers and any additional preschool teaching staff
• Foster a collaborative, reflective team culture that models HRCS values and supports continuous instructional improvement
• Lead staff training in nature-integrated practices, outdoor learning, and developmentally appropriate instruction in partnership with our licensing consultant during the program’s launch phase
• Participate in school-wide professional development and staff planning alongside the K–8 instructional team

 

Family Engagement

• Serve as the primary point of contact for preschool families once hired, building trusting, ongoing relationships from enrollment through daily communication
• Lead family orientation and set clear expectations for outdoor learning, daily routines, and communication norms
• Communicate regularly with families about student progress, program activities, and school-wide events
• Partner with the Site Coordinator, who manages enrollment administration, registration, and family pipeline logistics, so that family-facing responsibilities are clearly delineated and nothing falls through the gap

 

UPK & Program Operations

• Manage the school’s UPK provider contract and ensure ongoing compliance with Universal Preschool program requirements under C.R.S. § 22-7-1101
• Provide preschool cost inputs and program outcome data for annual budget development, grant applications, and board reporting
• Contribute to HRCS board meeting materials by preparing a preschool program update for distribution
• Support community outreach and preschool recruitment events in partnership with the Growth Director
• Contribute preschool perspective to expansion and growth conversations, including input on new site facility assessments and program design for future HRCS preschool sites

 

What We’re Looking For

Required

• CDEC Director credential meeting ONBP model standards (or ability to obtain before start date) — your credential will be placed on the HRCS preschool license
• Valid Colorado teaching license or Early Childhood educator credential
• Experience teaching young children (ages 3–5) in an early childhood or preschool setting
• Commitment to outdoor, nature-based, and place-based learning
• Strong communication and family engagement skills
• Ability to pass a criminal background check (CBI fingerprinting) consistent with C.R.S. § 22-32-109.7

 

Preferred

• Experience in a nature-based, outdoor, or forest school preschool program
• CPR/First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain before start)
• Familiarity with Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines (ELDGs) and Colorado Shines quality rating system
• Experience with developmental screening tools (ASQ-3 or similar)
• Knowledge of IDEA Part B obligations for preschool-age students and Child Find requirements
• Experience supervising or mentoring early childhood instructional staff
• Connection to or experience in mountain, rural, or small-school communities

 

You’ll Be a Great Fit If You…

• Love teaching young children and believe the best classroom is outside
• Are equally comfortable holding compliance responsibility and getting your hands dirty in the mud kitchen
• Thrive in a small, collaborative school where everybody plays multiple roles and nobody waits to be asked
• Believe that early childhood is the foundation for everything — and that mountain kids deserve a preschool as extraordinary as the place they live
• Are ready to help build something from the ground up and take deep ownership of the program you create

 

A note on back-office support: HR administration, payroll, enrollment data entry, and financial recordkeeping are handled by VAO Collaborative, our fractional operations partner, and our Site Coordinator. You will focus on teaching, program leadership, and family relationships — not paperwork.

 

To Apply

Send a letter of interest and résumé to laurel.dumas@highrockiescommunityschool.org with the subject line “Program Director / Lead Teacher Application – [Your Name].”

 

You don’t need to check every box to apply. If this mission speaks to you and you believe in building something great for young children in the mountains, we want to hear from you.