DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Who We Are:

Brooklyn Kindergarten Society (BKS) has dedicated itself to providing high quality early childhood education to children from low-income families for the last 125 years. Rated one of the top seven school readiness programs in Greater New York by Root Cause Foundation, BKS operates seven early childhood learning centers throughout Brooklyn, providing rich educational programs year-round.

We serve toddlers and preschool children in full-day classes, each enriched with pre-literacy and language programs, science activities, math, arts, and music instruction. We understand that families are central to children’s success and we offer resources and support well beyond the classroom by providing counseling, referral services, and workshops for both children and their families.

Our teachers practice a play-enriched curriculum that recognizes a child’s need for movement, song, laughter, and belonging in a safe learning environment that encourages self-reliance, creativity, cooperation, and community.

What We Are Looking For:

BKS is seeking a mission-driven professional with a strong work ethic, proven ability to take initiative, multi-task, and establish strong collaborative relationships with colleagues and peers. As Deputy Director of Education, you will be overseeing and guiding the teachers and staff in all seven of our centers. We are at a point of growth and opportunity as an organization and you will be part of a team of dedicated professionals who strive to better their practice and deepen their understanding of the ways children learn and grow. We are seeking an individual who can inspire, lead, listen to, and grow along with our children, teachers, and staff.

What You Will Do:

• Lead our programmatic vision to ensure strong instructional practices are flourishing at all BKS learning spaces.
• Oversee and collaborate with coaches, center directors and teacher teams to develop cohesive and engaging professional development that increases teacher capacity and meets the needs of all students.
• Supervise and support the implementation of the Creative Curriculum and Department of Education Units of Study.
• Collaborate, engage with, and facilitate the work of the Department of Early Childhood Education (DECE) staff and coaches.
• Engage in site specific, student-centered coaching of teachers that will bring professional learning into classroom practice.
• Supervise and mentor center directors and teachers by providing guidance and feedback regarding instruction, classroom environment, and teacher-child interactions.
• Provide ongoing monitoring and feedback to center directors and teacher teams using a variety of methods, including observations, formal and informal data, and the use of Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG), CLASS assessments, and ECERS-R assessments.
• Collaborate with multiple program providers and help shape and create exciting new programming

What Qualifies You:

• A deep understanding of and commitment to the value of play- and language-based early childhood pedagogy
• Experience supervising teachers and a demonstration of leadership ability
• Ability to work with diverse groups and foster team spirit
• An abiding respect for the capacity of each child to learn and grow
• NYS Permanent Certification
• Master’s degree in early childhood education or related field
• Experience and commitment to working with low-income populations and diverse cultures.