Early Childhood Educator

Lead Early Childhood Teacher | 1--2 Year Olds | $31K--$40K

What if you could actually know every child in your classroom?

At Fireflies Academy, we intentionally keep our classrooms small so teachers can do what great teachers do best: build meaningful relationships, notice the details, teach intentionally, and give each child the attention they deserve.

We are looking for a Lead Teacher for our 1--2 year old classroom to join our small, passionate team in Athens, Ohio.

Our toddler classroom has a 1:5 teacher-to-child ratio, and our program is built around high-quality teaching, intentional curriculum, strong relationships, and continuous growth.

We are looking for someone who:

• Genuinely loves working with young children
• Brings character, integrity, work ethic, and a sense of purpose to their work
• Is dependable, responsible, patient, and teachable
• Can create a classroom culture of respect, warmth, curiosity, and learning
• Enjoys observing children and using those observations to guide teaching
• Can communicate professionally and warmly with families
• Is comfortable working as part of a close-knit team
• Wants to grow as an educator rather than simply work a childcare job

What you'll do

• Lead a small cohort of 1--2 year olds
• Implement and thoughtfully adapt our curriculum based on children's developmental needs
• Plan and facilitate meaningful learning experiences
• Observe and document children's growth
• Maintain individual student portfolios
• Build strong relationships with children and families
• Communicate regularly with parents and guardians
• Maintain a safe, nurturing, and beautifully organized classroom
• Complete classroom and administrative responsibilities accurately and on time
• Collaborate with fellow teachers to maintain consistency across the program

Why Fireflies?

We are intentionally different from a large childcare center.

We believe early childhood education should be both deeply relational and genuinely educational. Our teachers work with small group