Nursery Lead Teacher

Join Us at Singing Cedars School in Fairfield Iowa . . . 

Are you thinking ahead to the 2026-27 school year? Dreaming of a more soulful life and a place where your Waldorf teaching, your ideals, and your love for children all belong?

Singing Cedars School is seeking an Early Childhood teacher to begin in the 2026-27 school year. This is an ideal opportunity for someone planning ahead and looking for a lifestyle change rooted in purpose, beauty, and authenticity.

We are a small, independent, non-profit school inspired by Waldorf education. Here, you'll find a collaborative faculty, engaged families, a close knit community, supportive leadership, and a child-centered approach.

What Makes Us Who We Are

• A growing  Waldorf-inspired early childhood program  expanding to include a mixed-age Nursery (18 months–3 years).
• A nurturing, rhythmic classroom environment serving up to 8 children, supported by a Lead Teacher and assistant.
• Education rooted in warmth, beauty, reverence for childhood, and a deep relationship with the natural world.
• Daily outdoor time in all seasons — rain, snow, or shine — cultivating resilience and connection to nature.
• A campus situated on three semi-wooded acres, within walking distance of forest trails and a reservoir.
• A collaborative faculty culture with weekly early childhood meetings and regular College of Teachers gatherings.
• A school community that values festival life, parent evenings, conferences, and meaningful community work days.
• 35 years of combined Waldorf kindergarten experience among current staff.
• Located in  Fairfield , a unique small town of 10,000 with a vibrant, progressive, and culturally rich atmosphere.
• Fairfield is home to  Maharishi International University , contributing to a strong culture of meditation, sustainability, holistic health, and spiritual growth.
• A town known for its trail systems, entrepreneurial spirit, local food culture, and cosmopolitan feel within serene rural surroundings.

Who You Might Be

• An experienced early childhood educator who delights in working with children ages 18 months–3 years.
• Waldorf-trained, Lifeways-trained, or experienced in a Waldorf early childhood setting.
• Alternatively, an experienced teacher with a sincere interest in learning the Waldorf approach.
• Someone who values rhythm, beauty, and intentional classroom design.
• Comfortable collaborating closely with assistants, colleagues, and parents.
• Willing to participate in festivals, parent education evenings, conferences, and collegial study.
• Joyful, warm, and grounded — able to model calm presence for young children.
• Physically able to:
• Spend extended time outdoors in all weather
• Walk frequently and remain active
• Lift 25 pounds routinely and up to 40 pounds in emergencies (to lift a child)
• Bend, kneel, crouch, sing, and engage fully with young children

What We Offer

• A full school-day program (8:30am–3:30pm, Monday–Friday).
• A supportive and collegial faculty culture.
• Regular teacher study, review, and shared festival planning.
• Competitive pay for the area, with compensation commensurate with experience and training.
• Paid time off for salaried employees.
• Partial tuition remission for enrolled children of staff.
• Potential eligibility for Iowa’s childcare worker recruitment bonus.
• The opportunity to help shape and grow a new mixed-age Nursery program.
• The gift of living and working in a spiritually vibrant community influenced by Maharishi’s legacy and the presence of Maharishi International University.

To Apply

Please send: Cover letter and Resume to  View email address on jobs.waldorftoday.com   or mail to: Singing Cedars School, 2149 N. B Street, Fairfield, IA 52556

We look forward to hearing from you . . .