Daycroft School is a Montessori school currently serving students from toddler through 6th grade in Ann Arbor, MI. Founded in 1968, Daycroft is committed to empowering each student with confidence, compassion, and a lifelong love of learning. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is imperative for providing the best learning environment for students as they navigate an increasingly complex world. 

Daycroft School seeks faculty and staff who support Daycroft’s three founding pillars that create a rich learning environment for our students: a classroom environment that allows for uninterrupted periods of student creativity and exploration; where learning is student-centered with individualized academic and social-emotional learning;  lastly, a community committed to fostering human relationships rooted in mutual respect for all members of the community.

Position Summary

The founding adolescent teacher will support the opening of a new downtown Ann Arbor, middle school.  The founding teacher will join our upper elementary teaching team in August 2026.  The first year of this role will include 50% classroom teaching and 50% dedicated to curriculum development and planning for the opening of our new middle school in the Fall of 2027.  This is an exciting opportunity to join a thriving Montessori community and support a visionary Montessori middle school program that will be located next to the University of Michigan campus, in an urban community ??that offers rich cultural, science, arts and social governance resources.  The lead teacher will work closely with a very experienced leadership team in selecting the learning space, hiring additional teachers, and crafting a Montessori learning environment.

Daycroft  School offers a competitive salary, a generous benefits package, and professional development support.

First Year ‘26-27

• Develop a comprehensive Montessori adolescent curriculum that integrates interdisciplinary studies, experiential learning, micro-economy, and community engagement.
• Teach 50% of the time in the upper elementary program, providing continuity of Montessori philosophy and supporting students as they prepare for the transition to adolescence.
• Lead the design and planning of the new middle school program, including scope and sequence, assessment practices, and adolescent-appropriate routines and structures.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to evaluate and select the permanent learning space in downtown Ann Arbor.
• Participate in hiring and onboarding additional teaching staff, ensuring alignment with Montessori adolescent education principles.
• Build partnerships with the University of Michigan and local organizations to support project-based learning, learning from specialists and adults in our community, and fieldwork opportunities.

Founding Year Fall ‘27

• Establish a nurturing, developmentally responsive learning environment that supports adolescents’ social, emotional, and intellectual growth.
• Plan and lead at least two annual overnight experiences, such as outdoor education trips, community-based projects, or travel tied to the curriculum.
• Communicate regularly with parents and caregivers, providing insight into adolescent development, program philosophy, and student progress.
• Model professionalism, leadership, and collaboration, helping shape the culture and identity of a new Montessori adolescent community.

Experience and Professional Competencies

• Experience teaching adolescents in a progressive education environment for a minimum of 5 years
• Montessori adolescent training
• Elementary MACTE Montessori Certification preferred
• A bachelor’s degree
• Experience in starting an educational program or business from start
• Holds deep knowledge in a specific content area while being willing and able to engage in cross-curricular teaching and learning.
• We are unable to support international teachers with getting work visas.

Daycroft School is committed to an inclusive program and a diverse faculty and student body.  Candidates with a demonstrated commitment to and experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion work are especially encouraged to apply

About Daycroft School

Daycroft School is an independent, Toddler to 6th-grade non-profit school of ~200 students. Daycroft is one of the oldest Montessori schools in Michigan, offering a rich academic and safe environment where students can take risks to explore their abilities. Daycroft accomplishes its educational mission: to provide a personalized learning environment that appreciates individual differences, nurtures the whole child, and enables students to develop at their own pace and achieve to their full potential. Our strengths are our teachers, community, leadership, and the relentless pursuit of exceptional results. Daycroft is one of Washtenaw County's leading independent schools. It began as a preschool program in 1968. Daycroft is embarking on an expansion through 8th grade starting in the Fall of 2027, with a downtown Ann Arbor middle school campus. Daycroft provides before-school and after-school care, summer camp programs, and enrichment classes. Daycroft has earned accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS; www.isacs.org). It is a member of the Associations of Independent Michigan Schools; and the National Association of Independent Schools. Da...ycroft is located at: 1095 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Phone: (734) 662-3335. Visit our website at www.daycroft.org to learn more about our school.

Show more

Show less

Connections working at Daycroft School