Charleston Collegiate School is an independent day school that strives to recognize, nurture, and challenge each of its students. Organized as a Lower School (PK-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12), CCS prides itself on being an independent, co-educational, non-sectarian, prekindergarten through 12th grade school, located just outside of Charleston’s metropolitan area. Charleston Collegiate School offers a thirty-acre campus featuring vast playing fields and wooded trails, located just twenty minutes from Charleston’s historic district on one side and Kiawah Island on the other.
CCS has a challenging, supportive learning community that coaches students to become lifelong learners. A CCS education uses the pillars of project-based learning, entrepreneurship, artistic expression, and leadership through outdoor education to teach a high-quality education to a diverse student body.
Job Description
The 4-Year-Old Prekindergarten Assistant Teacher is responsible for supporting a dynamic and developmentally appropriate curriculum that aligns with the mission, values, and pillars of Charleston Collegiate School. This position requires a nurturing, creative, and organized individual who can foster a love for learning and a sense of community in young children. The assistant teacher will nurture a supportive, stimulating, and inclusive classroom environment where every child feels valued and encouraged to grow socially, emotionally, and academically.
The Assistant Prekindergarten Teacher supports the lead teacher in creating and implementing a dynamic and developmentally appropriate curriculum for 4-year-olds. This position requires a nurturing, enthusiastic, and team-oriented individual who can help foster a love for learning and community among young children. The assistant teacher works collaboratively to maintain a supportive, inclusive, and stimulating classroom environment.
Key Responsibilities
Assist the lead teacher in delivering a curriculum aligned with CCS’s Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, incorporating play, exploration, and discovery.
Support students' developmental needs in areas such as early literacy, numeracy, motor skills, and social-emotional growth.
Reinforce CCS core values—empathy, integrity, community, optimism, and advocacy—through daily interactions and activities.
Help establish and maintain a safe, welcoming, and organized classroom environment.
Support the lead teacher in modeling and encouraging positive interactions to build social-emotional skills like cooperation, empathy, and conflict resolution.
Facilitate routines and transitions to ensure students feel secure and gain independence.
Collaborate with the lead teacher and Specials team to integrate creative arts, movement, and music into learning experiences.
Assist with classroom management, ensuring clear and consistent expectations for student behavior.
Participate in the planning and implementation of classroom activities, special projects, and age-appropriate field trips.
Maintain open communication with families by supporting the lead teacher in providing updates on milestones, challenges, and achievements.
Help ensure the classroom is clean, organized, and stocked with necessary materials.
Participate in professional development opportunities, school-wide meetings, and events.
Stay informed about best practices in early childhood education and contribute to their integration in the classroom.
Qualifications
Associate degree in Early Childhood Education or related field preferred.
Experience working with preschool-aged children in an educational setting.
Strong communication and collaboration skills.
Enthusiasm for working in a team-oriented, student-focused environment.
Commitment to supporting outdoor and experiential learning opportunities.
Salary and Benefits
Charleston Collegiate School is committed to attracting and retaining the highest quality faculty and staff through a competitive compensation plan, retirement benefits and full medical/dental coverage. Individual salary is negotiable depending on years of experience and educational background.
Non-Discrimination: Charleston Collegiate School values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds. All employment decisions are made without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.
Nestled under grand, moss-laden live oaks, Charleston Collegiate School offers a fifty-acre campus of playing fields, wooded trails, and an outdoor education center. Located on beautiful Johns Island, CCS is twenty minutes from Charleston's historic district and the beach resorts of Kiawah and Seabrook Islands. The school was founded in 1970 to serve local families who valued quality education.
Mission Statement - Charleston Collegiate School’s mission is to empower students in a student-centered approach that values collaboration, innovation, and individuality to become resilient leaders for 21st century careers.