Early Childhood Center Art & Outdoor Education Specialist

The Douglas Family Early Childhood Center of Sinai Akiba Academy is looking for a dynamic and innovative Art & Outdoor Education Specialist to join our experienced early childhood education teaching team. The Art & Outdoor Education Specialist is responsible for bridging the gap between creative expression and outdoor play. This role involves designing and leading a developmentally appropriate curriculum for children ages 2–5 that includes both the Art Studio and the Outdoor Learning Environment.

The ideal candidate is a "process-over-product" advocate who possesses high physical stamina, a love for play, the outdoors, and art, and the ability to create profound learning moments by igniting the imagination of children, including challenging curriculum for individual, small and large group activities that promote learning in the areas of social-emotional, language, cognitive, physical and self-help development and motivate children’s enthusiasm for active participation in the learning process. This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the DFECC Outdoor Coordinator, and starts in August 2026.

Sinai Akiba Academy is a preeminent private Jewish day school in Los Angeles, serving students in Early Childhood through Grade 8. Sinai Akiba Academy is undergirded by our school mission to engage students in the joy and discipline of learning, and nurture a community of ethical, critical thinkers who, shaped by our evolving Jewish tradition, walk through the world with confidence and humility. Sinai Akiba Academy offers a competitive salary in a collaborative and engaging teaching community.

Our core values of Kehillah Kedoshah (Sacred Community); Talmud Torah (Academic Excellence); Derech Eretz (Kindness, Empathy, & Respect); Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof (Ethical Responsibility); Avodat Halev (Soulful Intention), and Ahavat Yisrael (Love for Israel) serve as a commitment with the students, families and community members that we serve to energize the present, explore the past, and embrace the future.

Essential Roles and Responsibilities

Outdoor Education Specialist

Provide a science-based outdoor curriculum that is fun, safe and age-appropriate, ensuring materials and centers are rotated regularly

Create and document inspiring age-appropriate provocations that center around the Jewish and secular holidays as well as the children’s interests

Help teachers plan or spontaneously extend their classroom activities to the outdoors

Determine the organization of each play area and ensure a variety of learning opportunities

Refresh activities before each age group

Oversee the teachers by assigning them specific responsibilities and monitoring that they are actively participating

Ensure that outdoor time is unique, fun, safe and age-appropriate for all students

Facilitate play and learning rather than directing the children’s play

Observe and document how the children are engaging with the materials and scaffold the learning accordingly

Maintain professional and sensitive communication with parents and colleagues regarding child development and curriculum

Utilize the Outdoor/Art Studio bulletin boards and digital platforms (Seesaw) to provide pictures and documentation of student progress

Assist and coordinate holiday “on the yard” experiences

Art Education Specialist

Determine the organization of play and experiential learning through a variety of intentional art areas to ensure age-appropriate opportunities for learning

Set up age-appropriate provocations with intention alongside opportunities to strengthen development

Observe and reflect how children engage with materials and scaffold learning accordingly

Maintain, monitor and replenish all ECC art materials

Ensure all art supplies are non-toxic and areas are free of hazards

Oversee and mentor teachers in the Art Studio, assigning responsibilities and ensuring they engage in active learning and observation

Create long term projects connecting to curriculum and holidays

Curate a yearly Art Exhibit focusing on a multitude of mediums

Design art experiences that prioritize sensory exploration (paint, clay, collage, recycled materials) over specific end results

Introduce famous artists and concepts through simplified, hands-on activities and provocations

Maintain professional and sensitive communication with parents and colleagues regarding child development and curriculum

Utilize the Outdoor/Art Studio bulletin boards and digital platforms (Seesaw) to provide pictures and documentation of student progress

Judaic Studies

Teach the meaning behind each Jewish Holiday and ensure students experience the Jewish Holiday atmosphere through all their senses. (touch, taste, smell, see and hear)

Understand and be able to teach Jewish Holidays and rituals as appropriate to the developmental stage being taught, according to Sinai Akiba Academy’s mission and Conservative Judaic values and practices. (i.e., Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simcha Torah, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, Yom Ha’atzmaut)

Instill Ahavat Israel (Love of Israel): Love for the people and Land of Israel through ensuring that Jewish and Israeli symbols are displayed and referred to

Jewish Music: Learn and sing along Judaic songs with students

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift and move objects of up to 30 pounds

Substantial time spent standing, kneeling, walking, bending, stooping, squatting, and moving up and down stairs

Responsibilities include moving quickly with children. The position also requires being able to set up and move outdoor furniture and supplies.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or relevant field or a minimum or 12 ECC units

Proven experience in Early Childhood Education with a specific focus on outdoor curriculum development and arts instruction

Ability to work on campus Monday - Friday 7:45AM - 3:30PM

Strong physical fitness and enthusiasm for engaging in classroom and outdoor activities

Demonstrated ability to create a safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with children, parents, and colleagues positively and effectively

Knowledge of safety regulations and risk management practices in outdoor environments

Compensation and Benefits

Annual Salary range: $38,000 - $70,000

Excellent benefit package with a portion of medical paid by SAA

Generous paid time off and holidays

403b and employer funded retirement plans

Professional development opportunities

In the spirit of pay transparency we share the base annual salary range for this position: $38,000 - 70,000. Annual base salary is exclusive of fringe benefits, retirement plan employer contributions or potential stipends (for eligible employees). Pay ranges at SAA are reasonable estimates of what the School anticipates paying for a role but are not guaranteed. If hired at SAA, your final annual base salary will be determined by factors such as skills, education, experience, job level, hourly status and number of months of work per academic year. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity with our current employees as a part of any final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the full annual base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range is not typical for SAA in order to allow for future and continued salary growth.

Applicants may submit their cover letter and resume for consideration to Jen Cavalieri, Associate Director of DFECC, at [email protected].

Sinai Akiba Academy provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and strictly prohibits any type of harassment or discrimination in regards to race, religion, age, color, sex, disability status, gender expression, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, and/or local laws.