Atelierista & Pedagogy Lead

Location:
Tribeca Community School Ridgefield | Ridgefield, CT

Start Date: August 1, 2026

Description, Responsibilities, & Duties

The Atelierista & Pedagogy Lead is a central pedagogical leader within the school. This individual serves as both an artist-educator and a curriculum leader, working across classrooms to deepen children’s thinking through materials, documentation, and long-term project work.

This is not a standalone studio role. We are looking for someone who can:

Drive curriculum and pedagogy across the program
Support teachers in translating theory into practice
Elevate documentation and reflective work school-wide
Help build systems, structures, and coherence

The Atelierista works in close partnership with the Head of Program and teaching teams to ensure that the atelier is not just a space—but a way of thinking that lives throughout the school.

Key Responsibilities

Pedagogical Leadership & Curriculum Development:

Collaborate with the Head of Program to shape and evolve the school’s curriculum
Support teachers in developing emergent, project-based investigations
Bring a strong lens to materials, aesthetics, and the role of environment as the “third teacher”
Help ensure coherence and depth of learning across age groups (infants through 5s)

Atelier Practice:

Design and facilitate experiences in the central atelier and mini-ateliers across classrooms
Introduce children and teachers to a wide range of materials, tools, and expressive languages
Support children in representing ideas through drawing, painting, print-making, sculpture, construction, light, etc.
Maintain and curate atelier materials with intentionality and care

Documentation & Research:

Lead and elevate documentation practices across the school
Support teachers in observing, interpreting, and making learning visible
Help transform documentation into tools for reflection, curriculum planning, and communication
Contribute to school-wide displays, panels, and narrative documentation

Teacher Support & Professional Development:

Serve as a pedagogical partner to teachers in classrooms
Model strong practice through co-teaching, observation, and reflection
Lead workshops, study groups, and ongoing professional learning
Support onboarding of new teachers into Reggio-inspired practice

Program Coordination & Systems:

Help establish structures for curriculum planning, documentation cycles, and project work
Collaborate with leadership on aligning practices across classrooms
Support organization and coordination of materials, atelier scheduling, and shared resources
Contribute to long-term program development and growth

Family & Community Engagement:

Share documentation and insights with families in meaningful, accessible ways
Support communication around curriculum and children’s learning processes
Contribute to admissions events, parent events, exhibitions, and community-facing work

Minimum Qualifications/Requirements

Required:

Significant experience in early childhood education (Reggio-inspired or progressive setting preferred)
Strong background in visual arts, design, or material-based exploration
Deep understanding of child development and constructivist learning
Experience supporting or mentoring teachers
Demonstrated strength in documentation and pedagogical thinking
Ability to move fluidly between classroom practice and big-picture thinking

Preferred:

Experience in an Atelierista or pedagogical coordinator role
Background in curriculum leadership or program development
Experience opening or shaping a new program
Graduate degree in Early Childhood Education, Art Education, or related field

Salary & Benefits

$55,000 with benefits

Application Procedures

Please send a resume, portfolio (if applicable), and a brief statement of educational philosophy to doug@tribecacommunityschool.com

Program Description

Founded in 2006 in the TriBeCa neighborhood of New York City, Tribeca Community School (TCS) has grown from a single classroom into a highly respected early-childhood program with a national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and program design. For two decades, the school has remained deeply committed to a child-centered, community-rooted philosophy inspired by progressive and Reggio Emilia–informed educational practices.

The Ridgefield campus represents a thoughtful expansion of this long-standing vision. Serving children ages 6 weeks through Kindergarten in a full-day, year-round model, the school is designed to meet the needs of modern families while maintaining deep fidelity to child development and educational quality.

Contact Info

Doug Schachtel
doug@tribecacommunityschool.com
https://www.tcsridgefield.com

Job Opportunity