About Our Preschool & Kindergarten
As a devoted preschool or kindergarten teacher, would you like to make a meaningful difference in a child’s spiritual life? Ridgewood is a growing Christian, faith-based preschool and kindergarten that invites kids and families from all backgrounds. We are rooted in teaching kids about the life of Jesus, our Savior, and Biblical truth.
We partner with parents by providing the utmost care for their children. We truly want to be an extension of their family in how we love, protect, comfort, and connect with them!
We believe that our teachers are our most valuable element in providing
the personalized care we value. Every teacher at Ridgewood is devoted to their students. We firmly believe that pouring into a thoughtful relationship with each child helps them to thrive.
Our newly renovated, secure classrooms are extremely inviting to kids! The layouts of each room have been beautifully designed with pockets of space wherein kids can imagine and pretend, be silly and explore, or cozy up and be cherished. We hold a State of Minnesota Child Care Center License by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Daily Components of the School Day
- Social and Emotional Learning
- Physical Development-both fine and gross motor
- Language and Literacy
- Numbers, Math and Reasoning
- Creative Arts and Expression
- Science and Social Studies
- Imaginative Dramatic Play
- Biblical Truths
Join Our Preschool & Kindergarten Leadership Team
Laurie Stay
Laurie is beyond excited about welcoming littles and their families to Ridgewood Preschool and sharing the love of Jesus with them! Laurie graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and later continued her education at Northeastern University in gifted education. Laurie and her husband, David live in Minnetonka with their two children, Matthew and Madeleine. She loves working at Ridgewood Church as the Kid’s Ministry Director and looks forward to all God has in store for the preschool!
Jodi Hogan
Jodi has been teaching preschool for the last seven years, but to be honest, she really hasn’t left the preschool realm since she was a preschooler because playing and being silly are her favorite things to do. She initially got a degree in psychology at St. Cloud State, but later went back to get her teaching license in special education and also received her master’s degree. She and her husband, Dan have three children who are all in their teens. Jodi is so thankful to God for being at Ridgewood Preschool creating joy daily with three, four and five-year-old children.
Tammy Daun
Tammy is one of our teachers at Ridgewood Preschool and absolutely loves working with young children and their families. Ridgewood Preschool has been an extra joy and blessing to Tammy. She appreciates the beautiful God-centered, joy-filled, and happy environment where children play, learn, create, and share friendships. Ms. Tammy received her BA in Child Development from San Jose State University. She has been in the field of early childhood for over 15 years. Tammy and her husband Brian have a married daughter and a teenage son.
Chris Jurek
Chris is an assistant teacher at Ridgewood Preschool. She loves learning, laughing, and sharing the love of Jesus with the children. Chris graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Benedict. She went on to earn a certificate in lay ministry at the University of St. Thomas. She’s walked in faith with children ages 3-16 years old at her church for the past 29 years. Chris and her husband, Russ, have two teenage children. She’s beyond grateful for the joy and blessings experienced each day at preschool!
Kaitlyn Sarna
Kaitlyn is an assistant teacher at Ridgewood Preschool. She lives with her husband, dog, and three cats in Golden Valley. Kaitlyn loves being around kids and started babysitting at an early age. She has an incredible knack for thoughtfully engaging kids and encourages them to always do their best. Kaitlyn graduated from cosmetology school, but continued to nanny and babysit for multiple families. When the teaching opportunity at Ridgewood came up, it affirmed for Kaitlyn that her true, God given gift to work with kids would be so appreciated here. Kaitlyn loves coming into work at Ridgewood Preschool to connect with the kids and find sweet pockets of time to honor each student daily.
Current Teaching Opportunities
Kindergarten Teacher
We are looking for a nurturing and enthusiastic kindergarten teacher for our newest venture in expanding Ridgewood Preschool to include kindergarten. Our mission is to share the love of Jesus with our community, our students, and families in our program.
Qualifications:
- A love for Jesus and children.
- Teaching license for Kindergarten/Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education.
- Child first aid and CPR certified, this can be completed within the first 90 days of hire.
- Able to lift 35 pounds.
Responsibilities include:
- Welcome all kindergarteners and families with joy and warmth.
- Oversee the safety and care of the kindergarteners in the classroom in conjunction with the classroom assistant teacher.
- Encourage and interact with children to explore, investigate, experiment, learn, and create throughout the school day.
- Plan learning activities that will ignite kindergarteners’ faith, social/emotional, and educational growth.
- Use play-based/inquiry learning that are led by students’ interests to teach educational concepts related to reading, math, science, social studies, and any additional subject matter on a daily basis.
- Collaborate with Ridgewood Preschool teachers and assistant teachers on opportunities to encourage growth in our students upon graduation from preschool and moving into kindergarten.
- Model behavior that will assist kindergartners in navigating social situations and teach positive behaviors for kindergarteners to use in future situations.
- Attend to each kindergartner’s individual needs and positively engage with them in a variety of situations that may come up.
- Seek out opportunities to connect with each student in your classroom each school day.
- Communicate well and regularly with parents.
- Provide grace-filled consistency with the students and co-workers.
- Communicate to the Ridgewood Children’s Ministry Director the needs of students and families, as needed, to ensure that we are cultivating a caring environment for them.
- Assist with light, disinfecting cleaning at the end of the school day.
- Build teamwork with coworkers and attend staff meeting and trainings.
Please send a resume and cover letter to Laurie Stay at lstay@myrwc.org
Preschool Lead Teacher
We are looking for a nurturing and enthusiastic teacher for Ridgewood Preschool. Our mission is to share the love of Jesus with our community, the preschoolers, and families in our program. Our students will range in age from 33 months to 5 years/pre-kindergarten.
Qualifications:
- A love for Jesus and children.
- Previous teaching will be wonderfully helpful, this qualification is necessitated by our licensing bureau, Minnesota Department of Human Services, and degrees/experience in related fields may be applicable
- Child first aid and CPR certified, this can be completed within the first 90 days of hire.
- Able to lift 35 pounds.
Responsibilities include:
- Welcome all preschoolers and families with joy and warmth.
- Oversee the safety and care of a preschool classroom in conjunction with the classroom assistant teacher.
- Encourage and interact with children to explore, investigate, experiment, learn, and create throughout the school day.
- Plan learning activities that will ignite preschoolers’ faith, social/emotional, and educational growth.
- Collaborate with other Ridgewood Preschool teachers and assistant teachers on opportunities to encourage growth in our students.
- Model behavior that will assist preschoolers in navigating social situations.
- Attend to each preschooler’s individual needs and positively engage with them in a variety of situations that may come up.
- Seek out opportunities to connect with each student in your classroom each school day.
- Communicate well with parents.
- Provide grace-filled consistency with the preschoolers and co-workers.
- Communicate to the Preschool Director the needs of students and families, as needed, to ensure that we are cultivating a caring environment for them.
- Assist with light, disinfecting cleaning at the end of the school day.
- Build teamwork with coworkers and attend staff meeting and trainings.
Please send a resume and cover letter to Jodi Hogan at jhogan@myrwc.org
Preschool Assistant Teacher
We are looking for a nurturing and enthusiastic assistant teacher to start in September for the 2023/2024 school year. Our mission is to share the love of Jesus with our community and the preschoolers and families in our program. Our students will range in age from 33 months to 5 years/pre-kindergarten.
Qualifications:
- A love for Jesus and children.
- Previous teaching, assistant teaching, or working with kids in a licensed childcare center will be wonderfully helpful, but not required.
- High school diploma or equivalent with post-secondary education within the field of teaching or early childhood education will be an added bonus.
- Child First aid and CPR certified, this can be completed within the first 90 days of hire.
- Able to lift 35 pounds.
Responsibilities include:
- Welcome all preschoolers and families with joy and warmth.
- Oversee the safety and care of a preschool classroom in conjunction with the classroom teacher.
- Encourage and interact with children to explore, investigate, experiment, learn, and create throughout the school day.
- Work closely with lead teacher in classroom to plan learning activities that will ignite preschoolers’ faith, social/emotional, and educational growth.
- Model behavior that will assist preschoolers in navigating social situations.
- Attend to each preschooler’s individual needs and positively engage with them in a variety of situations that may come up.
- Seek out opportunities to connect with each student in your classroom each school day.
- Communicate well with parents.
- Provide grace-filled consistency with the preschoolers and co-workers.
- Help prepare healthy snack foods.
- Assist with light, disinfecting cleaning at the end of the school day.
- Build teamwork with coworkers and attend staff meeting and trainings.
Please send a resume and cover letter to Jodi Hogan at jhogan@myrwc.org
Email Your Resume & Cover Letter
Ridgewood Preschool & Kindergarten holds the State of Minnesota Child Care Center License through the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
