Preschool Teacher Associate

Description

Join our team of nurturing educators who help shape the lives of our youngest learners! The Greater Burlington YMCA is seeking a Preschool Teacher Associate who is passionate about learning through play and ready to create a welcoming, engaging, and developmentally appropriate environment for children. This role is essential in supporting the Y’s mission to foster youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

Schedule and Location: Monday-Friday (no weekends!) at our Burlington location located in the heart of Burlington at 298 College St. Burlington, VT.

Why You'll Love Working with Us:

Competitive Pay – Starting pay for this position is between $22.00- $24.20/hour and based on your experience and qualifications with the opportunity for merit based increases yearly.

We Invest in You- At the Y, we know early childhood educators are essential—and we treat them that way. We’ve recently made a significant investment to increase wages across our Early Childhood Programs as part of our ongoing commitment to valuing, retaining, and supporting our incredible teaching teams.

Professional Development – Enjoy 8 in-service days dedicated to training, team meetings, and curriculum planning.

Time Off – Get 15 paid vacation days, 6 paid holidays, and 3 weeks of Paid Time Off in your first year.

Balanced Workload – One dedicated planning day each week.

Y Perks – Free YMCA membership and discounts on programs and camps.

Health Coverage – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance

Loan Forgiveness – Eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Growth Opportunities – Ongoing professional development and career advancement.

The City is Our Playground – Our location in the heart of Burlington means children get hands-on learning experiences exploring the waterfront, beaches, woods, and Church Street.

About Our Center:

At the Greater Burlington YMCA, we offer a play-based, emergent curriculum driven by each child’s natural curiosity and interests. With locations in both Burlington and Winooski, our early childhood programs celebrate the unique identities of children and families, nurturing social-emotional growth through meaningful play and authentic connections. At the Y, we:

• Support Social/Emotional Growth
• Celebrate Diversity
• Foster Curiosity
• Strive to Inspire and be Inspired

What You'll Do:

• Develop and implement a curriculum that supports the growth of each child’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development.
• Plan and lead weekly classroom activities and routines with your teaching team.
• Build strong, respectful relationships with families and communicate regularly about their child’s development.
• Supervise and actively engage in all classroom, outdoor, and special activities like gym, swim, and field trips.
• Maintain accurate records, contribute to assessments, and support licensing requirements.
• Help keep the classroom safe, clean, and organized.
• Participate in team meetings, professional development, and family engagement events.
• Uphold the Y’s values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility in all interactions.
• Support a positive team culture and contribute to a nurturing, inclusive learning environment.

Requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications to be eligible for the starting rate of $22.00/hour. Additional compensation is determined based on experience and education aligned with the preferred qualifications.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be at least 20 years of age or older
• One year of experience working with children
• Must possess one of the following
• Associates degree with major or concentration in Early Childhood, Human Development, Elementary Education or Child and Family Services
• Certificate of completion from the Registered Child Care Apprenticeship Program
• Completion of the Child Care Certificate from the Community College of Vermont
• Successful completion of twenty-one college credits with an early childhood or school age focus.
• IIIA or IIIB Career Ladder
• Ability to pass a federal background check and state fingerprinting

Preferred Qualifications:

• Full-time experience working with children or youth in an educational, recreational, or programmatic setting, with milestones recognized at 2, 5, 10, and 15+ years.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree in any field.
• Coursework or certification in special education or behavioral intervention.
• 2+ years of direct full-time experience in special education or behavioral intervention.
• Formal training or certification experience in trauma-informed care, basic specialized care, or social work. Including completion of professional development or coursework in trauma-informed practices.
• Completion of DEI-specific training, coursework, or certification, with a minimum of 40 hours or the equivalent of a college course.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those necessary for the role and are essential to ensuring the safety and well-being of children in our care. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Ability to effectively supervise and ensure the safety of children by maintaining visual and auditory awareness in various environments, including classrooms, outdoor play areas, and other program spaces.
• Ability to lift, carry, or support children up to 35 pounds as needed for care, safety, and engagement.
• Ability to engage in active participation in all aspects of the program, including assisting with activities such as swimming and gym lessons. This may involve frequent movement, such as kneeling, bending, stooping, crouching, reaching, and standing for extended periods.
• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to the physical and emotional needs of children, including in emergency situations.