Early Childhood Lead Teacher

Responsibilities Classroom Community Create and foster a warm and inclusive classroom environment through following school-wide practices for behavior management, encouraging child expression and autonomy, and setting and maintaining consistent routines and high expectations. Foster classroom productivity and maximize learning time, while engaging children with a variety of modalities and materials. Provide instructional support through concept development, fostering children’s analysis and reasoning, engaging in feedback loops, and modeling and supporting high-quality language. Curriculum & Instruction Implement curriculum with fidelity through backward lesson planning, following school-wide protocols for developing and documenting syllabi, lesson plans, assignments, and rubrics, and utilizing research-based best practices to support all learners. Prepare or modify weekly lesson plans and prepare to implement small-group activities, read-alouds, circle time, and other curriculum components. Interact with children intentionally throughout the day to provide differentiated support. Supporting all Students Consistently track, monitor, and assume responsibility for the academic progress of all students, implementing developmentally appropriate strategies for each child in class. Complete developmental and social-emotional screenings. Integrate Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or referral action plans for children with diagnosed or suspected special needs. Family Partnerships Establish and maintain strong relationships and regularly communicate students’ progress towards academic, social-emotional, and behavioral goals and with families. Collaborate with family services staff to support families in implementing family life practices, extending learning into the home, and meeting expectations for attendance. Professional Growth and Collaboration Participate in ongoing reflective coaching and self-assessment. Work with assistant teacher, grade team, leadership team, and other staff to analyze data, revise practices, norm on team-wide initiatives, share persistent information, and discuss individual students with a solutions-oriented mindset. Health and Safety Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment, including full supervision of children at all times, in accordance with Head Start and childcare licensing requirements. Conduct daily health/safety monitoring of the environment. Follow all health and hygiene practices, including hand-washing, sanitizing, and universal precautions. Supervise mealtimes and “family style dining” with children. Maintain required documentation. Additional duties related to the running of the school as assigned. Education Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field AND a valid NYS Teaching Certification, OR Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field AND two years of supervised, documented teaching experience in a preschool program, OR On track to meet criteria 1 or 2, with proof of enrollment in a college program and a timeline to complete within 18 months of hire AND one of the following: an Associate's Degree in early childhood education; 90+ college credits plus one year of classroom experience teaching PreK-2nd grade; or a Bachelor's Degree in any subject plus one year of classroom experience up to 3rd grade. Additional Qualifications At least two years of Pre‑K classroom teaching experience, strongly preferred. NYS Certification in Early Childhood Education, strongly preferred. Bilingual (Spanish), preferred. Demonstrated computer literacy skills (Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, etc.). A desire to make a difference in the lives of our students, families, and community. A desire and ability to receive and implement feedback. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with various audiences. A commitment to working with diverse populations of families and students. A strong belief in the mission and values of DREAM, including the desire to make a difference in the lives of our students, families, and community. Obtain and maintain certification in CPR and first aid. Physical exam, fingerprinting, and a federal background check are required. Working Expectations On-site work five days a week. General on-site hours are 7:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m., with some earlier or later hours to support the running of the school as required. Ideal start date is August 1, 2026 for the East Harlem location. Physical Demands Frequent movement, including standing, walking, sitting, and transitioning between floor and standing positions. Ability to lift, carry, push, pull or position items up to 50 pounds. Ability to engage in activities at child level, including bending, kneeling, crouching, and sitting on the floor. Ability to receive and respond to oral communication with students and adults in both quiet and active environments. Ability to reach with hands and arms and use hands and fingers to handle objects and operate tools, computers, and controls. Benefits and Paid Time Off Flexible medical health plans subsidizing the majority of costs for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and children. Ability to select between a variety of medical plans tailored to employee needs. Dental and vision plans. Disability benefits. Life insurance. Up to twelve weeks fully paid parental leave. Flexible spending account options. Pre‑tax commuter benefits (parking and transit). Fitness and entertainment discounts. Professional assistance program (EAP) support. 403(b) retirement plan with employer match starting at four percent after one year, with increases tied to DREAM tenure. Referral, performance, and tenure milestones bonuses. Discounted school meals through the in‑house Scratch Food Program. Tuition reimbursement support. Access to a professional development fund. School-based Head Start staff have approximately fifty days off throughout the calendar year, including holidays, school breaks, and personal days. Benefits are subject to change. Compensation The salary range for incoming Early Childhood Lead Teachers is seventy‑five thousand dollars to one hundred thousand dollars, with adjustments based on years of teaching experience. Additional compensation for incoming early childhood lead teachers with master’s degrees in early childhood education. Eligible for annual salary increases; staff who remain with DREAM can earn above the incoming band. EEO and Accessibility DREAM provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact your recruiter. #J-18808-Ljbffr