Primary Educator

Toddler Primary Educator

Hilltop Children’s Center and Outreach Institute
Seattle Institute for Early Child Development | Seattle, Washington

Full time • Hourly nonexempt • $30–$34 per hour
Age group: children ages 1–2 years
Reports to: Director of Instruction and Curriculum or designated supervisor
Updated October 2, 2026

Position purpose

The Toddler Primary Educator provides consistent, nurturing care and a responsive learning environment for children ages 1–2. The educator works with teaching partners and families to support each child’s development, identity, belonging, and growing independence. Safety, active supervision, and respectful caregiving are essential responsibilities throughout the day.

Hilltop uses reflective teaching, emergent curriculum, and an anti-bias and anti-racism approach. Observation, collaboration, and planning guide learning experiences and individualized care. This role is intended to meet the DCYF center lead teacher classification. Hilltop’s program expectations below are employer expectations; they are not all state licensing mandates.

Toddler teaching and caregiving

• Build trusting relationships and continuity of care. Respond promptly to distress and support separation, transitions, and emotional regulation through calm, predictable interactions.
• Plan play and exploration that support language, movement, sensory discovery, social connection, and emerging problem solving. Use songs, books, conversation, art, and open-ended materials suited to toddlers.
• Use Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines and developmentally appropriate Creative Curriculum and emergent curriculum practices. Adapt experiences for children’s home languages, cultures, abilities, and interests.
• Treat meals, diapering, dressing, handwashing, and rest as opportunities for connection and learning. Follow individual care plans and encourage independence without rushing or forcing children.
• Observe and document development. Collaborate with families and appropriate specialists on screening tools such as ASQ when used by Hilltop, referrals, and individualized supports. Do not diagnose children.
• Maintain an organized, accessible environment and inspect materials for choking hazards, damage, and developmental suitability. Provide outdoor experiences consistent with weather, individual needs, and Hilltop’s age-specific playground procedures.

Page Break

Safety and child tracking

• Know which children are assigned to your care and where each child is at all times. Scan, listen, position yourself strategically, and intervene promptly. Adult conversations, phones, documentation, and cleaning must not interfere with supervision.
• Use name-to-face checks and the classroom attendance record at arrival, departure, staff handoffs, and every transition. Count and verify children before leaving and after arriving; check classrooms, bathrooms, playgrounds, and vehicles as applicable. These tracking practices are Hilltop operational expectations.
• Maintain the licensed ratio and group size throughout care, including meals, rest, outdoor play, and outings. WAC toddler classification is 12–29 months: maximum 14 children at 1:7, or 15 at 1:5. Follow the center’s approved configuration and any stricter Hilltop staffing requirement; do not independently change group size or mixed-age arrangements.
• Obtain a clear handoff before leaving the group or taking a break. Report coverage concerns immediately so administration can arrange qualified relief. Release children only under approved authorization and identity verification procedures.

Diapering toileting and hygiene

• Provide timely diaper checks and changes, record care, and use the posted procedure for every change. Perform both lying-down and developmentally appropriate stand-up diapering in a designated area after training.
• Never leave a child unattended on a changing surface. Protect privacy, wash adult and child hands as required, prevent cross contamination, dispose of soiled supplies correctly, and clean and disinfect the changing surface between children.
• Follow readiness cues and a toilet-learning routine developed with the family. Use culturally responsive encouragement without food rewards, shame, punishment, or withholding care.

Feeding rest and health

• Supervise meals closely, provide appropriate textures and portions, and prevent choking. Follow documented allergies, food restrictions, and individual feeding plans; verify each child’s food before serving. Follow Hilltop food service and sanitation procedures.
• Provide developmentally appropriate rest and approved sleep equipment and bedding. Maintain supervision during sleep and support children who do not sleep. If assigned to infants, complete applicable infant training before care and follow infant safe sleep requirements.
• Follow illness, infection prevention, handwashing, cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting procedures. Secure chemicals and hazards. Report unsafe equipment or conditions and promptly document injuries and unusual incidents.
• Administer medication only after required training, authorization, and delegation under Hilltop procedures. Verify the child, medication, dose, timing, route, and documentation. Keep medications secure and emergency medications accessible to authorized staff.

Page Break

Positive guidance and child protection

• Use co-regulation, modeling, redirection, simple language, and predictable routines. Support toddlers through biting, grabbing, and big feelings by protecting all children, observing triggers, and planning with colleagues and families.
• Do not use corporal punishment, threats, humiliation, hostile interactions, punitive isolation, or withholding food, sleep, diapering, or toileting. Any protective intervention must comply with WAC and Hilltop procedures.
• As a mandated reporter, report reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect to DCYF or appropriate law enforcement at the first opportunity and no later than 48 hours. Notify administration under Hilltop procedures, but do not wait for supervisor permission or allow internal reporting to replace the legal report.
• Know evacuation, lockdown, shelter-in-place, reunification, and emergency response procedures. Participate in drills and account for every child. Keep the safety backpack, emergency contacts, medications, and keys secure and under staff control.
• Follow Hilltop approval, family notification, route, staffing, and individual safety-plan requirements for walks and field trips. Seek assistance immediately if a child is missing or a serious safety concern arises.

Family partnership and documentation

• Build professional, culturally responsive relationships with families. Share daily care information and meaningful observations at drop-off and pickup and through Brightwheel. Record meals, diapering, sleep, and other required care information accurately.
• Provide daily updates and photos consistent with consent and privacy procedures. Send weekly curriculum updates, create monthly individual learning stories, and maintain a portfolio or journal with several entries per month.
• Offer at least two family conferences each year and additional meetings when needed. Create quarterly opportunities for family participation that respect varied schedules and family circumstances.
• Protect children’s and families’ records and images. Use approved systems, share information only with authorized people, and discuss sensitive concerns privately.

Collaboration and reflective practice

• Coordinate responsibilities with co-educators and support staff. Give substitutes clear direction, supervision, health, and care information. Communicate concerns respectfully and work toward practical solutions.
• Participate in team planning, monthly reflective practice, mentoring, evaluations, and professional learning. Use observations and feedback to set actionable teaching and anti-bias goals.
• Attend at least three Hilltop Educator Institute events annually. Participate in scheduled family and community events, including one Parent’s Night Out, two community events, and the annual carnival, as assigned. Required participation and related work time are paid.

Page Break

Qualifications and MERIT requirements

Minimum qualifications: at least 18 years old; high school diploma or equivalent; ability to fulfill the essential responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation; and completion of applicable DCYF preservice requirements. Experience caring for toddlers in a licensed group setting and ECE education are preferred.

Complete and maintain DCYF background clearance under chapter 110-06 WAC before access requiring clearance. Provide current tuberculosis screening or clearance documentation required by WAC 110-300-0105. Submit required personnel documentation and notify administration of changes affecting licensing eligibility.

Maintain an active MERIT workforce registry account and accurate employment, education, and training records. Submit education for DCYF verification, monitor training entries, retain certificates for the staff file, and work with administration to resolve missing records.

Under current WAC 110-300-0100, center lead teachers must obtain an ECE Initial Certificate or DCYF-approved equivalent by August 1, 2030, or within five years of hire or promotion, whichever is later; an ECE Short Certificate or equivalent is required within two years of receiving the Initial Certificate. Beginning August 1, 2030, the rule specifies the five-year Initial Certificate and subsequent two-year Short Certificate timeline. Equivalent qualifications must be approved and verified in MERIT. Document professional development progress annually and establish a written plan with administration when qualifications are still in progress.

Required training and credentials

Complete applicable WAC 110-300-0106 training within three months of hire and before unsupervised care unless a requirement has an earlier deadline. Hilltop verifies readiness before independent classroom assignment.

• Register in MERIT and complete DCYF-approved Child Care Basics before unsupervised care. Complete mandated reporter, emergency preparedness, and serving children experiencing homelessness training.
• Complete blood and body fluid exposure prevention before working with children; renew as required by L&I. Complete medication management before administering medication.
• Maintain current adult and pediatric First Aid and CPR, including infant CPR when applicable, as a Hilltop requirement. The course must include the required live demonstration to an instructor. Obtain a current Washington food worker card before preparing or serving food.
• If assigned to infant care, complete applicable abusive head trauma training and safe sleep training; renew safe sleep annually and complete it before caring for infants.

Under WAC 110-300-0107, complete at least 10 hours of annual approved in-service training after 12 months of cumulative employment. Complete EQEL within 36 months of assuming an applicable role if hired or promoted on or after August 1, 2019, unless a DCYF-approved alternative applies. EQEL may count toward annual hours; no more than five excess hours may carry to the next calendar year. Hilltop Institute events count toward licensing hours only when eligible and properly recorded.

Page Break

Pay schedule and employee protections

Pay is $30–$34 per hour, based on relevant education, experience, qualifications, and equitable compensation practices. The position is full time, ordinarily 40 hours per week. A typical day includes eight paid hours and a 30-minute unpaid, duty-free meal period. Assigned shifts support center operating hours, including early care; occasional evening or weekend work may be scheduled.

Record all work time, including required meetings, training, events, planning, documentation, and family communication. No off-the-clock work is permitted. Required work-related training time is paid; compensation for independently pursued college education is governed by applicable law and any separate written agreement.

Overtime is paid at least 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in the established seven-day workweek. Request advance approval; all overtime actually worked must still be recorded and paid. Schedule adjustments may occur within the same workweek, but hours cannot be averaged across weeks or replaced by future compensatory time to avoid overtime.

Provide at least a 10-minute paid, duty-free rest break for every four hours worked; employees may not be required to work more than three hours without a rest break. For shifts over five hours, provide a meal period of at least 30 minutes beginning between the second and fifth hours. An on-duty, employer-required on-call, or interrupted meal period is paid. Administration arranges qualified classroom coverage for breaks.

PTO and leave administration must meet Washington paid sick leave and applicable Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time requirements, including permitted uses, accrual or compliant frontloading, carryover, and protection against retaliation. Planned vacation requests may be limited during program transitions or required training days; restrictions do not override protected sick leave, other legally protected leave, or reasonable accommodation rights.

Benefits

Based on the supplied prior-year description, the full-time benefits package includes 20 days or 160 hours of PTO; 10 paid holidays and a birthday day; paid winter closure between December 25 and January 1; medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and long-term disability coverage, including an employer-paid Level 1 option; discounted child care for eligible enrolled children; and retirement benefits with an employer match up to 3% under plan terms. Optional benefits include transportation or parking, voluntary life insurance, short-term disability, and health or safety accounts. Eligibility, enrollment, coverage, and employee costs follow current plan documents and policies.

Page Break

Essential functions and accountability

Work involves floor-level interaction, bending, kneeling, standing, walking, and responding promptly to children indoors and outdoors; routinely lifting or assisting children up to approximately 30 pounds and carrying emergency supplies up to approximately 25 pounds; digital documentation; and exposure to weather and bodily fluids. Essential functions may be performed with reasonable accommodation. Discuss accommodation needs with administration.

Performance is reviewed through observation, documentation, family and colleague feedback, and quarterly and annual discussions. Coaching, improvement plans, or corrective action may be used when expectations are unmet. Concerns may be raised with the supervisor, appropriate director, Executive Director, or ADP support; employees may bypass a person involved in the concern and use external reporting channels. Hilltop prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation for protected activity, including reporting safety concerns, discussing wages, or requesting protected leave.

This job description describes responsibilities and does not establish a fixed-term employment contract or waive employee rights. Duties may be updated consistently with licensing requirements, applicable law, and reasonable accommodation obligations.

Page Break