Preschool Lead Teacher

Teacher Position

PAY RATE: $18.50/hour

POSITION SUMMARY: Under the direction of the Program Director, the teacher is responsible for maintaining a warm, healthy environment to promote the total growth and well-being of the children in the program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Assist the lead teacher in the implementation of daily programs with attention to the needs of children, including quality, health, safety, and cleanliness of environment beyond minimum regulations and requirements.
• Ensure the health and safety of all children and staff assigned by understanding and following the provisions in the Health Care Policy, Procedure guide, and Staff Handbook, which also includes oral health programs.
• Inform the Director of Early Education immediately when social, mental health, educational or medical services appear necessary for any child in the classroom. Complete all required referral paperwork.
• Conduct any child guidance issues in a confidential manner and in strict compliance with established policy outlined in the family handbook and staff handbook.
• Work with other staff members in a positive and respectful manner to ensure coordination of all classrooms and programming.
• Supervise, coach, and mentor volunteers, substitutes, assistant teachers.
• Maintain positive nurturing and responsive interactions with children as a group and on a one-to-one basis.
• Maintain positive open parent communications including individual or group meetings.
• Share all environmental maintenance duties with fellow staff members and inform Director immediately of equipment needs, maintenance needs or safety concerns.
• Research for new ideas and/or trainings to improve your creativity, your ability to understand child growth and development and enhancement of quality programming.
• Prepare and maintain all required records and reports in accordance with established procedures (Lesson plan, family communication documentation, screenings, observations and assessments).
• Allowing flexibility in your position and schedule to ensure quality care.
• Plan daily curriculum with lead teacher in accordance with all state and national requirements.
• Be prepared to participate in all children's activities, which include but are not limited to classroom activities, field trips, outdoor play, swim, gym, and family or special organizational events, including volunteer events.
• Provide enriched educational opportunities for children by drawing on community resources for additional programming.
• Attend mandatory trainings and meetings.
• Complete all trainings required on IPDP (Individual Professional Development Plan) and all required EEC trainings at StrongStart.
• Know, understand and implement Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC) regulations, along with new policies, procedures and initiatives.
• Know, understand and implement the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards and guidelines.
• Know, understand, and implement the Creative Curriculum and Assessment protocol, and the ASQ screening tool.
• Staff need to follow EEC Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting Frequency Checklist located in a binder in each classroom.
• This list of responsibilities is not meant to be all-inclusive and may be adjusted to meet the operational needs of the agency and the Learning Center Program.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must minimally meet Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Regulation 7.9 (c) 2 for Teacher Certification.
• Must be working toward completion of an Associate's Degree minimally, or Bachelor's Degree, in Early Childhood Education showing consistent progress towards completions by the timetable set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards.
• Must have, or be willing to earn, and maintain First Aid and CPR training.
• Comply with health requirements for staff according to EEC regulation 7.09 (11) and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards.
• Ability to work with a diverse population and exhibit core YMCA values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
• Excellent relationship building skills.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, stand or reach for extended periods of times, move around the work environment independently, push, pull or lift up to 25 pounds for short periods of time.
• Employee is exposed to noise and fluctuating temperatures.