Position Summary

Lead Teachers plan and implement learning experiences that advance the intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development of children within a safe, healthy learning environment. They encourage the involvement of the families of the children in the program and support the development of relationships between children and their families.

Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Interact With Children
  • Utilize appropriate language, interactions, and positive discipline.
  • Model positive behavior.
  • Instruct and supervise children in classroom activities.
  • Implement age-appropriate activities that support the Head Start standards, the NAEYC standards, and the Creative Curriculum.
  • Implement and model family-style eating during meal times.
  • Continuously monitor children to ensure safety at all times and report child abuse and neglect when necessary.

Assess Children:

  • Assess children on a regular basis.
  • Take pictures and maintain anecdotal notes, written observations, and other approved forms of documentation for each child.
  • Administer ESI-R screening, NRS, Creative Curriculum, Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Ages and Stages SE Questionnaire.

Curriculum Preparation:

  • Utilize the research library, research, plan, and develop age-appropriate activities for lesson plans.
  • Incorporate required activities into the lesson plan that supports children's development.
  • Prepare activities that enhance the lesson plans.
  • Coordinate field trips with the Education Coordinator.

Communicate With Parents:

  • Maintain open communication with parents by scheduling and conducting parent/teacher conferences and home visits.
  • Help resolve issues or concerns raised by parents as a parent advocate.
  • Inform parents about the daily classroom routine, expectations, policies, field trips, and volunteer opportunities.
  • Communicate with parents about incidents observed and/or recorded on-site regarding their child.
  • Obtain all required classroom parental signatures, such as on all incident reports and field trip permission slips.

Documentation:

  • Design and complete documentation panels for the classrooms and hallways.
  • Complete all necessary paperwork for classroom activities, including meal count sheets, attendance, screenings, parent/teacher conferences, and home visits in a timely manner.
  • Maintain up-to-date and accurate education folders, including complete incident reports and permission slips.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date portfolios.
  • Maintain classroom supply lists and inventory.
  • Complete all assessment paperwork, such as Creative Curriculum checklist, and ESIR screenings, according to specified timelines.
  • Family reviews and transition documentation.

Supervision:

  • Supervise assistant teachers, teacher aides, and/or volunteers.
  • Delegate duties as necessary and provide constant feedback to facilitate professional growth.
  • Process timesheets and vacation requests.
  • Contribute to the assistant teacher's evaluation.

Administration:

  • Work closely with the Site Director, Head Start Manager, and other content area specialists.
  • Conduct and participate in team meetings. Communicate and share ideas and concerns with the team, Site Director, Education Coordinator, and other management team members.
  • Actively participate in agency committee meetings (e.g., health advisory committee, advocacy, etc.) as an advocate for children, parents, and staff.
  • Participate in various meetings, including management, teaching team, center, committee, parent, parent policy, family reviews, city/state, agency, and board meetings.
  • Participate in staff In-Services.
  • Engage in continuing education and professional development activities, such as trainings, workshops, and classes, to meet required qualifications.

Classroom Maintenance:

  • Maintain a clean and organized learning environment.
  • Sanitize all surfaces, including classroom toys and equipment.
  • Maintain a quality room arrangement in compliance with curriculum standards.
  • Routinely check classroom equipment and materials to ensure they are in good repair.

Other Duties As Assigned:

Job Requirements:

  • Education and/or Experience: Must have a Type 04 Certification, Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education from an accredited college or university, including required field service, and a Registered Professional Educator License (PEL) with early childhood endorsement. Alternatively, a Bachelor's Degree with an alternative certification program.
  • Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality.
  • Excellent oral and written communication and presentational skills.
  • Demonstrated capability to interface and maintain effective relationships with administration, staff, consultants, regulators, and founders in a team-oriented environment.
  • Capacity to assume responsibility for own professional development.
  • Detail-oriented, logical, and methodological approach to problem-solving.
  • Ability to plan and schedule the work of others.
  • Flexible, with the ability to work in a highly demanding, stressful environment.
  • Proficiency using word-processing systems.
  • Ability to cooperate successfully as a member of a team.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with others, including giving and receiving feedback on the quality of services.
  • Meet any specific content area requirements.

Language Skills:

  • Ability to read and speak English proficiently.
  • Bilingual-Spanish preferred.

Covid-19 Note: In the spirit of caring for one another and our community, please note that upon accepting an offer of employment from Mary Crane, you will be required to share proof of a COVID-19 vaccination upon eligibility.  You may apply for a Medical or Religious Exemption in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.  Mary Crane does daily temperature checks as well.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities