Lead Teacher 0-3

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