Summary
*Offering a signing bonus!
First Church Academy for Young Children, located in the heart of West Hartford CT, is looking for a full-time preschool Lead Teacher. We are a nonprofit, NAEYC Accredited, OEC licensed program serving children 6 weeks through 5 years of age. We are a full year program. Our mission is to provide an encouraging, loving, learning environment that nurtures the growth of the whole child. We believe children learn best through play. We welcome children and families from all faith backgrounds and do not teach religious education within our program.
The Academy is a warm and supportive work environment. We welcome teachers new to the field and can provide mentorship opportunities!
Under the supervision of the Education Director, the Lead Teacher will provide a warm, nurturing, safe and loving environment that encourages a child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. The Teacher will follow policies and procedures outlined in the First Church Academy for Young Children Staff Manual and adhere to the NAEYC Code of Ethics.
Duties
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Classroom
·Offer a program that meets the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social needs of both the individual and the group.
·Interact with the children frequently, affectionately, and respectfully. Speak in a calm, friendly, soft, and courteous manner with proximity to the child.
·Prepare a warm and safe environment that is orderly, clean, and appealing and permits the child to grow and explore.
·Engage and communicate constructively with individual children during activities and routines. Take every opportunity to positively extend children’s thinking and actions.
·Plan with the Associate Teacher, and other staff, weekly lesson plans which follow the Creative Curriculum objectives for development and learning.
·Practice positive discipline techniques in guiding children’s behavior according to First Church Academy for Young Children’s Positive Guidance Plan, outlined in our Staff Manual.
·Observe, record and report significant individual and group behavior and use data to inform lesson planning.
·Maintain all required classroom child records.
·Follow the school wide assessment plan, which in alignment with Creative Curriculum includes maintaining child portfolios and holding family conferences.
Professionalism
·Provide associates the opportunity to have input into the program.
·Maintain open communication with co-workers and raise issues in a constructive manner.
·Attend all staff and teacher meetings.
·Support organizational mission, philosophies, values, and policies to families, colleagues, and community.
·Ensure continuity of care for children by reporting to work on time and maintaining consistent attendance, arranging, and communicating leave requests in advance.
·Establish a plan for continued professional growth as outlined by the Office of Early Childhood and NAEYC.

Families
·Acknowledge families and all classroom visitors.
·Respond to family comments and concerns with sensitivity, interest, respect and maintain confidentiality.
·Invite input from families regarding their child’s development and care.
·Plan and facilitate family conferences at least two times per year. Conferences will be based on data collected during classroom observations and assessment. Information will be shared regarding a child’s developmental progress and goals for future growth.
·Share resources with families though discussions, articles, and newsletters.
·Share photographs through FCAYC parent engagement app.
·Perform other duties as assigned by the Education Director.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:
·Move, push, and pull, if needed, while moving and holding children.
·Safely lift up to 40 lbs.
·Physically interact with young children through running, chasing, bending, stooping, climbing, sitting, and standing.
·Stand for extended periods of time.
·Assume postures in low level positions that best allow physical and visual contact with children.
·Engage in repetitive bending at the waist, as well as kneeling, stooping, crouching to assist children.
·Have excellent speaking and hearing ability to exchange information, hear in noisy environment, and locate the sources of sounds for health and safety including crying by children.
·Easily and safely accompany children in the building and outdoors for distances of several hundred yards per day at a reasonable pace.
Requirements
Preference given to an applicant with:
·A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or related field or working toward that goal.
·At least 2 years of experience working with preschool or early elementary children in an organized program (comparable education and/or experience may be considered).
·Ability to relate joyfully and sensitively to children. Must have evidence of emotional maturity and stability and the confidence and judgment to handle crisis situations.
·Meet all state licensing requirements including fingerprinting for a background check and a medical report which indicates staff is in good health and able to work with young children.

Nice To Haves
A team player
Strong communicator
Benefits
The Academy offers a competitive and generous benefits package for full time employees. This includes:
health, dental, and vision coverage
15 paid holidays
paid sick, personal, and vacation time
life and disability insurance
pension plan
The Academy also offers scholarships for certificate programs, professional development and job related coursework.