Create Your Y Story

At the Y, you can feel more connected to your community, meet new people, expand your knowledge base, and experience one of the most rewarding jobs by helping support our mission of developing individuals, families, and communities, while having fun in a challenging and dynamic atmosphere.

Who We Are

The Greater Valley YMCA (GVYMCA or GVY) is a volunteer-led, nonprofit, community organization. The Y is committed to strengthening community by positively changing lives every day. At each of our branches, we concentrate our efforts in three areas: Healthy Living, Youth Development, and Social Responsibility. And we do so in a way that upholds the Y’s traditional family values of Respect, Responsibility, Caring, and Honesty.

For over 100 years, the Y has made tangible differences in the communities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Catasauqua, Easton, Forks, Nazareth, those comprising the Slate Belt region and the Lehigh Valley as a whole. Founded as individual YMCAs as early as 1897, the following branches of the Greater Valley Y merged together between 2010 and 2015: the Nazareth YMCA, the Suburban North Family YMCA, the Family YMCA of Easton, Phillipsburg & Vicinity and the Bethlehem YMCA. In 2014, the Forks YMCA Education Center was established. The Slate Belt branch was opened in 2015. In January 2017, the Allentown YMCA joined the Greater Valley YMCA.

What it’s Like to Work Here

Ask our employees and the one word they’d use to describe working at GVY is “Fulfilling.” Our team members all share a positive attitude, problem-solving abilities, and patience, enabling them to provide excellent customer service even during fast-paced shifts. Our culture, plus continuous opportunities for growth, have resulted in positive impacts on our communities. Don’t miss out on this rare opening with us!

The GVYMCA Is For Everyone

It's our mission to unleash the potential in every team, and we know that teams perform best when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. It is the unique contributions of all GVY'ers that drive our success, and we're committed to building a culture where everyone has the opportunity to do meaningful work and be recognized for their efforts. To that end, we are committed to providing an environment free of discrimination for everyone. You can read more about our commitment to diversity and mission here

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a lead teacher to support the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Is enthusiastic, energetic, positive energy, and engages with the children. Directs the children in the classroom and creates and implements program curriculum. Provides a quality experience to children and parents that focuses on building achievement and belonging in youth and relationships among youth and within families. Maintains a classroom in accordance with PA Department of Human Services, CACFP, and PA Keystone STARS Standards.

A Day in the Life as a Lead Teacher

As a Lead Teacher, you will help the GVYMCA achieve its goals safe, quality, enriching care to our families. You will be responsible for creating and maintaining a warm, welcoming environment for the children in your care. This includes maintaining the appearance of the site as well as creating and implementing standards-aligned curriculum. Our goal is to help our children be caring, respectful, honest, and responsible while having fun. You will serve the children snacks and help with homework as needed. You will also be responsible for maintaining children’s paperwork and keeping your staff files up to date. With your help our program can grow and expand into the “place to be.”

Responsibilities As a Lead Teacher

• Implements curriculum within the established guidelines through lesson planning and a developmentally appropriate classroom environment
• Nurtures children through purposeful programming dedicated to building achievement and belonging in youth and relationships among youth and within families
• Supervises the children, classroom, and all activities including ADA accommodations where appropriate. Follows all procedures and standards
• Complies with PA DHS Regulations and Keystone Stars Standards
• Makes ongoing, systematic observations and evaluations of each child
• Cultivates positive relationships, conducts parent conferences, and maintains effective communication with parents. Engages parents as volunteers and connects them to the YMCA
• Maintains program site and equipment
• Maintains required program records, including child files and child portfolios
• Attends and participates in family nights, program activities, staff meetings, and staff training
• Actively seeking to update skills by attending outside workshops and training.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Who You Would Report to

• Site Director

Expected Hours Per Week

• Full-time
• 08:30 AM to 5:30 PM
• Monday to Friday

Pay Range

• $14.00 to $15.00 per hour

Where You Would Be Working

• Forks Education Center: 1350 Sullivan Trail, Easton PA 18040

• High School Graduate or equivalent
• Minimum of CDA in Infants/ Toddlers; Associate’s Degree preferred
• 2500 or more documentable hours of experience
• Child Abuse Clearance, PA State Police Clearance, FBI Clearance, NSOR (National Sex Offender Registry Clearance) (paid for by the YMCA/must maintain employment for 6 months from hire date)
• Health Assessment and TB Test
• Two written references documenting experience with children.
• Mandated Reporter Training prior to first (1st) day working with children.
• Pediatric First Aid/CPR and AED certifications, Bloodborne Pathogen training, Fire Safety, and 4 hours of Supervision Training within 90 days of hire date.
• Previous experience working with children in a developmental setting preferred.
• Ability to plan, organize and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities.
• Previous experience with diverse populations. Ability to develop positive, authentic relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Familiarity with personal computers helpful
• Ability to respond to safety and emergency situations
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Good customer service skills, high ethical standards, an appropriate professional image, and a team player
• Must possess sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment skills, and a positive attitude
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred, but not required

Work Environment and 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
• Ability to plan, lead and participate in activities.
• Understands the YMCA is a public accommodation committed to inclusion and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Sufficient strength, agility, and mobility to perform essential functions of position and to safely supervise children’s activities.
• Ability to work independently or under direct supervision, strong organizational, communication, and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to respond to emergency situations.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The employee is in a classroom, therefore, may be required to lead and participate in activities that require sitting, standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, pushing, pulling, and grasping.
• Lift and carry objects weighing up to eighty pounds.
• Walking unaided on various surfaces indoors and outdoors, wet, dry, and in moving or stationary vehicles.
• Seeing written directions, with or without correction devices.
• Hearing the spoken word in person or through a telephone, with or without amplification.
• The employee is mostly in an environment protected from weather conditions, but subject to temperature changes. At times, the employee may be outdoors and subject to temperatures below 30 degrees F and/or above 100 degrees F for periods of more than one hour.
• Some weekend or evening work may be required as well as working extended hours.

• Free Membership to the Y
• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Holidays)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Wellness Resources
• Retirement Plan (403b) and (401a)

Start Your Y Journey Today!