Preschool Teacher Job Description
PHILOSOPHY
Nashville Christian School, in partnership with parents, strives to give honor and glory to God through Jesus Christ by educating students in a loving, nurturing environment to be committed and productive Christian servants in all areas of this life and in preparation for eternity. We, Nashville Christian School, believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, that Jesus Christ is God’s son, and that the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us. We believe that Christianity promotes high ideals, develops strong character, and holds the only promise for eternal life with God. Nashville Christian School, established by members of the churches of Christ, centers its entire program on Christian principles.
EXPECTATIONS
Act as a Christian professional who is respectful, responsible, and demonstrates Christ’s love while helping students realize and pursue their full potential – spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially.
Exemplify the school’s mission and vision to all stakeholders.
Have a relationship with the Lord that includes an active membership in a local church. Accordingly, every employee must be morally upright in public and personal life.
Support the core beliefs held by the school. Employees will lead in dress, conduct, and attitude.
Assist in the promotion of good public relations by addressing the needs of all stakeholders kindly, patiently, and efficiently.
Understand and maintain confidentiality of all sensitive information. This includes but is not limited to any student, administrative, and financial information.
Communicate and collaborate positively with administrators, faculty, staff, volunteers, parents, and students.
Be detail-oriented, well organized, and self-motivated with the ability to work under tight deadlines and structure.
DESCRIPTION
The Lead Preschool Teacher will:
Create a warm, nurturing Christian environment for the children in care, as well as their parents and fellow staff members.
To facilitate each child’s development as a child of God through a wide variety of experiences, activities, and opportunities for learning through play.
Nurture the developing qualities and skills in each child. Including: fine and gross motor development, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, communication skills, the ability to appreciate diversity, and the capacity to trust, respect, and connect emotionally to others.
Successfully prepare children for entering kindergarten and begin a lifelong love of learning.
Provide parents and caregivers with a source of support, community, and information in all aspects of parenting and nurturing their children.
Be an advocate for children.
The Lead Preschool Teacher reports directly to Preschool Management (Director, Assistant Director and Director of Education) as part of the Preschool Department.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Carry out the NCS Program Goals and Standards as set forth in the employee handbook.
Use your skills, good judgment, and politeness to conduct yourself appropriately in the midst of children, parents, and coworkers, including maintaining confidentiality thereof, as an early childhood education professional.
Familiarize yourself with the Tennessee Department of Education rules and requirements for child care programs and the Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards.
Ensure appropriate care of children’s hygiene, including assisting with pottying, changing diapers, washing hands, assisting with feeding, etc.
Obtain 30 hours of professional development every year (June 1-May 31), including 6 hours in health and safety, and 6 hours in literacy.
Maintain a safe and tidy work environment; adhering to all healthy and safety standards. Including the following: regular handwashing, wearing gloves when handling food, wearing gloves when dealing with bodily fluids, sanitizing surfaces and toys regularly, mopping, cleaning bathrooms, report any broken, damaged, or poorly working items.
Provide intentional supervision of children in order to ensure their safety while in your care.
Familiarize yourself with NCS Preschool Emergency Evacuation Plan, learn to build safety routes with planned meeting spaces, and where the classroom Evacuation Bags are located.
Report any suspected child abuse / neglect to the appropriate authorities.
Maintain a safe classroom; communicate any incidents and injuries on the appropriate forms to the office. Notify administration immediately of significant injuries, safety concerns, or behavior incidents.
Be familiar with the principles of child development in order to set appropriate and achievable learning goals for the children in your class.
Create engaging and age-appropriate lesson plans.
Refer to your classroom binder for Preschool Forms, CDC Milestones checklists, lesson plan and daily sheet master copies, and other pertinent information for your age group.
Use a variety of techniques to keep children engaged and actively learning: play, direct instruction, group instruction, artistic expression, dramatic play, music and dance, language and storytelling, math activities, spatial awareness, and physical development.
Communicate with parents through daily sheets, email, newsletters, and a parent board that posts an up-to-date calendar, menu, lesson plans, allergy information, and emergency hotlines.
Observe children regularly, completing CDC Developmental milestones three times throughout the school year.
Greet parents and children warmly when they arrive and leave for the day.
Attend all required staff meetings.
Perform other duties as assigned by the preschool administration.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Meet the physical requirements required of child care providers as mandated by the State of Tennessee, including the ability to lift 40 lbs., keep pace with toddlers, stay alert for 8 hours, and have the mental and emotional capacity to care for young children
The ideal candidate will be energetic, dependable, and a team player. He or she will be responsible, attentive, and patient. In order to be successful in early childhood education, the ideal candidate will be willing to care for children:
Physically by changing diapers, encouraging independent toileting, and assisting with eating.
Emotionally by understanding that children cry as a means of communication, encouraging children to express themselves appropriately according to development, and assisting children in learning emotional regulation skills.
Mentally by creating activities with the individual child in mind, understanding that each child learns at a different pace, scaffolding skills so that children are consistently challenged and stimulated.
Spiritually by implementing the Bible Focus and stories creatively, leading classroom prayers and discussions, and loving children and their families with a servant’s heart.
SCHEDULE:
This is the equivalent of a Full-Time position working Monday through Friday, 8-hour shift with a 1-hour lunch break. Hours are to be determined by center needs. NCS Preschool is a year-round program and closes for Holidays. NCS Preschool Teachers are expected to report to Teacher Inservice Days (4 days per year).
COMPENSATION:
NCS offers a competitive rate and comprehensive benefits for this position based on experience and qualifications. This position is hourly, paid bi-weekly. As an equal opportunity employer, NCS hires without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.