State Mandated Teacher - Paterson

Every Child Deserves a Head Start

Paterson, New Jersey

Hiring now for 2026 - 2027 Academic Year

Greater Bergen Community Action’s (GBCA) Head Start Preschool program is a rewarding place for P-3 educators seeking to advance their careers while making a difference. Our mission is to provide a quality, comprehensive educational program that prepares children and their families for kindergarten and life beyond. With its origins in the War on Poverty, Head Start is one of the longest-running federally funded programs. The Head Start model has been praised and emulated throughout the country. 

At GBCA, our Head Start Preschool program collaborates with local school districts.  Our compensation package is competitive.  We offer a supportive work environment that recognizes the value of every employee, and our focus is continually on staff wellness.  

If you are new to preschool education or an experienced teacher, we welcome you to work in our Head Start preschool program. Come make a difference. Learn what it is like to teach children and reach families the Head Start way. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or related discipline with a P- 3 Standard, CEAS, or CE in Pre-school through 3^rd
• Ability to work effectively with children 3-5 years old.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to work with children and families of diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Energetic and positive attitude with a passion for teaching

Responsibilities include:

• Learns and adheres to the philosophy and mandates of Head Start and Early Head Start as outlined in the Performance Standards, licensing requirements, and the Policies and Procedures of Greater Bergen Community Action (GBCA).
• Creates a learning community in which individual differences are respected.
• Ensures children receive individual attention and supervises children all the time by using your eyes and ears.
• Prepares the classroom before the children arrive daily.
• Designs and implements developmentally appropriate learning experiences, making subject matter accessible and meaningful to all students.
• Prepares weekly lesson plans one week in advance and posts lesson plans in a designated area easily visible to all pertinent individuals.
• Keeps the classroom neat and ensures all equipment and materials are in good condition.
• Maintains the safety and bodily cleanliness of each child.
• Participates and conducts the Early Screening Inventory and Ages & Stages and/or any other assessment tool required by the agency and/or any other regulatory body.
• Attends in-service and pre-service training workshops as required and/or requested.
• Plans for and participates in in-home visits, parent/teacher conferences, and back-to-school events, which will be scheduled during the day and evening.
• Plans and/or participates in class trips or any other event that may take the teacher and/or students out of the typical classroom environment. 
• Share information with parents/guardians and plan, as a team, strategies for meeting each child's individual needs.
• Meets with supervisors to discuss progress, classroom observations, program planning, professional development, and plans for specific training as needed.
• Submits weekly anecdotal records in the program's online assessment tool on each child and completes written evaluations of each child’s development.
• Implements the curriculum used by the program with fidelity.
• Assumes responsibilities for all mandated classroom documentation for the education component.

Benefits include:

• Healthcare: Medical (ICHRA), dental, and vision
  
• Life Insurance - employer paid, equal to one time annual base compensation
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Medical, Dependent Care, and Commuter Plans
• Retirement Accounts - 403(b) and 403(b) Roth, with employer match after one year
• Friendly and cheerful environment

Salary: Competitive with Paterson District

Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer