Full-Time Infant/Toddler Lead Teacher

Duties and Responsibilities:

Ensuring Child Engagement: Staff must engage with the children consistently throughout the day. Relevant scholarly literature shows that exposure to constant, pro-social language from an early age is a strong indicator of success later in life. Our teachers openly engage with children according to their developmental levels throughout the day.

Maintaining Classroom Safety, Cleanliness, and Fun: Our teachers utilize the classroom environment to set the conditions for children's success. We accomplish this by maintaining a clean and structured environment that facilitates crucial play and exploration. It is important for each child's developmental success to maintain consistency and positivity.

Creating Positive Hygiene Practices: The K.I.D.S. Place provides, guides, and implements various personal hygiene practices based on the developmental level of each child, including diapering, toilet training, hand washing, and teeth brushing. Staff must be fluent with these protocols and able to effectively attend to these daily routines in a child's day.

Following KDHE Regulations: Teachers at The K.I.D.S. Place must abide by the guidelines set by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) at all times, and will receive training on KDHE rules and procedures.

Following CACFP Guidelines: The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) helps support child care centers like the K.I.D.S. Place across the entire state of Kansas. All staff are trained to follow the CACFP guidelines to ensure all children have access to healthy and filling meals.

Following K.I.D.S. Place Positive Behavior Support Guidelines: The K.I.D.S. Place is an early learning center that endorses Positive Behavior Support (PBS) to affect positive change in our students' lives. Our teachers, through their positive language and demeanor in the classroom, are the primary embodiment of this impact. Teachers must record children's behavioral data and follow the behavioral protocols unique to each classroom.

Behavior Management: Teachers must be willing to learn and implement new behavior management strategies. The K.I.D.S. Place uses alternative behavior management strategies and evidence-based practices. Many of these strategies are new to teachers unfamiliar with Applied Behavior Analysis. Teachers learn how to work with children with disabilities in one-on-one settings, and acquire the tools to work with both neurotypical and atypical children.

Following Safe Sleep Guidelines: Teachers at The K.I.D.S. Place must ensure all infants and toddlers in their care are carefully monitored and protected from SIDS by following the Safe Sleep Policy following The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations. 

Required Qualifications
(1)  At least 18 years of age;
(2)  high school diploma or equivalent;
and
(3)  one of the following:

• Associate degree or a higher degree in early childhood, child development, or a related academic discipline from a regionally accredited college or university;
• technical certificate or diploma in early childhood;
• Child Development Associate Credential;
• three semester hours of academic study or equivalent training in early childhood, child development, or a related academic discipline from a regionally accredited college or university, and three months of experience in early childhood education providing direct care and supervision to children of the same age range they will be serving; OR
• Six (6) months of experience in early childhood education, providing direct care and supervision to children of the same age range they will be serving.

Preferred Qualifications
CPR/1st Aid certification