Lead Infant Teacher ($500 Sign on Bonus/ Paid Holidays)

Job Title:  Lead 0-3 Teacher 

Department:  Education

Supervisor: Director of Early Learning 

Employment Status:  Full-time, Non-Exempt

The Lead 0-3 Teacher is responsible for the day-to-day planning and implementation of the classroom’s curriculum in creative and developmentally appropriate ways. She/he is responsible for ensuring that a classroom management system is developed and conveyed in daily practice. The Lead Early Learning Teacher is the program’s primary contact person with a child’s parent(s) or legal guardian regarding the child’s cognitive and social/emotional development, behavior and/or other specific needs. She/he must demonstrate a wide degree of creativity, time management, and latitude to oversee classroom/program initiatives. Extensive child development experience, critical thinking, and sound judgment skills are expected. The successful candidate must also be knowledgeable about DECAL, NAEYC, Quality Rated, and best practices in the field of early education through experience in applying and teaching others to apply the quality standards. Additional duties are assigned as needed, by supervisor.

Areas of Responsibility

Early Childhood Competencies: 

• Understands and demonstrate the principles of child growth and development
• Establishes and maintains a safe, healthy learning environment
• Supports social and emotional development and provides positive guidance
• Establish positive and productive relationships with families
• Ensures a successful, purposeful program that is responsive to each individual child’s needs
• Maintains a commitment to professionalism

Classroom Management: 

• Implementation of best practices as determined by NAEYC, Quality Rated, and DECAL
• Create, implement, and maintain records of lesson plans containing specific instructional activities are required for a minimum of 6.5 hours per day; to be submitted to program coordinator weekly for review
• Plans and implements a classroom behavior management plans that model and encourage positive behavior

• Ensures safety and cleanliness protocols are adhered to in and out of the classrooms
• Prepares the take-home weekly activity sheets to be done at home by the parent and child to reinforce skills being taught. 
• Updates the classroom decoration according to the program theme 
• Ensures the classroom, toys and surfaces are sanitized daily
• Maintains child ratio and coverage in the classroom at all times

Communication and Parent Engagement:

• Develops rapport with parents to facilitate the natural sharing of information
• Uses Procare to communicate about each child's daily activities
• Demonstrates the ability to communicate clearly and appropriately with children, directors, peers and parents
• Maintains professionalism, superior customer service, and confidentiality
• Participates in the annual parent orientations and leads classroom Parent/Teacher conferences 

Operations and Compliance: 

• Lesson plans should be based on the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS) and include educational experiences in language/literacy, math, science, social studies, creative (music, art, and drama), social and emotional, approaches to play/learning, cognitive processes, and physical development
• Ensures that weekly anecdotal notes, Narrative Summary Reports and Developmental Checklists are taken on each student and recorded in the child’s permanent file to be shared at any time for site visits, leadership, and Parent/Teacher conferences 
• Uses formal assessments, anecdotal notes and other classroom observation tools to refer students with developmental, speech/language or other documented delays to the Program Coordinator and Vice President of Education and Early Learning. 
• Alerts the Program Coordinator of any potential safety problems in the classroom and playground, or any unusual medical or behaviors problems for a child
• Attends and participates in all Lead Teacher, CDP/WELA Staff Meetings, and staff development trainings 
• Ensures daily signing-in and signing-out of children by their parent, legal guardian, or other designated adults via Procare 

Skills and Qualifications 

Minimum Requirements

• Two Year ECE associate degree or Related Field
• 2 or more years of successful supervisory experience in an early education setting, coaching and mentoring teachers to improve performance. 
• 2 or more years teaching in the field of early education working with children birth to five years old in a program that is Quality Rated and/or NAEYC accredited. 
• Experience in performing coaching and mentoring. 
• Experience working in a diverse community- based setting
• Familiar with emergency evacuation plans for the students and is prepared with the necessary equipment and documents to implement plans immediately. 
• Experience in performing coaching and mentoring.
• Experience working in a diverse community- based setting.
• Results driven and detailed oriented with passion for learning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication. 
• Proficient at record keeping and reporting. 
• Proficient at MS Office. 
• Skilled at working with Multi-Disciplinary Teams and Competent in working with diverse groups.

Preferred Qualifications 

• ECE bachelor’s degree or related Degrees and Credentials
• 3 or more years of successful supervisory experience in an early education setting, coaching and mentoring teachers to improve performance
• 4 or more years teaching in the field of early education working with children birth to five years old in a program that is Quality Rated and/or NAEYC accredited. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Must possess above average command of speaking and writing skills.
 
REASONING ABILITY: Must be able to exercise sound judgment and concrete thinking when on the spot decision making is required. Ability to seek supervision for emergencies and unusual circumstances. Must be able to participate in regularly scheduled meetings. 

A list of physical demands, equipment, & work environment demands can be reviewed in Human Resources. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.