Toddler Lead Teacher

Starting Pay: $17 per hour

Location: Custer, SD

Category: Full-time, non-exempt

Shift: 40 hours/week

Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 7 am - 5:30 pm

Are you ready to make a meaningful impact every single day? Join the Custer YMCA as a Lead Toddler Teacher, where your dedication to early childhood development will help shape the minds and hearts of our youngest learners. Here, you won't just teach-you'll lead, inspire, and nurture.

As a Lead Toddler Teacher, you'll take the reins in developing and delivering a play-based, mission-driven curriculum tailored to support the unique social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth of every child in your classroom.

From crafting engaging monthly lesson plans to leading dynamic group activities, you'll help toddlers explore their world with curiosity and confidence. You'll also guide and mentor other educators, modeling best practices in positive discipline and the YMCA's social-emotional framework-including Conscious Discipline.

Your leadership will be central to building a high-quality early learning environment. You'll support your assistant teachers through coaching and mentorship, helping them improve classroom practices and meet their professional goals. You'll be both a role model and a guide - someone others look to for direction, consistency, and inspiration.

In our classrooms, children feel safe, seen, and celebrated. You'll maintain a clean, welcoming space where materials are in good repair and learning flows naturally. You'll take proactive steps to ensure all safety policies are followed, creating an environment where both children and staff thrive. From equipment checks to organized transitions, your eye for detail and commitment to quality will set the tone.

Relationships are at the heart of everything we do at the Y. You'll form strong, positive bonds with families, keeping them informed through daily updates using the Brightwheel App, thoughtful newsletters, and open communication. As a trusted partner in their child's development, you'll be a dependable source of information, encouragement, and support.

Behind the scenes, your attention to organization and process will help things run smoothly. You'll manage classroom budgets wisely, ensure supplies are stocked, and keep detailed records of attendance, meals, and incidents. Your participation in weekly team meetings will support collaboration across the program, and your input will help shape the continued success of our early learning efforts.

At the Y, you'll be part of a mission-driven organization that serves as a staple in our small community, dedicated to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. You'll enjoy a supportive, team-oriented culture, opportunities for professional growth and training, and the satisfaction of knowing you're making a lasting difference in the lives of children and families.

Apply today!