Job Description
JOB TITLE: Preschool Lead Teacher:
OVERVIEW
The Early Education Lead Teacher is responsible for the academic, social-emotional growth and development of all children in their care, which may include toddlers and/or preschool age children. She/he develops partnerships with parents/caregivers to engage and encourage parent participation in the program. The Lead Teacher is also responsible for assuring compliance with codes and regulations of all State and local governing and contracting agencies and ensuring that the development, nurturing, cleanliness, nutritional needs and safety of children in accordance such codes and regulations are met consistently. She/he works collegially with other staff members, assistant teachers to achieve program standards based on Title V and the goals and objectives for all children and families set by the agency. A preschool teacher is a passionate, dedicated and hard working individual who understands and supports the needs of children and holds the core values, beliefs, tents and vision of the agency at heart and mind – every day. The teacher helps to set a good standard and work ethic as a conscientious child care provider in the classroom that their teacher assistants and aides can proudly follow. The Preschool Teacher will be respectful of children and parents, and ensure that equipment and facilities are clean, safe
and well maintained. Failure to provide adequate services may place children at risk.
Preschool teachers typically do the following:
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: Preschool teachers typically do the following:
• Develops, weekly plans, and implements age appropriate curriculum (lesson plan) to nurture and stimulate all domains of children’s development in their care.
• Daily prepares materials and classrooms for class activities.
• Provides a developmentally appropriate classroom environment that reflects the children’s learning and growth.
• Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question and investigate.
• Provide a variety of materials and an environment rich in subject and experiences, cultural diversity, opportunity for exploration and manipulation both in learning activities and imaginative play.
• Perform on-going developmental evaluations of children as required by funding sources and develop lesson plans and follow curriculum implementation that addresses the individual needs of each child.
• Daily/weekly plan, evaluate, arrange and improve the physical environment in the classroom and outdoors to create opportunities for exploration, facilitate motor-skill activities and meet the changing needs of the developing child.
• Provide responsive care to all children by adapting daily care giving routines and plans to the interests and needs of the individual child and the group.
• Prepare developmental progress reports as needed.
• Demonstrate cultural competency and respect for the child's background by incorporating the cultural, linguistic and familial values and beliefs into the childcare program and lesson plans.
• Completes child transition and orientation of the classroom with parents.
• Maintain ongoing, open communication with parents/caregivers.
• Provide a classroom environment that encourages parent participation.
• Ensure that each family receives an opportunity to build strong relationships and experience clear communication with teaching staff.
• Prepare periodical parent conferences based on schedule to discuss children's developmental progress, needs and interests.
• Liaison with families to ensure smooth transition from home to child care setting and
transitions from classroom to classroom when needed.
• Assist families with children's transitions from toddler to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten.
• Maintain accurate, complete and timely client, agency records and attendance reports; Completes daily meal and attendance records.
• Maintains up-to-date emergency forms, curriculum plans, individual child development profile and other records as needed.
• Completes daily health checks regarding hygiene, safety, and overall well-being of the children.
• Completes DRDP, ECERS, Parent Survey on a timely basis with Assistant Teachers and prepare group data summaries by classroom and developmental progress reports as needed.
• Assures a healthy, safe, clean and developmentally appropriate environment for children both indoors and outdoors.
• Assist with functioning and monitoring of nutrition and food service.
• Conducts supervision on a weekly basis with Associate Teachers and Assistant Teachers.
• Establish and reestablish procedures as necessary to enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order both inside and outside the classroom while maintaining developmental needs and safety of children and all other local/State and agency guidelines and standards for best practice.
• Become familiar with emergency procedures and protocol.
• Clean and sterilize equipment and toys regularly.
• Integrate special needs children in a respectful manner and be knowledgeable of how to prepare the environment and meet their developmental needs.
•Prepare and serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
• Participate in on-going in-service and educational development opportunities provided by the Agency.
• Participate in all required school/agency staff development and in-service trainings.
• Plan, delegate and assign work accordingly to Assistant Teachers weekly.
• Have bi-monthly meetings with Assistant Teachers to address progress and developmental needs of children, curriculum/lesson plans, and preparation of the environment.
• In accordance with agency philosophy, teacher may occasionally be required to
carry out or assist with other tasks in addition to the duties listed on this job description
• Staff must believe in and act in accordance with the Agency's philosophy and guidelines and mission statements.
• Participate in fundraising for the school.
• Prepare annual inventory of classroom equipment, materials and supplies.
• Promote literacy, strong communication, discussion and interaction with children.
EDUCATION
• 24 units in Child Development or Early Childhood Education including core courses in
Child/Human Growth and Development; Child, Family and Community and Program/Curriculum. 16 units min. general education to qualify for permit by CCTC.
• Child Development Permit (must keep valid and updated at all times).
• Montessori Training Diploma a plus or willingness to take formal training from an accredited institution.
EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
• Dedication and enthusiasm for working with young children in a child development setting a must.
• Minimum 2-3 years’ experience as a lead teacher in a classroom supervising other staff.
• Leadership skills, energetic, efficient and positive attitude a plus.
• Knowledge in Desired Results, ECERS, Parent Survey, developmentally Appropriate Practices.
• Knowledge of State Preschool Program Requirements for Center-based Programs.
• Good communication, problem solving, and priority setting skills as well as maintaining an overall positive and professional attitude /disposition.
• Ability to use the computer to input developmental data.
• Intermediate experience in Microsoft Office programs.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize and implement educational activities.
• Ability to make decisions on behalf of children and protect their well-being.
• Must be able to manage confidential information.
• All employees, regardless of position, serve as role models for children served by our agency and other adults in the classroom environment. Therefore, each employee must at all times be mature, friendly, emotionally stable and able to function effectively with children and other teaching staff or adults in the environment. Candidates must have a team-building approach. The staff must be able to demonstrate appropriate daily behavior, appropriate expression of emotions, as well as appropriate role modeling. Hostility, aggression, ignorance, gossiping and immature behavior and/or sub standard work expectations as well as inappropriate emotional expressions is not acceptable.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to:
• Frequently walk, uses hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and talks or hears.
• Often required to stand and sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, bend, squat or crawl.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds and in case of emergency a 40-pound child.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• May occasionally be required to drive a motor vehicle.
• Required to daily clean, prepare and maintain equipment, furniture, classroom, facility indoors and outdoors in order to provide a clean and safe environment for children.
• On occasion may require to work in the kitchen to prepare meals or work with infants, toddlers, preschool aged children during staff absences.
• ATTENDANCE IS AN ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF THIS JOB. Our programs are on a yearly contract basis, open year-round (52 weeks).
LOCATION: Various (Azusa, Pomona, Hacienda Heights, Baldwin Park, Los Angeles and Compton areas)
REPORTS TO: Site supervisor
SALARY: $14-15/hr. Starting rate based on experience, skills and qualifications as described above. Letters of reference a plus.
SCHEDULE: Year-round. Full-time & Part-time opportunities.
BENEFITS:
• Paid Holidays
• Paid vacation & sick leave
• Group health plan/Dental/Vision
• Life insurance coverage
• 401k
• Staff training and development opportunities
Company Description
We are a Montessori based agency that provides Infant through Kindergarten educational and child care services to children and families in the San Gabriel Valley since 1982. We have preschool sites in Pomona, Hacienda Heights, Azusa, Baldwin Park and El Monte. We are also hiring for new sites being developed in greater Los Angeles areas, Compton and Van Nuys. We provide private (fee-paying) and subsidized programs funded by the Department of Education/Child Development Division via State Preschool. We have a combined government grant which offers subsidized preschool program services to families in the communities we serve that qualify for the program. This funding required Title V regulations to be followed when enrolling families. Our preschool program follows the Montessori Philosophy and Reggio approach to education which offers classrooms that are rich in diversity, materials and experiences.