Lead Teacher Childcare

About the role

The Lead Teacher is responsible for developing a cohesive teaching team, implementing the center curriculum, and managing the day-to-day operational activities of the classroom. They oversee overall classroom management, ensuring high-quality interactions, learning, care, and behavior guidance. They demonstrate knowledge of child development in a stimulating, engaged, and supportive classroom environment and ensure compliance with Virginia State Licensing regulations.

Responsibilities

• Maintain sight and sound supervision of children at all times.
• Oversee the complete daily care of all children in their assigned classroom to ensure children are safe, organized, happy, and engaged in age-appropriate activities.
• Ensure children’s daily needs are met, and caregiving events are attended to in a timely, consistent manner; to include diapering/toileting needs, clothing changes as applicable, preparing and serving of meals, resting, cleanliness, and safety/prevention of injuries.
• Ensure attendance is taken daily, proper paperwork is posted, accurate, and updated as necessary.
• Support and monitor children's physical, mental, social, emotional, and academic development.
• Encourage understanding of others and positive self-concepts.
• Distribute, administer, and complete all required assessments and progress reports regarding development, as applicable for each age group.
• Identify signs of emotional, behavioral, or developmental problems in children and bring them to the parents' attention after discussing with management.
• Implement a plan of action when necessary, utilizing center resources.
• Serve as the main point of contact for parents regarding their child.
• Provide ongoing communication as necessary about daily activities, behaviors and related issues, needs or concerns as they relate to the center or the children.
• Communicate consistently with parents through the electronic parent communication app, email, by phone, or in person.
• Provide at least 2 opportunities per year for Parent/Teacher Conferences, in addition to class events and programs as applicable to each child’s age group.
• Effectively manage and maintain a welcoming, comfortable, and clean learning environment.
• Ensure that Learning Centers and playground areas have adequate, age-appropriate toys, equipment, and supplies available to children and the toys and materials are organized in a way that maintains order in activity areas.
• Ensure the classroom environment reflects the current curriculum themes through various learning materials, decorations, and displaying of children’s artwork at their eye level.
• Ensure daily learning activities encourage growth in all aspects of child development; physical (fine and gross motor), mental, social, emotional, and academic development.
• Ensure lesson plans offer experiences in science, technology, reading, engineering, art, and math as appropriate for each assigned age group.
• Maintain commitment to high-quality interactions.
• Implement the center goals and philosophy regarding high-quality interactions with children, parents, and employees.
• Participate in, observe, and monitor children's play activities and provide age-appropriate behavior guidance.
• Focus on children learning the core skills; relate, regulate, think, communicate, and move.
• Demonstrate flexibility, reliability and a positive, supportive attitude towards children, parents and employees.
• Maintain open communication, with proper tone and body language, with all children, parents and employees.
• Serve as a coach/mentor and positive role model to new employees, employees who have been promoted to Lead Teacher and to Teacher Assistants with whom they work.
• Supervise Teacher Assistants, Volunteers, and Students and effectively delegates tasks and duties.
• Build authentic connections with their teacher assistants, recognize strengths and weaknesses, earn trust, sets goals, solicits feedback, and hold them accountable.
• Provide proper guidance and counseling as appropriate.
• Provide an overall sense of teamwork, giving clear instructions, promoting a positive culture, and encouraging assistants to be a vital role in each child’s development.
• Exhibit a professional attitude at all times and maintain respect and cooperation when working with others.
• Work independently to meet deadlines and completes mandatory requirements to include but not limited to monthly lesson plans & newsletters, weekly attendance, annual training hours, certifications & renewals, and staff meeting attendance.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Bachelor's Degree, Early Childhood Education or Related (Preferred).
• 1 year Programmatic experience in a Child Care setting (Required).
• 1 year Early childhood education experience in a professional setting (Required).
• 1 year Supervisory experience (Preferred).
• CPR/BLS Certification - American Heart Association/American Red Cross/American Safety and Health Institute (AHA/ARC) within 30 Days(Required).
• Certified Medication Administration Training (MAT) - Medical Home Plus Inc within 90 Days(Required).
• Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential - Council for Professional Recognition within 1 Year(Required).