$2,000 Sign-On Bonus-Lead Teacher Early Head Start (0-3 year-olds)-Associates Required

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Lead Teacher provides daily care to children in a Head Start / Early Head Start (HS/EHS) classroom using appropriate child guidance techniques and building responsive relationships with classroom teachers, staff, children and families. The Lead Teacher ensures that all regulations and mandates for federal, state, and local licensing are met and works with a team of classroom teachers and family members to achieve positive outcomes for children of all abilities.

All employees and volunteers are expected to be sensitive to our clients’ cultural and socioeconomic characteristics, reflect Sunbeam Family Services core values and to perform at Sunbeam’s standards of excellence at all times.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Promote, encourage and display examples of leadership for the agency in accordance with the agency mission.
• Support and individualize the physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development of each child in the classroom.
• Demonstrate capacity for providing developmentally sensitive, evidence based, hope centered and trauma informed services and leadership.  
• Serve as a leader of the Early Childhood Services (ECS) program and effective role model for developmentally-appropriate practice, for the values expected within the program, and for the mission of the organization.
• Perform the functions of this position with a strong understanding of the Head Start Performance Standards.
• Ensure compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, federal and state regulation, and DHS Child Care Licensing requirements.
• Plan and provide a comprehensive program, including implementation of EHS/HS curriculum and Head Start /Early Head Start Program Performance Standards
• Maintain record keeping and reporting systems to ensure accurate information, with timely completion and follow-up.
• Plan and implement ECS developmentally-appropriate curriculum and assessment for the classroom. Order supplies and materials as needed for effective service delivery.
• Oversee supervision and management of children in the classroom in order to ensure a safe, clean, and healthy learning environment.
• Conduct home visits and parent-teacher conferences in accordance with Head Start Program Performance standards to share each child’s progress with parents.
• Work cooperatively with other staff assigned to classroom as a team to involve all parents with the children and to encourage the active participation of all parents in the program.
• Observe children to detect signs of illness, injury, emotional disturbances, learning disorders, speech problems, or other special needs and reports those signs immediately to supervisor for required or necessary follow-up.
• Work with supervisor to ensure child-staff ratio is maintained at all times.
• Encourage and model language expansion, extended learning, and problem-solving strategies throughout the day.
• Regular, reliable attendance is required.
• Participate in and attend all staff meetings, trainings, and certification courses as required.
• Travel locally as required in the performance of responsibilities.
• Perform other appropriate and related responsibilities as assigned by supervisor or member of Executive Team.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

WORKING CONDITIONS

The working conditions described herein are representative of those an employee will encounter and must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to frequently communicate with staff and others, and must be able to exchange accurate information when doing so. The employee must be able to interact closely and safely with small children in various positions and environments, including communicating verbally with children and performing tasks such as feeding children, changing diapers, lifting children from floor or other surfaces, and assisting with classroom activities.

Employee must also be able to move throughout classroom and office spaces, operate and use a computer and other office equipment, and occasionally access file cabinets, equipment, and materials. The employee must be able to detect, discern, observe, inspect, and compare information and conditions relevant to child safety and program operations. The employee may occasionally must be able to move or lift up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment

The employee will work in a school environment, may work in close quarters with other staff and small children. The noise level in the work environment varies from moderate to loud; frequent chaotic situations will occur, characteristic to working with children ages 0 – 5 years. Employee must expect exposure to strong odors such as soiled diapers and clothes, and poor hygiene. May come into contact with childhood diseases and blood on occasion.

Other

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It does not imply that these are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to the job. The employee may be required to perform other duties as requested.

Sunbeam Family Services is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fairness and equity in employment practices for all persons without regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.