Lead Teacher, Early Learning Center Job Opening

Summary:

Federal Hill House (FHH) has been “welcoming generations of people in need since 1887.” We work to strengthen family and community life through education, opportunities, and support for our neighbors in Providence. These include home visiting and playgroups for our youngest residents; a high quality early learning center; school age child care and teen programs; two food pantries; and an array of services for seniors. Most FHH participants and clients reside in the Federal Hill, West End and Olneyville neighborhoods of Providence and are diverse in culture, language, and home lives.

Federal Hill House’s Early Learning Center serves 48 children ages 18 months through five years in three classrooms. We are rated at three stars in the BrightStars rating system and actively seeking our fourth and fifth stars through continuous and lasting quality improvement. Each classroom has a lead teacher who is a critical member of the ELC leadership team and responsible for the overall quality and functioning in their classroom.

Job Description Overview:

The Early Learning Center Lead Teacher is responsible for the academic and social-emotional growth and development of all of the children in their care. They are responsible for the day-to-day management of their classroom including providing a clean and safe environment for the children; forming positive relationships with and communicating openly with families; and supervising teacher assistants and senior volunteers. They are responsible for maintaining compliance with Federal Hill House's policies and procedures, as well as state and local governing contracting agencies (i.e. RI DCYF, DHS, and CACFP). In addition, they are expected to work collegially with other staff members of Federal Hill House, across programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Health & Safety:

• Ensure the safety of all children in our program
• Comply with licensing regulations related to child care
• Complete daily health checks regarding hygiene, safety, and overall well-being of the children

Classroom Environment & Materials:

• Assure a healthy, safe, clean and developmentally appropriate environment for children that encourages learning and development
• Lead positive classroom culture, setting structure, routine, clear rules and expectations; and utilizing consistency, positive reinforcement, redirection, & prevention (proactive versus reactive)
• Prepare the learning environment for children to learn through active exploration, hands-on experiences, and social interactions
• Prepare and provide materials that are concrete and relevant to the children's interests and culture
• Provide a classroom environment that encourages family participation
• On an on-going basis, plan, evaluate and improve the physical environment in the classroom to create opportunities to meet the changing needs of the developing child

Curriculum & Learning Experiences:

• Create Individual Learning Plans for each child that includes their needs, strengths, areas to be improved, interests, and any other service plans they may have
• Plan and implement lesson plan activities and experiences that are developmentally appropriate and nurture and stimulate all domains of children's development
• Facilitate and nurture the development of each child's self-esteem, trust, and growing autonomy
• Be responsive to children's different and personal needs (verbal and non-verbal cues), temperament styles, abilities, and cultures
• Demonstrate cultural competency and respect for the child's background by incorporating the cultural, linguistic and familial values and beliefs into the classroom and lesson plans
• Plan field trips

Assessment & Documentation:

• Complete an ITERS/ ECERS assessments with Teacher Assistant
• Conduct ongoing developmental assessments of children using screening and assessment tools at scheduled times, including progress reports
• Record daily health checks; review and carry out health plans for special diets, allergies, medication administration, etc.
• Complete daily meal and attendance records
• Maintain up-to-date emergency forms, curriculum plans, individual child development profile and other records as needed

Family Engagement & Communication:

• Develop and maintain positive relationships and ongoing, open communication with parents/ caregivers, including utilizing a parent communication app
• Work with families to develop and regularly update educational and family goals
• Plan periodical parent conferences to discuss children's developmental progress, needs and interests
• Assist families with children's transitions between classrooms

Supervision:

• Ensure that Teacher Assistants are informed of all matters concerning the classroom and program (i.e. lesson plans, policies & procedures, training received)
• Provide supervision and support to classroom assistants & volunteers through modeling and coaching
• Provide guidance to Teacher Assistants to help resolve issues with children when necessary
• Ensure communication among all staff and volunteers who work within the classroom

Other:

• Must believe in and act in accordance with both the agency's and the program's mission & vision
• Report all staffing and classroom concerns to the program director in a timely manner
• Report family changes in schedules and excessive absences to administration in a timely manner
• Comply with mandated reporting regulations for suspected child abuse or neglect, notifying program director immediately of any concerns
• Participate regularly scheduled staff meetings, one-on-one meetings, family-teacher conferences, Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) meetings, and other meetings as directed
• Participate in a minimum of 20 hours per year of on-going in-service and educational development opportunities provided or required by the agency
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

Work & Education:

• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Associates or Bachelor in Early Childhood Education
• Two years of teaching experience (One year as a lead teacher) with children in a childcare center setting
• Bilingual (English/ Spanish) a plus
• Valid driver's license & clean driving record preferred (for field trips)

Certifications:

• Must be CPR/ First Aid certified
• Must have certification in Foundations in Rhode Island Early Learning & Development Standards (RIELDS) and be willing to be certified in the following:
• Implementing a Standards-Based Classroom
• Implementing a Standards-based Curriculum
• Have certification in or willing to be certified in the Infant/ Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITER's)/ Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECER's)

Physical:

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:

• Have the ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds, and in case of emergency, a 40-pound child
• Speak and hear well
• Frequently take walks; be able to run if needed
• Use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls
• Reach with hands and arms
• Switch between standing and sitting often
• Stoop, kneel, crouch, bend, squat or crawl
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus

*Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be able to pass a fingerprint Criminal Records check & Clearance of Agency Activity check
• Must provide health records:
• A physical that clears you to perform all duties required for this position
• A note from your physician that states you are free of all communicable diseases
• Vaccination records with up to date vaccinations required by DCYF: 1 dose of Flu vaccine every year; 2 doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine; 1 dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine; 2 doses of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine.
• Must have knowledge of:
• RI Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) childcare regulations
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethics
• BrightStars
• Developmental Appropriate Practice (DAP)
• Teach Strategies Gold (preferred)
• Must possess:
• A love for children and teaching
• A positive and professional attitude /disposition
• Problem solving skills
• Classroom and behavior management skills through structure, routine, clear rules and expectations, consistency, positive reinforcement, redirection, & prevention (proactive versus reactive)
• Excellent verbal communication and writing skills (in English as well as Spanish if bilingual)
• Organizational and priority setting skills
• Must be able to:
• Provide supervision and support to classroom assistants & volunteers such as through modeling and coaching
• Communicate effectively with parents/ caregivers
• Use the computer to input developmental data
• Manage confidential information
• Effectively plan, organize and implement educational activities
• Make decisions on behalf of children and protect their well-being

Please submit a cover letter with your application.

Job Type: Full-time

Experience:

• Childcare: 2 years (Required)
• teaching: 1 year (Required)

Work Location:

• One location