Lead Teacher Job Description

Summary
Develops curriculum of appropriate activities that advance all areas of children's development and learning, including social emotional, intellectual, and physical competence.  Conducts the program in accordance with the Center's goals and principles of developmentally appropriate practices.  Ensures the individual needs of each child are met with dignity and respect, and that all safety procedures are followed according to the Center's policies and procedures. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Develops the curriculum and implements a program of appropriate activities to advance all areas of the children’s development and learning, including social, emotional, intellectual, and physical competency with consideration given to each child’s individual needs. Provides an opportunity for children to assist in the planning and implementation of these activities.
• Creates a written schedule that provides a balance of individual, small-group, large-group, indoor/outdoor activities, fine and gross motor activities, and quiet and active play.  Introduces new activities regularly based upon the varying interests of the classroom community.  Provides a wide variety of literature to enrich the child’s environment.  
• Ensures that snacks and meals are nutritionally sound and are planned to meet CAFP requirements, posting a menu weekly.   Ensures that children serve their own snacks and meals as outlined in the health guidelines of the Center. 
• Ensures a minimum of 40 DFS approved items of equipment/materials are available for every 10 children based on the licensed capacity at all times.  There must be at least four items from each of the following categories; blocks, manipulatives, creative arts, large muscle activities, library and language activities, music, dramatic/housekeeping play, and science/sensory activities.  Requests additional equipment and supplies when needed.  Ensures that all materials are kept in good repair and that broken or missing equipment is reported to the Center director.
• Monitors indoor and outdoor space daily for health and safety concerns. Ensures that outdoor space is accessible to the children and is protected from access to streets and other dangers.
• Seeks meaningful conversations with children acknowledging their work, talking about events of importance, etc.  Listens to children more than they talk.   Facilitates learning, social interaction, and involvement in activities.  Treats children with respect and consideration, regardless of their sex/gender, age, race, religion, ancestry or national origin, and physical or mental ability.
• Plans ahead to prevent problem situations from occurring.  Anticipates where they need to be and what they need to do.  Ensures that children are in the physical or line-of-sight proximity of staff at all times.  Maintain Center's staff/child ratios at all times:

• Develops a repertoire of skills related to consistently maintaining limits, such as anticipation of difficulties, proximity control, encouragement of verbal expression of feelings and needs, and logical and relevant immediate consequences.  Conducts individualized guidance strategies to support the unique needs of each child.  Provides opportunities for independence and self-help skills in children as they become ready.
• Establishes positive and collaborative relationships with family members to enhance parent communication and involvement with the Center and conducts frequent meetings with parents. 
• Assists in the observation and recording of children’s behavior in planning individualized teaching practices and curriculum.  Maintains confidentiality in regard to observation and assessment information and records. 
• Assists in assuring that the program meets all Missouri Division of Family Services regulations.  Receives the required DFS Staff Training each year.  Evaluates the program on an on-going basis.  Reports any problems or concerns to the lead teacher and/or Child Development Center director immediately. 
• Acknowledges the signs of child abuse and follows the established reporting procedure.
• Acknowledges the signs and symptoms of childhood illness and disease and follows the established Child Development Center Guidelines and procedures. 

Supervisory Responsibilities
Manages the classroom with autonomy.  Oversees assistant teachers and carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience
Associate's Degree in child care or closely related field required.  Demonstrate and apply knowledge of basic understanding of child development, the early childhood profession, and commitment to professionalism, and differences between discipline and punishment; understand concepts of mutual respect, caring, warmth, positive communication and interaction with children and parents; understand teacher's role as that of facilitator v. instructor; must have appropriate communication skills to deal with parents, children, and other staff.

Minimum two years previous experience working with pre-school age children.  Must meet DFS qualifications, and be at least 18 years of age.

Language Skills
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability
Apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.  Deals with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
Must pass a medical examination including TB test, as required by DFS; must pass DFS child abuse screening and local law enforcement records check.

Physical Demands
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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell.  The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Contact Us

636-922-8422

Paula Berry
Director
pberry@stchas.edu
636-922-8423

Kathy Drews
Assistant Director
kdrews@stchas.edu
636-922-8424