The Lead Teacher is responsible for creating a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment for children in our care, supporting their emotional, cognitive, and physical development. This role involves planning and implementing age-appropriate educational activities, supervising assistant teachers and maintaining strong communication with parents and families. The Lead Teacher ensures that all activities align with the center’s curriculum, state licensing standards, and best practices in early childhood education.

Key Responsibilities:

Reliable, regular attendance.

•  Plan and implement daily lessons and activities that are engaging, educational, and developmentally appropriate for children ages 2-5 years old
•  Develop and maintain individualized lesson plans that cater to the needs and abilities of each child.
•  Use a variety of teaching methods, such as hands-on activities, outdoor play, and creative arts, to foster learning in all developmental areas.
•  Monitor and assess the development of children, maintaining observation records and progress reports.
•  Implement the center’s curriculum and integrate family input into daily activities.

Classroom Management:

• Lead and supervise a classroom of 14 children, ensuring safety, behavior management, and positive interactions.
• Foster an inclusive environment that promotes social, emotional, and cognitive growth.
•  Guide and mentor assistant teachers and other staff members to ensure smooth classroom operations.

Child Development Support:

•  Recognize and address the individual needs of children, including those with special needs or learning differences.
• Provide positive reinforcement and consistent, clear communication to encourage appropriate behavior.
•  Foster a respectful and supportive classroom community where children are encouraged to share and collaborate.

Parent Communication:

•  Build strong relationships with families, offering regular updates on children’s progress and development.
•  Organize and participate in parent-teacher conferences, ensuring that communication is clear and constructive.
• Encourage family involvement in center activities and special events.

Health & Safety:

•  Ensure a safe, clean, and well-organized classroom and play area, following all health and safety guidelines.
•  Adhere to the center’s policies regarding health, nutrition, and cleanliness.
•  Administer first aid as needed and follow appropriate protocols for any emergency situations.

Administrative Duties:

•  Complete required documentation and maintain accurate child records, including attendance, progress reports, and incident reports.
•  Participate in staff meetings and training sessions to maintain certifications and improve teaching practices.
•  Ensure compliance with licensing regulations and state standards for early childhood education.

Physical Demands

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the Lead Teacher is occasionally required to:

•  Regular walking, standing, kneeling, bending, sitting on the floor, and sitting at a desk.
•  Frequently lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Occasional lifting up to 45 pounds.
•  Vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.
•  Specific hearing abilities required by this job include the ability to hear co-workers when working on team projects and the ability to hear young children in the classroom and/or on playground.

Education and Experience

•      Must be at least 18 years old
•       Have or be able to obtain First Aid / Pediatric and Adult CPR certification
•      MN state licensing requirements of a Lead Teacher include a variety of combinations, other combinations can be reviewed upon application in consultation with MN Department of Human Services:
•  High School Diploma or GED + 4,160 hours as assistant teacher + 24 credit hours
•  MN Technical Institute certificate of Child Development Assistant + 2,080 hours as assistant teacher + 6 quarter credits
•  Valid or Renewable Center CDA (Child Development Associate) for appropriate age + 1,560 hours as assistant teacher, aide or student intern
•  2 year degree in child development or early childhood education + 1,040 hours as assistant teacher, aide or student intern + 6 quarter credits
•  Bachelor degree in any field + 1,040 hours as assistant teacher, aide or student intern + 18 quarter credits
•  MN Teaching License for elementary education without kindergarten endorsement + 520 hours as assistant teacher, aide, or student intern + 6 quarter credits within one year of initial employment
•  MN Teaching License for prekindergarten or elementary education with a kindergarten endorsement
•  Infant Room Lead Teacher only may be an RN or LPN

Skills & Competencies:

Patience, creativity, and adaptability.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to lead and motivate a team.
Commitment to ongoing professional development in early childhood education.
A nurturing and caring approach to working with children.
Work Environment

The Lead Teacher will be located primarily in a classroom, as a member of a team. A work area will be provided for paperwork and planning. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Acknowledgement

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by an employee assigned to this role. It does not imply that these are the only duties and responsibilities to the job. The employee may be required to perform other duties as requested by their supervisor / Board of Directors. All requirements are subject to change over time.