Lead Teacher, Child Development Center

Position Description

DEFINITION:
This individual is responsible for planning and implementing the daily program of activities for a group of children in an early care and education- lab school program. This person should be able to demonstrate leadership in the classroom and model best practices as related to facilitating the growth and development of children ages birth to five.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:

• Receives general supervision from the Administrator, Child Development Center and the Child Development Technician.

Duties & Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

ESSENTIAL AND OTHER IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS STATEMENTS:
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential Functions:

• Plan and execute an educational program of age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate activities for children enrolled;
• Produce and submit Classroom Activity Plans to Administration as appropriate for Program Curriculum;
• Identify each child’s individual capabilities and needs by observation and documentation, including short and long term goals written and maintained to represent current progress;
• Organize and take the lead in maintaining children’s individual portfolios as part of the CDC’s Authentic Assessment method;
• Create a developmentally appropriate learning environment;
• Assure the welfare, health, and safety of the children in the group;
• Maintain constant supervision of children;
• Take daily attendance and keep all required reports pertaining to group, including daily attendance, incident reports, field trip paperwork, and medication forms;
• Model best practices and daily routines consistently for classroom team members and other colleagues associated with the Program;
• Attend pre-service and in-service training as required;
• Attend staff meetings
• Keep the Administrator informed of any classroom problems;
• Conduct parent conferences at least twice yearly;
• Mentor Capstone students, supervise volunteers, accommodate other CFCC students, and model Developmentally Appropriate Practice (NAEYC) consistently;
• Provide feedback to Administration regarding college student’s performance; and
• Perform custodial duties as needed on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis according to classroom cleaning lists.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:

• Early childhood growth and development
• Current N.C. Child Care Requirements
• Current health and fire requirements
• Safety training, maintain current certification in first aid and CPR
• Nutrition requirements
• Developmentally Appropriate Practice
• Appropriate parent and staff communication

Ability To:

• Organize and maintain classroom activity areas, materials, and supplies and keep the Administrator advised of equipment and materials that need to be repaired or replaced;
• Establish and maintain effective communication with parents;
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Build and maintain good communication with other staff to create a professional atmosphere;
• Apply knowledge in providing developmentally appropriate activities, and seek current information and ideas to ensure children’s ongoing engagement and progress;
• Instruct other adults, especially by good role modeling, in interactions with children
• Work with children warmly, calmly, and in an unhurried manner;
• Meet social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and creative developmental needs of individual children with a focus on language and literacy as the foundation of successful child development;
• Maintain a safe, clean, and pleasant environment;
• Maintain positive relationships with children, co-workers, parents, and community;
• Become familiar with and demonstrate understanding of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct consistently.
• Develop additional resources as needed.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work
• Interpret and apply CFCC goals, objectives, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations
• Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:Making observationsReading and writingCommunicating with othersOperating assigned equipment/technologyHandling varied tasks simultaneously
• Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following:Standing or sitting for extended periods of timeOperating assigned equipmentHandling varied tasks simultaneously Bending, stooping, climbing, or lifting up to 50 pounds
• Maintain mental capacity, which allow the capability of:Making sound decisionsResponding to questionsDemonstrating intellectual capabilities

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING GUIDELINES:
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Minimum Education/Training:

• Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education, or a related field with at least 12 semester hours of early childhood education is required, and
• Completed, active nationally accredited credential certificate in child development, early childhood education or child care to include CDA, CCP and AMS or AMI Montessori;
• Completed post-secondary two-year degree or higher in Early Childhood, Child Development, Human Growth & Development or Early Childhood Special Education from an accredited institution of higher education;
• Completed post-secondary two-year degree of higher in any subject area with at least 6 semester credit hours in Early Childhood Education and/or Child Growth & Development from an accredited institution of higher education; or
• Completed 12 semester credit hours (with or without a degree) in Early Childhood, Child Development, Human Growth & Development and/or Early Childhood Special Education programs with at least 3 semester credit hours in Child Growth & Development from an accredited institution of higher education.
• Completed ITS/SIDS Certification or willing to complete within 6 months of hire

Minimum Experience:

• None required

Other Requirements:

• Successful candidate must be at least 18 years of age.
• Prior to time of employment, all personnel, including the director, shall furnish a
• Statement signed by a licensed physician or an authorized health professional under his/her supervision, that indicates that the person is emotionally and physically fit to care for children. A health professional means a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant currently approved to perform medical acts by the N.C. Board of Medical Examiners.
• Proof of being free of tuberculosis.
• Fingerprint and criminal background check clearance. No person shall be an operator of, nor be employed, in a childcare facility, who has been convicted of a crime involving child neglect, child abuse, or moral turpitude. No person shall be an operator of, nor be employed in a childcare facility, that is a habitually excessive user of alcohol or who illegally uses narcotics or other impairing drugs, or who is mentally or emotionally impaired to an extent that may be injurious to children.
• Must demonstrate the ability to perform effectively the duties required for the job, including ability to read and write English, verbal ability to communicate, auditory capacities to respond to children and adults, visual ability to complete written assignments, physical ability to complete assignments given accommodation as required by law.
• Reference checks required.
• Must not have been involved in any incident, which resulted in a substantiated case of abuse of neglect.

Preferred Education/Training, Experience, Skills:

• Two (2) years of full-time verifiable child care or related work experience preferred

Supplemental Information

Special Instructions to Applicants:
This position REQUIRES UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS AND/OR TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS be submitted in addition to the application. Please have these documents ready to upload when applying.

Candidates are required to submit OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS for all degrees obtained prior to their first day of work or hire date. If the highest level of education is a High School diploma or equivalent, proof of completion is required.

Candidates who have obtained their education outside of the US and its territories must have their academic degree(s) validated, at their own expense, by an outside credential evaluation service as equivalent to the Baccalaureate or Master's degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.