As a Lead Teacher, you are responsible for the academic, social-emotional growth and development of all children in your care, which may include infants, toddlers and/or preschool age children. The Lead Teacher is also responsible for developing a partnership with families and communicating with them regularly. This position also provides supervision and support to assistant teachers, classroom floats and volunteers.

Responsibilities:

• Develop weekly plans, and implement age appropriate curriculum (lesson plans) to nurture and stimulate all domains of children ‘s development aligned with school values statement
• Perform on-going developmental assessment of children ages 3 - 17 months.

• Provide care to all children by adapting daily routines and plans to the interest and needs of the individual child and the group
• Plan, evaluate and improve the physical environment in the classroom to create opportunities to meet the changing needs of the class, including storage, organization and cleanliness
• Communicate progress and/or concerns with parents and Director regularly, including two parent/teacher conferences each year
• Maintain a continuing dialogue with the teaching team about child growth and classroom environment
• Report all classroom concerns to Director in a timely manner
• Maintain accurate, complete and timely records including attendance, injury report and classroom meal counts
• Assist in purchasing of class supplies, according to individual classroom budgets in line with the environmental rating scales and in conjunction with Director
• Participate in professional development according to DHS and NAEYC regulations
• Participate in school social and family education programs and meetings, as well as larger organizational programs and trainings, as needed, including monthly staff meetings

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrated experience with the Alliance’s core values and a clear commitment to them

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community

• Working knowledge of the growth and development of young children and ability to utilize this information in the classroom

• Strong written and oral communications skills

• Ability to set priorities and handle multiple projects. Strong organizational skills

• Enthusiastic and self-motivated individual who is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, including occasional nights and weekends

• Ability to work closely with others in a team environment and effectively interact with all levels of management, parents and volunteers

Education/Experience Requirements:

• Must have or willingness to obtain Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification

• A minimum of an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from an accredited college higher; Bachelor’s Degree preferred

• At least 3 years prior experience teaching in an early childhood center or classroom setting with children ages 3 - 17 months

• Judaic knowledge or willingness to acquire

• Understanding of Rhode Island Early Learning Standards, DHS, BrightStars, and NAEYC, or willingness to acquire

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods standing and walking throughout the classroom.

• Must be able to lift up to 45 pounds at a time.

• Must be able to sit and stand on the floor throughout the day, and bend, kneel, or squat to be at eye level with children.