Lead Teacher- Head Start

Job DetailsJob Location: Michigan City, IN 46360POSITION SUMMARY: Nurture curiosity through purposeful experiences to create a future full of lifelong learners. Help to meet the diverse needs of our families in our program. While bringing joy, warmth, patience, and understanding to the classroom every day, encouraging children to learn and grow. Inspiring children to be lifelong learners, implementing curriculum that promotes social, emotional, physical, verbal, and cognitive development. Committed to making their school successful and know that creating meaningful relationships with children, parents, and families play a crucial role in that success.

Performs all job responsibilities in a safe manner while consistently exhibiting leadership abilities. Complete duties with a positive attitude and with the intention of Paladin’s success. Teach and actively monitor children in the classroom. Become familiar with and implement positive discipline strategies, and Progettazione when planning and setting up the classroom environment. Perform screenings and assessments on all children according to a particular time frame. Meaningfully interact on a daily basis with parents. Solicit volunteers for participation in the program. Conduct home visits (Head Start) and parent-teacher conferences throughout school year. Integrate and analyze child assessment data for planning. Includes any other duties to help drive our vision, fulfill our mission, or support our organizational values.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONAL UPON RESULTS OF THE FOLLOWING:

Successful Drug Screening.

Successful Physical Capacities Examination and TB screen results.

Criminal History Background Clearance.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Classroom Management, Intentional Planning, and Meaningful Assessment

Organize and prepare opportunities for children and families to create meaningful connections with community.
Always provides a safe environment with supervision of children at all times, consistently applying active supervision and emergency procedures.
Intentionally planning on-going experiences that enhance the cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic and physical development of young children.
Submitting weekly lesson and unit plans that support each child’s identified goals which reflect an integrated approach across all content areas.
Endorse and implement the Reggio Emilia Progettazione in alignment with NAEYC, Indiana Early Learning, and Head Start standards.
Implementing developmentally appropriate behavior management techniques, including Conscious Discipline in alignment with Paladin’s image of the child.
Keep necessary reports and documentation, including but not limited to, assessment data, developmental screening, behavior intervention plans, and conference notes.
Appropriately implements CACFP procedures and complies with all USDA laws.

Family Engagement and Partnerships

Plans for, utilizing and training volunteers for the classroom, playground, gross motor area and field trips.
Provide parents opportunities to give input into the daily curriculum and document input on lesson plans.
Plan and implement meaningful parent engagement opportunities.
Attend Parent Meetings.
Build respectful, culturally responsive, and trusting relationships with families.

Professionalism

Engage in effective collegial relationships
Interact with other staff using the highest standards of professionalism.
Supports team by providing coverage for breaks, lunches, and illnesses as needed
Follow all agency policies and procedures
Organize time to allow for planning, preparation, and parent/teacher conferences.
Responsive to mentor/coaching/management feedback. Demonstrate a willingness to implement new strategies.
Provide customer service in reception, greet, and direct visitors at the site. 
Perform other relevant responsibilities as required by the program or assigned by supervisor.
Maintain a clean, sanitary, safe and welcoming classroom.
Model the respectful workplace policy when interacting with Paladin clients, community members, and colleagues.
Must be responsible, able to handle confidential material, able to organize effectively and able to work independently.
Assure that a positive image of the Paladin is always portrayed.

Training responsibilities

Maintain current, valid driver’s license and liability insurance at all times on any personal vehicle used to conduct Paladin business.
Obtain and keep current Adult and Pediatric CPR and First Aid certifications.

Complete 15 credit hours in ECE and a minimum of 20 hours continuing education, based on individualized professional development plan
QualificationsPHYSICAL/MENTAL ABILITIES AND PROCESSES:

Ability to create a positive working environment for both children and colleagues.
Physical capability, strength and coordination adequate to work with preschool children including, kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor.
Required computer literacy: Word processing, database, Internet, spreadsheets, and e-mail.
Maintain computerized records for child/family tracking system.
Ability to visually assess the health and behaviors of children.
Frequent significant decisions to assure developmental progress of children.
Demonstrated ability to supervise preschool children and ensure a safe learning environment including the ability to monitor and respond to events going on at all times in classroom, outdoor play areas and on field trips. This includes the ability to move quickly to respond to very active children and to redirect or physically remove a child in order to ensure their safety or the safety of others in the environment.
Ability to utilize teacher preparation time effectively, refrain from engaging in personal business.
Ability to exercise professional conduct in the workplace. Conduct oneself with decorum while representing Paladin.
Ability to respond appropriately (both mentally and physically) to an emergency or a crisis situation.
Uphold all responsibilities for mandated reporting as legally required by the State of Indiana.
Assure that a positive image of Paladin is portrayed at all times.
Occasional driving for training and job responsibility requirements.
Occasional lifting in excess of 50 lbs., occasionally placing children into seats and ability to carry or drag a child in an emergency situation to a safe area.
Occasional climbing steps to enter and exit bus.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

At minimum, Lead teachers are to have an associate’s or baccalaureate degree in child development or early childhood education, or equivalent coursework as defined by the Head Start Policy and Regulations qualifications and competency requirements.
Valid Driver’s License and access to a privately-owned vehicle with liability insurance for use in completing work responsibilities as required.
Good verbal and written communications skills.
Must have Adult and Pediatric CPR and First Aid Certifications within 30 days from date of hire.
Bilingual in English and Spanish desirable, but not required. The primary language in the workplace is English.