Early Childhood Lead Support Teacher

Thrive Preschool • Golden, CO

1d • $21 - $24

About The Position

Thrive is a nurturing and supportive community of early childhood professionals that are passionate about the importance of, and interplay between, play and discovery. We currently have five locations, and as we continue to grow as an organization, our desire is to build a team of educators that can grow with us and expand into new roles, experiencing both professional and personal growth. We are looking to hire a full-time lead support teacher (Monday-Friday, 8 hours/day) for an hourly position making $21.39 to $23.53 per hour plus benefits.

Compatibility means everything to us. If you are dedicated to the future of our children, have experience has a lead teacher, and believe in the power of play-based learning, you’re probably in the right place. But let’s get the usual qualifications out of the way first. Just to make sure we’re on the same page, let’s start with the basics:

Requirements

• A positive attitude and passion for working with young children, families, and co-teachers
• Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills
• Intentional and reflective in professional practices
• Meets or exceeds minimum qualifications for employment as an Early Childhood Lead Teacher in the state of Colorado, including training, experience, and background check requirements
• Experience as a lead teacher at a large child care center in the state of Colorado
• Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings (open houses, family-teacher conferences, seasonal holiday celebrations, etc.) We pinky promise to make these as rare as possible

Nice To Haves

• A Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a major area of study in early childhood education, elementary education, special education, family and child development, or child psychology is preferred
• A love of nature and spending time outdoors in all weather
• Dedication to play-based learning
• Experience, training, and/or knowledge of Reggio Emilia educational practices and philosophies
• A special talent, skill, or hobby (artistic, multi-lingual, play an instrument, sing, puppetry, storytelling, woodworking, knitting, cooking, gardening etc.) that you would enjoy sharing with the children and fellow teachers. We take the “play” part very seriously.

Responsibilities

• Assist the lead teachers in implementation of inquiry-based curriculum, documentation, and work projects of children in accordance with our guiding educational philosophy.
• Cultivate a learning environment that nurtures intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and character development, and is responsive to the diverse needs and learning styles of all children
• Enforce classroom rules for behavior, and procedures to maintain safety and order
• Conduct ongoing observation, assessment, and documentation of students’ learning experiences
• Support families as partners in their child’s learning by: maintaining an open, friendly, and cooperative relationship with each child and family; responding to child and family needs in a timely manner; creating opportunities for family involvement in the classroom; and encouraging family participation
• Plan for equipment and supply needs in conjunction with lead teachers and other program staff ( using the budget provided by the school, we don’t believe in educators paying for supplies out of their own pockets )
• Attend all training opportunities and staff meetings as provided and scheduled
• Perform other tasks and duties as deemed necessary by the program director to create an incredible educational environment for the children and families

Benefits

• 6 weeks of paid holidays and breaks with additional non-student contact days
• 80 hours of paid time off each year in addition to the regular school holidays and breaks
• Employer contributions toward group medical, dental and vision coverage
• 401(k) plans with employer contribution matching
• Classroom supplies and materials budget provided every month
• Time out of the classroom to plan and execute quality learning experiences
• Professional development and continuing education opportunities as you grow with the school

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level