Early Childhood Lead Teacher & Program Leader

HEALTHY KIDS PROGRAMS • Town of Greenport, NY

5d • $20 - $22 • Onsite

About The Position

Healthy Kids Programs is seeking an Early Childhood Lead Teacher & Program Leader at Taconic Hills Elementary School in Craryville, New York. The role leads a classroom serving children ages 10 months to 3 years and combines hands-on teaching and caregiving with limited administrative and leadership responsibilities. The schedule is approximately 25–30 hours per week, scheduled within the center’s hours of 6:30 AM–6:30 PM. The position is part-time and non-exempt.

The teacher provides nurturing, responsive care and developmentally appropriate learning experiences, following each child’s routines, interests, developmental needs, and emerging skills. The role includes planning activities across developmental domains, conducting observations and developmental assessments, maintaining a safe and engaging classroom, supporting daily care routines, and using CLASS strategies and Creative Curriculum.

The role also involves building relationships and communicating with families, participating in twice-yearly parent-teacher conferences, and assisting with enrollment and community outreach. Program responsibilities include participating in quality observations and improvement efforts, professional development, and required training, while helping the program meet applicable NYS OCFS requirements.

Limited administrative and leadership work supports center operations. Duties include scheduling, records, regulatory compliance, staff onboarding, training and supervision, classroom materials, and collaboration with HR, enrollment, and regional leadership teams. Eligible children of all ages served by the programs may receive employer-paid childcare during the employee’s working hours.

Requirements

• Meet one of the following education and experience pathways: a bachelor's degree with 12 or more credits in early childhood, child development, or a related field, plus 1 year of teaching and 1 year of supervisory experience; a NYS Children's Program Administrator Credential plus 1 year of teaching and 1 year of supervisory experience; an associate's degree in early childhood or a related field with a plan toward a bachelor's degree or administrator credential, plus 2 years of teaching and 2 years of supervisory experience; or a CDA or OCFS-recognized credential with a plan of study, plus 2 years of teaching and 2 years of supervisory experience.
• Be medically cleared to work in a childcare setting and free of communicable diseases, including TB.
• Have strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Be dependable, professional, and able to collaborate with staff and families.
• Be physically able to lift up to 50 pounds and actively engage with children.
• Be able to balance hands-on teaching and caregiving with leadership responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead a classroom serving children ages 10 months to 3 years and work directly with children for most of the day.
• Provide nurturing, responsive care and developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
• Plan and implement activities supporting social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development.
• Follow individual children's routines, interests, developmental needs, and emerging skills.
• Conduct ongoing observations and developmental assessments.
• Maintain a safe, nurturing, clean, and engaging classroom environment.
• Promote positive adult-child interactions using CLASS strategies and other developmentally appropriate practices.
• Support meals, diapering and toileting, rest, transitions, and other daily care needs.
• Build trusting relationships with children and families and communicate regularly about children's experiences and development.
• Participate in parent-teacher conferences twice per year.
• Assist with enrollment efforts, open houses, and community outreach.
• Use Creative Curriculum and other early childhood practices to support development and learning.
• Participate in CLASS, ECERS/ITERS, and other program quality observations and improvement efforts.
• Participate in professional development and required training.
• Help maintain a high-quality program that meets applicable NYS OCFS requirements.
• Support daily center operations and scheduling.
• Ensure compliance with NYS OCFS Day Care regulations and maintain required child and program records.
• Support staff onboarding, training, and supervision.
• Coordinate classroom supplies and materials.
• Collaborate with HR, enrollment, and regional leadership teams.

Benefits

• Employer-paid childcare for eligible children of all ages served by the programs during the employee's working hours
• Telehealth coverage
• Vision coverage
• Dental coverage
• AFLAC supplemental plans
• 401(k) for eligible employees
• Paid sick time
• On-demand pay with access to earned wages before the scheduled payday
• Career development and growth opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree