Early Learning Teacher - Infant/Toddler

Diocese of St. Augustine•Jacksonville, FL

21h

About The Position

The Early Learning Teacher - Infant/Toddler, under the direction of the director, provides a warm, nurturing, stimulating, safe, and loving environment where children can develop cognitive, verbal, social, emotional, and physical skills appropriately. The teacher plans and implements culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate educational programs and daily lesson plans based on the approved curriculum, conducts ongoing assessments and documentation, and creates balanced routines and stimulating learning environments for children at different developmental levels, including children with special needs. The role includes supporting children's health, safety, development, and nutrition; partnering with families through communication, meetings, and involvement activities; maintaining classroom transitions and confidentiality; and participating in professional development, including at least 35 annual in-service training hours. The position is full-time and non-exempt. Some evening and weekend hours may be required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
DCF 45-hour training; if currently holding a valid DCF Staff Credential, training may begin within 30 days of hire and must be completed within 6 months.
Knowledge of child growth and development and developmentally appropriate practices for children from birth to age 5.
Knowledge of applicable safety and abuse-reporting procedures.
Must successfully pass the required criminal background check before employment and every five years thereafter.
Must complete the Protecting God’s Children (PGC) workshop before employment.
Must complete TB screening and a physical within 10 days of hire and every two years thereafter.
Must register for and complete Infant & Child First Aid and CPR certification within 6 months of hire and renew it before expiration.
Must be able to complete 35 hours of in-service training each fiscal year.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations; write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals; present information effectively and respond to questions.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals; compute rates, ratios, and percentages; and draw and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, interpret technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form, and deal with abstract and concrete variables.

Nice To Haves

Practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church preferred.
National CDA, required for VPK.
Prior experience in a child care setting preferred.
Flexibility, ability to work well with others, and excellent communication skills with parents or co-teachers.

Responsibilities

Plan and implement culturally sensitive educational programs that are developmentally appropriate for each child's age and language.
Plan and implement daily lesson plans based on the approved curriculum to promote children's cognitive, verbal, social, emotional, and physical development.
Conduct ongoing assessments and complete individualization documentation in a timely manner.
Plan a balanced daily routine that encourages play, exploration, and learning through teacher-directed and child-directed activities indoors and outdoors.
Provide a developmentally appropriate, stimulating learning environment with new and interesting materials each week, meeting the developmental levels of all children, including children with special needs.
Conduct daily health checks on each child and plan weekly activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.
Follow procedures for medical and dental emergencies, short-term exclusion of children, and administration, handling, and storage of medication.
Follow safe practices to prevent injuries and maintain a sanitary, hygienic classroom.
Encourage healthy eating habits and conversation, serve food in ways that support children's development and socialization, and assist with kitchen duties as assigned.
Follow infants' individual feeding schedules and hold infants who cannot sit independently while feeding.
Attend parent meetings as assigned and inform parents about children's progress through notes, portfolios, conferences, and other formal and informal communication.
Maintain transition procedures for children moving between classrooms in coordination with appropriate staff.
Plan and implement family involvement activities.
Participate in on-site and off-site professional development and workshops and complete at least 35 annual in-service training hours.
Maintain confidentiality.
Perform other duties as assigned.