Head Start Lead Teacher (All Locations)

YMCA of Metro Atlanta•Madison, GA

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Center Manager/Director, the Head Start Lead Teacher is responsible for implementing the day-to-day operation of services for children ages 3–5. The role includes supervising and developing classroom associates, planning and delivering developmentally appropriate learning experiences, maintaining a safe and healthy classroom, and supporting children’s intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development. The teacher also works with families through home visits, conferences, and classroom participation, and completes required observations, assessments, attendance records, meal counts, reports, and compliance documentation. The position requires consistent supervision of children indoors and outdoors, active participation in teaching, and the use of inclusive, individualized practices. The teacher must follow program, licensing, health, safety, sanitation, and mandatory-reporting requirements and participate in required meetings, training, professional development, and continuing education. Employment and benefits are offered through the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
PDS documentation, transcripts, and proof of credentials.
Ability to kneel, bend, squat, lift, push, pull, and carry objects or children weighing up to 50 pounds.
Ability to pass a pre-employment background check, including criminal-record check, drug screening, motor-vehicle-record check, and reference check, according to company policy.
Must be legally eligible to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Directly supervise and develop classroom associates and manage day-to-day classroom operations.
Plan and implement learning experiences that advance children’s intellectual and physical development and school readiness.
Develop children’s literacy, phonemic and print awareness; language and vocabulary; appreciation of books; early math and science; problem-solving; and approaches to learning.
Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment and support children’s social and emotional development.
Encourage family involvement in the Head Start program and support relationships between children and their families.
Use developmentally appropriate, individualized, inclusive practices across areas of child development.
Meet applicable federal, state, local, program, performance, monitoring, licensing, and disabilities-service requirements and timelines.
Complete developmental assessments, parent conferences, and home visits as required.
Actively participate in teaching activities and constantly supervise children during activities and whenever they are under the teacher’s care.
Redirect inappropriate behavior positively and respond promptly and nurturingly to children in distress.
Use developmentally appropriate feeding, toileting, cleaning, and health-care practices, including for children with special health-care needs.
Model appropriate language, including grammatically correct verbal and written language.
Plan, prepare, and implement age-appropriate, integrated, thematic, relevant, stimulating, and challenging activities based on children’s individual needs and interests.
Prepare lesson plans, materials, and an organized, interactive, clean, safe, hands-on learning environment in advance.
Balance child-initiated and teacher-directed activities, including open and structured activities; implement large-group, small-group, and individualized instruction.
Plan and implement transitions between daily activities and organize classroom space into recognizable, clutter-free functional areas.
Conduct and document ongoing observations of children’s development and milestones.
Conduct required home visits in the home and on time; hold scheduled and additional parent conferences at a time, manner, and location convenient for parents, emphasizing positive developmental information.
Administer and record scheduled developmental assessments and use assessment information to plan, teach, and individualize classroom activities.
Refer suspected disabilities and abuse promptly to the appropriate authority based on assessments, observations, milestones, or typical behavior.
Plan and provide opportunities for parents and volunteers to participate in the classroom and at home.
Record and total daily attendance accurately, submit attendance and other applicable reports, and submit monthly tabulated attendance by the third day of the following month.
Count, record, and submit accurate daily meal counts to food service staff after each meal.
Attend and participate in required team, site, and agency meetings, trainings, professional development, and continuing education.
Follow and enforce site-specific health, safety, classroom organization, aesthetic, and sanitation guidelines.
Follow mandatory reporting requirements for suspected abuse, unsafe conditions, repair needs, complaints, accidents, and injuries.