Lead Teacher - Head Start, Preschool - (South Portland based)

The Opportunity Alliance • South Portland, ME

13d • Onsite

About The Position

The Opportunity Alliance is seeking a Head Start Lead Teacher to join the Head Start team and make a difference in the lives of children and families in your community. Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from low-income families through local programs. Head Start and Early Head Start programs support the mental, social, and emotional development of children from birth to age 5. The Lead Teacher is responsible for providing safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environments in center-based settings and supervision of Assistant teachers and any additional classroom staff. The Lead Teacher implements child development programming to support the overall growth and development of children and families in accordance with the Family and Early Childhood Education program plan, Head Start Performance Standards, State of Maine licensing rules, and NAEYC Accreditation Standards.

Requirements

• An Associate degree in Early Childhood Education or an Associate degree in a related field with 12 infant/toddler credits or; an Infant/Toddler Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or comparable credential (Maine ITC) and an Associate degree in a related field required.
• Knowledge of the important role that culture plays in child & family development.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with complex information to address challenging situations.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with teams.
• Commitment to social justice and the mission of Head Start.
• Must be able to successfully pass a criminal background, child protective service check & sex offender check.
• Must not be on the state or federal suspension and disbarment list.
• Must be able to pass pre-employment physical and TB screen.
• Must be current on MMR and TDAP immunizations.
• Must be able to exert significant physical effort with frequent standing, walking, reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching, typing and frequently lift and carry small children or material weighing up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or social work preferred.
• 1-3 years of supervisory experience preferred.
• 2-4 years of center-based teaching, early intervention, home visiting or community-based work related to infants/toddlers and their families preferred.

Responsibilities

• Providing safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environments in center-based settings
• Supervision of Assistant teachers and any additional classroom staff
• Implementing child development programming to support the overall growth and development of children and families in accordance with the Family and Early Childhood Education program plan, Head Start Performance Standards, State of Maine licensing rules, and NAEYC Accreditation Standards.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off accrual
• 9 paid holidays per calendar year and up to 3 floating holidays per calendar year
• Excellent medical benefits at very reasonable cost
• Dental and Vision insurance options
• Agency paid basic life insurance and STD & LTD disability insurances
• 403(b) retirement with a generous agency match (all employees are eligible)
• Tuition Reimbursement – offered once per year through an application process

What This Job Offers

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