PreK Lead Teacher

The Arc Montgomery County•Silver Spring, MD

19h

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Childcare Center Director, the Pre-K Lead Teacher is responsible for overseeing the Pre-K classrooms to prepare children for school readiness following developmentally appropriate, culturally linguistically responsive instruction and evidence-based curricula.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE), Special Education, Child Psychology or other related field with course work in Child Development and Curriculum Methods plus one year of relevant experience. Must be a Maryland certified teacher and sustain certification requirements as set forth by MSDE, or be enrolled in a state-approved program that will lead to such certification. Or associate degree (AA) in Early Childhood Education (ECE), Special Education, Child Psychology or other related field with course work in Child Development and Curriculum Methods plus ten (10) years of experience with this age group (Ages 3 and 4) plus minimal score on class and work in a Pre-K funded classroom, maintaining all Pre-K grant requirements.
Must have pre-employment medical exam, TB test and a full background check including fingerprinting.
Must maintain a Maryland Child Care Credential at a level six
Must be able to lift and/or carry up to 25 pounds.
Must be able to withstand prolonged periods of standing, frequent bending, stooping, reaching, pushing and pulling.

Responsibilities

Plan, prepare and implement weekly lesson plans addressing all domains of development including social, emotional, physical, and cognitive and language experiences.
Write, implement and monitor Individual Plans (IP) to ensure they are being followed adequately. Keep current with each child’s developmental and educational needs through the use of an approved assessment/screening and developmental tool. Update individual goals semi-annually. Conduct semi-annual conferences with parents/guardians by telephone, in writing and/or in person. Assure proper and complete documentation of all necessary paperwork (daily sheets, weekly newsletters, attendance records, observation records, pertinent parent conversations).
Confer with the nursing staff regularly around concerns or questions pertaining to a child’s medical condition or needs. Keep current with each child’s medical status.
Communicate regularly with parents/guardians about their child and other necessary center related information. Maintain open communication and work alongside other community partners such as MCPS and MSDE professionals to ensure goals and outcomes for school readiness are being met.
Work with the Assistant Director of KFICCC in supervising and evaluating other Pre-K Teachers and Pre-K Teacher Assistants. Supervise, orient and guide substitutes, student teachers and volunteers assigned to the classroom. Assure communication and training among all classroom staff including information regarding children’s progress and techniques for teaching skills and best practices used in a classroom setting.
Complete at least 24 hours of COK (Core of Knowledge) training annually. Apply for state credentialing and work towards and maintain at least a level 5 credential.
Assist in the center Accreditation Process as indicted by Administration.
Meet regularly with other Pre-K teaching staff to provide classroom support and guidance in the areas of; assisting with writing IP goals, preparing for parent/guardian conferences, maintain student portfolios, assuring all assessments/observations are current and assist with writing developmentallyappropriate lessonplans.
Work with Pre-K teaching staff to provide tools for professional and effective communication with families including available community resources. Assist staff with documentation of staff and family consultations and trainings.
Maintain a safe, inclusive and inviting classroom environment. Keep a classroom inventory of materials/supplies to assure adequate teaching materials are available at all times and oversee recommendations for purchasing developmentally appropriate equipment.
Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.