Preschool Lead Teacher (All Locations)

YMCA of Metro Atlanta•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Preschool Lead Teacher delivers a high-quality educational experience for children and families under their care, implementing the program according to its goals and objectives and following YMCA, Bright from the Start licensing, and Quality Rated requirements. Parent involvement is critical to the program’s impact and success. The role includes directly supervising and developing classroom associates and managing day-to-day classroom operations. The teacher plans and implements developmentally appropriate, inclusive learning experiences that support children’s intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development and readiness for school. The position requires ongoing supervision of children, preparation of lesson plans and classroom environments, developmental observation and assessment, accurate attendance and meal reporting, and compliance with applicable regulations and program guidelines. The teacher also participates in required meetings, training, professional development, and continuing education.

Requirements

CDA, TCC, associate degree in Early Childhood Education, or a higher credential.
Must be at least 21 years of age.
Transcript and documentation supporting credentials.
Experience working with children in an organized setting.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
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.
Ability to kneel, bend, squat, lift, push, pull, and carry objects or children weighing up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
Two or more years of experience working with children under five in a state-licensed center.
NAEYC or Quality Rated experience.

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.
Support school readiness by developing children’s literacy, phonemic, print, language, vocabulary, and book-appreciation skills.
Build foundations in early math, early science, problem-solving, and approaches to learning.
Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment and support children’s social and emotional development.
Consistently use individualized, inclusive, age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate practices across all areas of child development.
Meet federal, state, local, and program requirements and timelines for compliance, implementation, and documentation.
Actively participate in teaching by moving throughout indoor and outdoor learning environments.
Maintain constant supervision of children during activities and whenever they are under the teacher’s direct care.
Redirect inappropriate behaviors positively and non-punitively, 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 usage.
Plan and implement integrated, thematic, age-appropriate activities based on children’s individual needs and interests.
Prepare lesson plans, materials, and classroom environments in advance, keeping them organized, interactive, appropriate, clean, safe, and hands-on.
Balance open and structured, child-initiated and teacher-directed activities.
Implement large-group, small-group, and individualized instruction.
Plan and implement strategies for transitions between daily activities.
Organize classroom space into recognizable, functional, and clutter-free interest areas.
Conduct and record ongoing observations describing the whole child and developmental milestones.
Administer and record regularly scheduled developmental assessments as required by program guidelines.
Use assessment information consistently to plan, teach, and individualize classroom activities.
Immediately report suspected disabilities and abuse to the appropriate authority based on assessments, observations, developmental milestones, or typical behavior.
Record and submit accurate daily attendance in the roll book.
Count, record, and submit accurate 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-appropriate health, safety, classroom organization, aesthetic, and sanitation guidelines.
Follow mandatory reporting requirements for suspected abuse, unsafe conditions, repair needs, complaints, accidents, and injuries.