Two's Full Time Assistant Teacher

YMCA Of Greater Hartford•Glastonbury, CT

16d•$17 - $17

About The Position

The Assistant Teacher provides high-quality education and care for infants and toddlers under the guidance of the Head Teacher and supervision of the Child Development Director. The role supports daily classroom supervision, including outdoor play, and uses positive discipline techniques to maintain a safe and healthy environment. The position serves diverse communities equitably and promotes an inclusive, anti-racist, and respectful culture. The Assistant Teacher helps develop and implement developmentally appropriate curricula, uses child-development knowledge to assess and plan for individual children, and supports the daily program through preparation, attendance and meal counts, documentation, and classroom organization. The position also helps maintain center policies, state regulations, and NAEYC standards, while protecting confidential information about children and families. This role may involve working in preschool classrooms, with children with communicable diseases or disabilities, and on outdoor playgrounds that may not have handicapped access. Physical duties include moving around the classroom, responding promptly to safety concerns, sitting or kneeling at children's level, and lifting children or objects up to 40 pounds.

Requirements

Knowledge of infant and toddler development.
Knowledge of early childhood education, school readiness, and Connecticut Early Learning and Development standards.
Warm and nurturing personality.
Meet personal qualifications required by Part 407 licensing standards for child care centers, including emotional maturity, willingness to cooperate with program aims, respect for children and adults, flexibility, patience, good personal hygiene, and physical and mental health that does not interfere with responsibilities.
Ability to supervise children by sight and sound at all times and provide verbal direction.
Ability to move around a room and react quickly to safety issues.
Ability to remain calm, objective, and respectful in potentially stressful situations.
Ability to assist children and supervise daily activities, social interaction, and physical and emotional needs, including sitting on the floor, kneeling, bending, and crouching.
Ability to lift young children and objects up to 40 pounds.
Ability to work in a preschool classroom, possibly with children with communicable diseases and disabilities, and on outdoor playgrounds that may not have handicapped access.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual Spanish/English skills are a plus.
A minimum of two years of early childhood experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist the Teacher with daily classroom supervision, including outdoor play, using positive discipline techniques to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
Serve diverse communities equitably and promote an inclusive, anti-racist, brave, and respectful culture.
Assist the Teacher in creating and implementing developmentally appropriate curricula and submit forms and reports on time.
Use knowledge of child development to assess and plan for individual children.
Supervise parents and other classroom visitors.
Assist with practicing and documenting monthly fire drills, lockdown drills, and other emergencies.
Prepare materials, equipment, and information for the daily program; take daily attendance and lunch counts, including reports for CACFP or USDA.
Follow appropriate food-handling, sanitation, and OSHA procedures.
Assist in maintaining an anecdotal log for each enrolled child.
Keep classroom and storage materials neat, orderly, and safe.
Demonstrate YMCA core values of honesty, respect, responsibility, and caring, and contribute to trust, pride, and camaraderie.
Maintain confidentiality of child and family information.
Supervise a group of children.
Assist in maintaining center policies, OEC state regulations, and NAEYC standards.
Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

Tuition reimbursement up to $1,000 per year.
50% tuition discount at Post University.
Free YMCA membership, valued at $750 annually.
Childcare discounts for eligible employees; discounts vary by full-time or part-time employment status.
Program discounts on swim lessons, summer camp, sports, and other YMCA programs.
Paid time off for eligible employees.
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for eligible full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week; the YMCA covers 90% of employee medical premiums for eligible high-deductible health plans.
Retirement contribution of 12% of gross pay for eligible full-time and part-time employees after two years of service, provided they work at least 1,000 hours each year.
Free, confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling, services, and resources.
Free six-month SNOO rental for expecting parents working 20 or more hours per week.