Job Title: Lead Teacher
Reports to: Early Childhood Director
Hours 7:45-4:00 PM
Position Purpose
The purpose of this position is to provide daily care, supervision, and implementation of developmentally
appropriate activities for children in the assigned classrooms. The Lead Teacher will develop weekly
scheduled activities in the areas of the eight learning domains as outlined by the Indiana Early Learning
Foundations; Language/Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Creative Arts, Social Studies, Approaches to Play
and Learning, Physical Health and Growth, Social/Emotional. The environment will be warm and welcoming
and conducive to learning and supporting the child’s development of a positive self image. In the rooms where
children are resting, it is important that the teacher is attentive to the sleeping children, calmly helps get them
comfortable and is able to work on various EC tasks when all children are asleep. The Lead Teacher must
also be willing to put forth the extra effort of developing the Early Childhood program and to participate in the
implementation of developmentally appropriate practices, accreditation guidelines provided by NAEYC, and the
Reggio Emilia philosophy regarding young children.
Giving Tree Staff will:
● Promote positive relationships for all children and adults to encourage each child’s sense of individual
worth.
● Maintain professional ethics standards as outlined by NAEYC including upholding the confidentiality of
our students and their families.
● Implement a curriculum that fosters all areas of child development: cognitive, emotional, language,
physical and social.
● Use developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate effective teaching approaches through the
use of the Indiana Early Learning Foundation Standards and Responsive Classroom techniques.
● Utilize the Reggio Emilia approach to learning in both instruction and environment.
● Provide ongoing assessments of a child’s learning and development and communicate the child's
progress to the family.
● Promote the nutrition and health of children and protect children and staff from injury and illness.
● Employ a teaching staff that has the educational qualifications, knowledge and professional
commitment necessary to promote children’s learning and development, and to support families’
diverse needs and interests.
● Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with the students, families and staff.
● Establish relationships with and use the resources of the community to support the achievement of
program goals.
● Provide a safe and healthy physical environment.
● Implement strong personnel, fiscal, and program management policies so that all children, families and
staff have high quality experiences.
NAEYC Accreditation Standards; 2016
Lead Teacher Qualifications and Responsibilities
● Maintain a classroom blog, posting 3 times a week. Posts must include a short description, pictures of
every child, and an early learning standard.
● Create a portfolio for each child containing assessments, observations, student information, and work
samples.
● Record 4 observations per child per month. Observations should be put in portfolios at the end of each
month.
● Assessments such as ISTAR-KR and Ages and Stages should be done throughout the year.
ISTAR-KRs should be done twice a year in December and in May. Ages and Stages should be done on
children ages 1-2, 30 days after their start date and as needed for older children.
● Post documentation in the hallway about activities that were done in the classroom. Update
documentation regularly.
Education/Experience
The Lead Teacher is required to have a minimum of six months teaching experience in a licensed or
registered facility. The Lead Teacher must also have a degree relevant to Early Childhood Education, CDA
Credential, or be in the process (within 18 months) of obtaining a CDA credential.
Continuing education or 20+ hours of professional development are required of each staff member in order to
stay current on Best Practices and to meet Licensing requirements. Staff will be asked to participate in a
variety of staff in-services (including monthly staff meetings), some of which may take place in the evening and
family engagement events which may occur on weekends or in the evenings.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
● Develops weekly plans, and implements age appropriate curriculum to nurture and stimulate all
domains of children’s development in their care.
● Provides a developmentally appropriate, organized and clean classroom environment that reflects the
children’s learning and growth and encourages parent participation.
● Perform ongoing developmental evaluations and assessments of children to support curriculum
development and differentiated instruction.
● Routinely reflect, plan, evaluate and improve the physical environment in the classroom to create
opportunities to meet the changing needs of the developing child.
● Embody the principles of the Reggio Emilia philosophy and utilize the 100 Languages of Children in
daily instruction and classroom environment.
● Maintain and adhere to Paths to QUALITY Guidelines.
● Demonstrate cultural competency and respect for the child's background by incorporating the cultural,
linguistic and familial values and beliefs into instruction and classroom environment.
● Model appropriate meal time etiquette through interactions at meals and snack times
● Exchange information and serve as a member of a multi-disciplinary intervention/prevention team.
● Maintain a classroom blog with a minimum of 3 posts a week, Foundation standards and photographs
to be shared with parents and to be utilized as a community outreach tool.
● Complete Weekly 5 blog assignments in a timely manner and in a way that reflects the professional
standards of the education profession.
● Ensure that each family receives an opportunity to build strong relationships and experience clear
communication with teaching staff.
● Completes daily meal and attendance records when applicable.
● Assures a healthy, safe, clean and developmentally appropriate environment for children. Including
staying aware of individual health needs of children such as allergies or asthma.
● Utilizes mentoring and routinely reflects with supervisor and engages in ongoing self reflection
● Seeks to collaborate with peers and adopts a growth mindset.
● Ensures that Co-teachers or Assistant Teachers are kept updated in all matters concerning the
classroom and program, i.e. Lead Teacher Meetings, lesson plans, policies & procedures, training
received.
● Completes yearly performance evaluations and staff surveys.
● Reports all staffing and classroom concerns to the supervisor in a timely manner.
● Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities provided by the school or through
outside resources.
● In accordance with our "team" philosophy, the person filling this position may occasionally be required
to carry out or assist with other tasks in addition to the duties listed on this job description.
● On site all days that HHAI states is a teacher and/or student day.
● Participation in Early Childhood Family Reggio Events (2 Sundays per year).
● Showcase the school’s program, philosophy and curriculum at Back to School Night/Parent Information
Night and School Picnic and support community based initiatives.
● Maintenance of student portfolios, completion of ongoing assessments and conducts Parent/Teacher
conferences two/three times per year depending on age group.
● Preparation and participation in Early Childhood fundraisers and all Early Childhood events.
● Understanding and agreement to follow the procedures and expectations outlined in the Staff
Handbook including food, drink, personal items and cell phone and social media policies.
● The teacher will be free of communicative disease, such as TB, and maintain a drug free lifestyle.
● Universal Precautions completed annually.
● Infant CPR and First Aid completed annually.
● Submit to drug testing at point of hire and randomly if drug use is suspected.
● Limited Criminal History check and fingerprinting (every 3 years).
● All items will be kept in a confidential folder for each staff member.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be made by an employee to
successfully perform the essential job functions of the Lead Teacher.
● While performing this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend over, lift and do a
variety of mobile positions for the needs of young children.
● The employee is frequently required to use hands, fingers, to climb or balance, stoop and kneel.
● The employee must frequently lift and move up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 50
pounds.
● As an employee of Early Childhood, any staff member must be willing to work with children who may
have bathroom accidents and/or require diaper changes.
● The employee must be able to do many of these items without warning or with a quick response time
for emergency situations such as fire or tornado drills.
● The employee must be able to participate in the children’s activities in the Big Muscle Room, gym time,
and recess. There will not be chairs or sitting time provided.
Communication Skills
The Lead Teacher must be able to professionally respond to common inquiries or complaints from students
and parents and communicate with the co-teacher, assistant, director, parents and any other HHAI staff in
regard to the children and their needs. Proficiency in the use of email (gmail), Google applications (documents,
sheets, photos, blogger, calendar etc.) is a requirement of all HHAI staff.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter
while performing the day-to-day functions of this job.
● Indoor and a variety of outdoor weather conditions
● High and low noise levels
● Variety of odors to be tolerated
● Obstacles on the floor that require the ability to move around, above or under.
● Exposure to a variety of childhood and adult diseases and illnesses.
Relationships
Responsible for maintaining positive, respectful and professional relationships with:
● Children and families in the Early Childhood Program
● Kitchen staff, office staff, janitorial/maintenance staff and guests in the Early Childhood program
● All other Giving Tree Early Learning and HHAI staff
● Professional staff from other related agencies
● The greater Jewish community and community at large
Benefits for the Teacher
● Each Early Childhood employee will have the benefit of working in a healthy, positive environment
where each individual is valued for the strengths that they bring to the TEAM
● The Early Childhood employee will be valued for the contributions made daily and for those efforts that
impact children in a way we may never know.
● All Early Childhood employees will have the support and backing of the Early Childhood Director. The
Early Childhood Director is in place to help the Early Childhood staff provide the children of Giving Tree
Early Learning with the best education possible.
● Each Lead Teacher, Co-Teacher and Judaic Teacher will be provided with prep time when working a full
school day. The prep time must not interfere with ratio and/or the safety and supervision of the children.
The EC Director will decide the specific outline of the time. Additional prep time can be requested and
will be given based on staffing.
● This preparation time is to be used for preparation for Early Childhood purposes, parent meetings,
meetings with Giving Tree/HHAI administration and other school related activities.
