Lead Teacher PreSchool

SALARY RANGE

$54,200 - $75,100

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Educare DC is growing to serve over 424 children from birth to five years - and their families - through our state-of-the-art center and through community partnerships. Building on the program foundations of Early Head Start and Head Start and accredited by NAEYC, Educare DC promotes school readiness by providing high-quality, comprehensive early learning programming for children who are historically underserved, eliminating the opportunity gap often experienced by low-income communities.

Educare DC is part of the 25-school Educare Learning Network that serves as a platform for broader change, inspiring high-quality programs in communities, improving public policies nationally and within each state, and demonstrating a comprehensive, research-based approach to the first five years of life and learning. Educare draws on a blend of private and public dollars, including federal child care funding, Early Head Start, Pre-K, and other state and federal funding streams.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Under the direction of the Mentor Teacher, the Preschool Lead Teacher will develop and implement individual educational plans for children, which support their development socially, intellectually, linguistically, physically, and emotionally in a manner appropriate to their age and stage of development. They will provide a high quality language enriched with early learning experience for children ages three to five, while establishing a developmentally appropriate classroom environment favorable to the development and personal growth of children.

The Preschool Teacher will facilitate children's development of communication abilities, and content knowledge needed for future success in school, in accordance with each child's ability and based on the Educare core components and local early learning standards. The Preschool Teacher will be held responsible for implementing all program requirements in adherence to all performance and outcomes standards as prescribed by the multiple funding and model requirements.

Responsibilities

Program Core Features of the Educare Model:

• Participate in training to build an understanding of the Educare Model
• Provide a high-quality early learning program that incorporates evidence-based curriculum and instructional activities
• Implement, document, and demonstrate an understanding of the importance of multiple perspectives and have the skills to be successful in their interdisciplinary efforts
• Participate in Family Child Service Reviews as scheduled
• Maintain professional competence through in-service education activities provided by Educare of Washington, DC, the Educare Learning Network, and through other professional growth activities
• Meet with the Mentor Teacher on a weekly basis; review classroom and child data, develop an action plan, support goal achievement through active collaboration
• Facilitate reflective supervision, as both a participant and through utilization in managing classroom staff and volunteers
• Collaborate with the Family Engagement Specialist (assigned to each child), and other Educare personnel and support staff to promote individual children's goals relating to communication skills, health habits, physical skills, development of self-awareness, and early literacy
• Participate in the local evaluation and national Educare Implementation Study, engaging in a system of reciprocal, regular data feedback and utilization for individualized planning for children and families and continuous program improvement
• Create an effective environment for learning through functional and attractive displays, interest centers, and exhibits of children's work
• Support and provide continuity of care to help children develop secure relationships
• In support of ongoing, intensive professional development, Lead Teachers attend and participate in all scheduled trainings, engage in coaching cycles with their Teacher Assistants and Teacher Aides, and develop individual plans for their own professional development
• Provide an enhanced curriculum focused on:

Language and Literacy

Social/Emotional development

Problem-solving and numeracy

Integration of the Arts

Curriculum:

• Plan and implement classroom activities that are child-centered, developmentally appropriate, open-ended and process oriented
• Support children's ideas, initiatives, and creativity
• Develop and manage an attractive and engaging environment that encourages independence and self-selection of activities
• Provide early learning experiences in literacy, language, mathematics, sciences, social studies, physical education, fine arts, foreign language, social-emotional development, and other subject matter suited to the needs of children
• Develop and use instructional materials suitable for verbal or visual instruction of children with a wide range of mental, physical, and emotional maturities
• Develop in each child an awareness of his/her worth as an individual and his/her role in the family and community
• Meet with Teaching Assistant…