Head Teacher

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION TITLE: Head Teacher
DEPARTMENT: Early Care and Education

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt
PAY GRADE: 8

REPORTS TO: Instructional Leader

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The purpose of this position is to support the Agency’s needs by providing developmentally appropriate care and education for children in accordance with established principles of early childhood education including but not limited to, The Office of Early Childhood Daycare Regulations, National Association for the Education of Young Children Accreditation Standards, and Child and Adult Food Care Program. Act as a role model to staff by emphasizing punctuality, professionalism and fairness. Establish an educational setting that meets the highest standards of quality in all domains.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position in the class. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

Head Teacher Responsibilities:

• In the absence of Instructional Leader or Assistant Director, or designee, assist to monitor staff arrival and departure times to ensure compliance to appropriate ratios and group sizes.
• Assist to monitor staff breaks and lunch breaks to ensure timely return to ensure adequate coverage for all staff to have breaks and lunch breaks.
• Assist to reassign staff as appropriate to bring center into compliance.
• Ensure all parent concerns are acknowledged promptly in absence of on-site manager.
• Immediately communicate all concerns to the Instructional Leader or Assistant Director to ensure parent concerns are addressed promptly.
• Support Instructional Leader or Assistant Director with staff meetings, in-service trainings, and administrative duties as requested.
• Oversee all emergencies, incidents and accidents in absence of Instructional Leader or Assistant Director.
• Inform management immediately of any accidents requiring medical attention and or emergency medical personnel attention.

Supervision of Children:

• Ensure children are supervised by sight and sound at all times as stated in CRT Supervision Handbook. Ensure all others working in classroom are in compliance.
• Comply with and enforce CRT Supervision Policy and Procedures of children by ensuring, including but not limited to, the use of supervision cards and appropriate name to face counts, and maintaining appropriate teacher to child ratios and group sizes.
• Attend team meetings, CRT trainings, Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meetings, Parent Teacher Conferences, and other meetings as required or mandated.
• Complete required paperwork in a timely manner in accordance with CRT policy and procedure. Such paperwork shall include but not be limited to, accident/incident reports, individual emergency contact information for each child, first aid kit checklists, daily safety checklists, daily health checklist, playground checklist, attendance, meal counts, etc.
• Responsible for overall safety, sanitation, and cleanliness of classroom at all times.
• Maintain that all classrooms and playground(s) in center are well organized and free from clutter at all times.
• Ensure safe working environment and follow all agency safety procedures and reporting.
• Perform and complete all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

• Educational program:

• Provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum and daily plan in accordance with assigned CRT curriculum, policies and procedures.
• Comply with deadlines established for completion of daily and weekly tasks as assigned by the Instructional Leader and all other content areas as assigned.
• Ensure the Learning Experience Plan (LEP) and all accompanying documentation is completed weekly and given to the Instructional Leader for review as required, by specific timelines.
• Collaborate with Instructional Leader to help understand identified special needs children, to individualize each child's needs and goals as needed.
• Establish behavioral strategies in conjunction with Instructional Leader for any child with behavioral challenges that impede his/her learning experience.
• Implement Individual Education Plans (IEP) as needed.

• Working with families and children:

• Communicate professionally and effectively with all families and children daily.
• Communicate with and respond to individual children during activities and routine by communicating with children at eye level, using appropriate tone of voice and modeling and questioning to extending children's thinking and language.
• Use and model positive guidance techniques with all children in accordance with CRT policies and procedures and Department of Children and Families Abuse and Neglect Training.
• Ensure mandated reporter guidelines are followed at all times.
• Recognize and celebrate cultural diversity into daily routines and engage families to contribute to and participate in multicultural activities regularly.
• Establish and maintain professional interactions and relationship of respect, mutual trust, and collaboration with families and all staff.

• Child and Adult Food Care Program:

• Ensure compliance to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) as outlined by program standards. Ensure all others working in the classroom are in compliance.
• Ensure CACFP guidelines are met for all meals including but not limited to, point of service meal counts, meal portions, and family meal style service.

  ADDITIONAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Education: Must have the minimum of an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education to meet the minimum educational requirement. Minimum CT Charts a Course Ladder Level of 10 required. Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education preferred.

Minimum Years of Experience: Three-five (3-5) years classroom experience working with children in a state-licensed program required. Experience supervising staff preferred.

Certifications: Valid Head Teacher certificate in appropriate age group from Connecticut Charts-a-Course required. First Aid for Children, CPR Certification, and Administration of Medication preferred.

Demonstrated Skills: Ability to work on a team, share and implement ideas and activities for intervention with children and families. Must possess good oral and written skills; strong planning and organizational skills; ability to establish and foster effective working relationships among employees, families, support personnel and administration; staff leadership and supervisory skills; attention to detail and accuracy in data collection and report preparation.

Age Requirement: Candidate must be a minimum 20 years of age.

Physical and TB Required: YES – Physical required upon hire and every 2 years. TB required upon hire.