Merakey Jobs

The Lead Teacher leads the classroom team in assessing and responding to the individual needs of Head Start and Community Development sponsored children in each of two sessions. This person oversees satellite center operations and provides daily support and assistance to classroom staff and volunteers. • Supervises the classroom team. Completes performance reviews as specified by the Personnel Policies and works with staff to develop Individual Training Plans. Works with Supervisor to provide staff training, development, coaching, and mentoring, as needed to the Assistant Teacher, Classroom Aide, interns, and volunteers.• Coordinates the scheduling of classroom activities, field trips, site observations, site committee meetings, and other relevant activities with the Center Director.• Models positive child-development practices.• Works with children with special needs in an inclusive setting.• Maintains control of the classroom group situation.• Develops clear, reasonable, consistent, and age-appropriate rules and expectations for children.• Assists children to develop decision-making and problem-solving skills.• Respects and acknowledges children's feelings by communicating with children in a positive manner, and providing a supportive social and emotional climate, using conscious discipline techniques.• Provides an environment of acceptance and enhances children's understanding of themselves as individuals.• Uses guidance and redirection to help children deal with anger and challenging behaviors.• Works with parents to strengthen the family's knowledge of child development which includes instruction about how children grow and learn, and information to meet their child's intellectual, physical, emotional, and social needs.• Prepares children and families for a successful transition to their next learning environment by incorporating transition activities into weekly planning.• Ensures that ongoing communication exists between home and the Center.• Uses feedback from CLASS observations to improve classroom environment. Develops an action plan when needed.• Makes at least two home visits and facilitates two parent conferences per year. Supervises the classroom team in efforts to involve parents in the education of their child.• Works with co-workers to encourage parent involvement through the planning of one-time projects and ongoing programs that particularly respond to the issues of the Center.• Complies with CACFP and NYS Office of Children and Family Services regulations and required documentation.• Refers children for special services as indicated and attends Committee on Preschool Special Education meetings as required. Supports families through the diagnostic and referral process. • Maintains a balance between teacher-directed and child-initiated activities in the classroom setting.• Responsible for the health and safety of children. Ensures that all accident reports are filed in a timely manner.• Uses the Creative Curriculum to create and maintain a classroom environment that meets the developmental needs of children and encourages their independence.• Responsible for the care and inventory of center equipment. Requisitions new equipment and supplies through immediate supervisor.• Nurtures children’s social/emotional development by integrating the importance of feelings into the education curriculum and teaching strategies from the Second Step curriculum.• Implements Conscious Discipline and Pyramid Model techniques into the classroom to address social/emotional needs of children.• Submits weekly lesson plans through Teaching Strategies Gold that align with Creative Curriculum and learning objectives.

Minimum Salary: 18.00 Maximum Salary: 19.00 Salary Unit: Hourly