Lead Teacher - Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Job title: Lead Teacher - Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Reports to: Early Education Director

Department: Early Education Center

Type: Full Time

Background on UTEC, Inc.

UTEC’s promise is to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disengaged youth to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. UTEC’s outcomes-focused model begins with intensive street outreach, reaching proven high-risk youth where they’re at. UTEC engages youth in workforce development and educational programs, and provides mental health services and intensive case management. Social justice and civic engagement are embedded in all programming. For more info, please visit www.utecinc.org.

UTEC is committed to its vision for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion which pledges to honor the lived experiences and expertise of individuals; create community and celebration of cultures; challenge all forms of oppression; and embody a culture that leans into discomfort and recognizes it as a growth opportunity. UTEC is dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practice, the health, mental health, and overall well-being of young adults and staff and to creating an environment that supports work-life balance and the individual and professional growth of all. 

Job Summary 

The Lead Teacher (Infant, Toddler, Preschool) will join a collaborative team at UTEC’s 2Gen Early Education Center. They will support the classrooms and staff in creating a warm and loving educational setting across all three classrooms, filling in or floating based on daily priorities. The Lead Teacher will play a key role in assisting teachers in the implementation of planned activities in all domains, such as Social-Emotional, Language, Sensory, Creative Arts, Science, Math, Fine Motor, Gross Motor and Cognitive Skills. Overall, this position will play a key leadership role in ensuring that the 2Gen center runs seamlessly across all classrooms on a daily basis.

Duties/Responsibilities 

• Work collaboratively with classroom teachers in implementing activities for children.
• Support and maintain a safe and positive classroom.
• Reinforce classroom rules and practices under the guidance of the classroom teachers
• Assist classroom teacher with record-keeping, such as attendance, Daily sheets, 
• Provide effective and nurturing child interactions
• Provide feedback to classroom teachers on observations of children, including their progress, interactions, interests and development.
• Assist classroom teachers by getting materials ready, setting up activities and assisting in clean up. 
• Assist children with basic care, meals, snacks, toileting and diapering, and classroom clean up. 
• Help supervise and support children’s behaviors under the guidance of the classroom teacher.
• Communicate regularly with classroom teachers to share information about children, families.
• Respond immediately to the individual needs of children and families.
• Maintain confidentiality of information outside the classroom; information is shared only with those staff directly involved with the children and families
• Assist in special event programs for families and children, and school community
• Follow all company, state and procedures.
• Participate in monthly staff meetings.
• Cover teachers breaks and Planning time.
• Covering teachers when sick or Vacation time.
• Actively participates in professional development training to ensure that:
  • Floater working at least ten but fewer than 20 hours per week shall complete a minimum of 12 hours of professional development activities per year.
  • Floater working 20 or more hours per week shall complete a minimum of 20 hours of professional development activities per year;

Required Skills/Abilities 

• Perspective Taking: Comfortable working in a diverse environment and considers divergent opinions.
• Coachable: Open to feedback and personal and professional improvement.
• Commitment: Genuinely cares about children’s and families’ success.
• Team Player: Upholds UTEC’s mission, values and vibe.
• Child-Focused: Makes decisions with children’s interest at the center.
• Family-Focused: Truly believes that guardians and parents are partners in children’s learning and demonstrates warmth, friendliness and care toward families. Direct experience working with 17-25 year olds is also highly valued.
• Sense of Humor: Ability to laugh at oneself is a must!
• Comfortable working with all ages. 

Education and Experience 

• Must have a Department of EEC “Lead Teacher” certification in all early childhood education age groups: Infant/Toddler, and Preschool, or be “Teacher” certified with the ability to become “Lead Teacher” certified.
• Experience teaching in infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms. 
• Curriculum development and lesson planning experience strongly preferred. 
• Experience teaching under the Reggio framework is a plus.

Physical Requirements 

• Ability to lift small children ages infant through preschool

Salary/Benefits: $48,500-$58,000 plus benefits, commensurate with experience. UTEC offers a competitive benefits package that starts with 4 weeks of vacation (3 standard for all new employees and a week of agency-wide closure between the Christmas and New Year holidays), 12 holidays, 10 sick days, 2 personal days, health, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, an annual cost of living increase, a 457B retirement plan and up to $4,000 per employee of professional development support.  With time, benefits grow to include up to 6 weeks of vacation, 80% coverage of employee health and dental insurance costs and availability for a 3 week sabbatical. 

Education & Certifications: Any current 2Gen staff member that receives any additional educational certifications, degrees, or additional licenses while they are employed will be eligible for a one-time bonus based on UTEC’s education bonus policy.

UTEC also stresses the importance of work-life balance and offers several wellness opportunities including additional time off (i.e. for the past two years we have closed at 3pm on Fridays during the summer months), an employee assistance program, down payment assistance for first time home buyers, parental leave, bereavement supports and unlimited free coffee!

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