Associate Teacher

Associate Teacher, Children's Discovery Center

The Associate Teacher, Children's Discovery Center position is a full-time benefited position. The Associate Teacher supports the Teacher in providing a high-quality educational experience that promotes the holistic development of children. The Associate Teacher contributes to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of classroom activities, helping children achieve developmental milestones. The focus of this role is to assist in achieving key outcomes related to childcare, child development, classroom management, and family engagement.

Hours of Work:
Monday – Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm. Screening will begin ASAP and continue until the position is filled. Start date to be determined, but as soon as practicable after the hiring/interview process.

Salary and Benefits:
This is a full-time, benefited Classified 4 level position. Starting salary range: $16.59 - $18.75/hourly, depending upon experience. Educational Benefits for the employees and dependents Tuition Reimbursement 15 – 18 Paid Holiday/Closure Days Three Paid Personal Days Healthcare/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance Generous Retirement Benefits - 14.62% Employer Paid/4% Employee Paid Paid Vacation and Sick Leave Onsite Childcare Center Professional Development Opportunities

Essential Functions:

This position is non-exempt and is eligible for compensatory or overtime pay provisions of the FLSA. Assist with maintaining active supervision to ensure the safety and well-being of children by providing constant oversight in all settings—classroom, playground, and during walks—while fostering trust with families and creating a secure environment to minimize the risk of accidents or injuries.

• Conducting head counts regularly and frequently, especially when changing locations.
• Positioning self for optimal visibility, in strategic locations to maintain sightlines and cover all areas of the classroom or playground.
• Actively engaging with the children, maintaining proximity to monitor behavior and identifying potential risks early.
• Responding to incidents, accidents, and other safety concerns promptly.
• Clearly establishing, teaching, and reinforcing safety rules, expectations, and boundaries with the children.

Aid in supporting children's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development through developmentally appropriate activities and lessons, ensuring a strong foundation for future learning.

• Assisting with maintaining an organized, clean classroom that fosters physical and cognitive exploration, while guiding children in problem solving, sharing, and emotional expression.
• Collaborating with the Teacher to plan and prepare daily lessons that align with children's developmental stages, while gathering materials that support diverse learning styles and needs.
• Facilitating small group activities to promote social skills and teamwork, while offering individualized support to meet children's developmental goals.
• Observing and documenting children's developmental growth and sharing insights with the Teacher to inform future planning and individualized support.
• Assist with conducting formal screenings and assessments to assess children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, identifying areas where additional support is needed, to individualize plans and help children meet or exceed developmental milestones.
• Collaborating with the Teacher to establish age-appropriate goals for each child and tracking progress to ensure they are meeting or exceeding developmental milestones.
• Encouraging positive behaviors and self-regulation through positive reinforcement.
• Helping the children apply learned techniques to help them manage their emotions, make thoughtful decisions, and solve problems independently.

Assist the Teacher to ensure families are well-informed about their children's progress by maintaining effective communication, fostering active participation in their child's learning through regular updates, conferences, and opportunities for classroom involvement.

• Assist in keeping families informed about what the children are learning in class, as well as other…