Lead Teacher HS

Job Description

The Lead Teacher is responsible for creating and maintaining a high-quality learning environment that fosters the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children, while supporting their families as partners in their education. This role ensures compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, NAEYC accreditation standards, and other regulatory requirements. The Lead Teacher plays a critical role in implementing developmentally appropriate practices and promoting cultural responsiveness to meet the diverse needs of children and families.

• Develop and implement developmentally appropriate lesson plans aligned with Head Start goals, addressing core learning areas such as language, literacy, math, science, social studies, and motor skills.
• Conduct regular developmental screenings and assessments to individualize learning experiences.
• Maintain a classroom environment that is clean, safe, and conducive to learning, adhering to safety procedures and quality standards.
• Ensure classrooms are well-equipped to meet the needs of children and promote a high-quality program aligned with NAEYC, Quality Rated, Bright from the Start, and Head Start standards.
• Help ensure full participation of children in all classroom activities, providing necessary adaptations and supervision.
• Foster nurturing and responsive interactions with children and support their social‑emotional, cognitive, and physical development.
• Provide child assessments and documentation using approved tools (e.g., Teaching Strategies GOLD).
• Supervise children at all times, ensuring safety and well‑being both indoors and outdoors.
• Help maintain a clean and organized classroom in compliance with health and safety standards.
• Communicate regularly and effectively with families to support parent engagement and participation.

• Involve parents in their child’s education through parent‑teacher conferences, surveys, and other feedback mechanisms.
• Establish strong partnerships with families to support family well‑being and promote children’s learning and development.
• Engage families in the transition process to ensure continuity of care and education from Early Head Start to Head Start, and from Head Start to kindergarten.
• Promote culturally responsive practices to support diverse family and community needs.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to support families in identifying and addressing barriers to service access, including transportation or cultural/language needs.
• Ensure a trauma‑informed approach is implemented in classroom lesson plans and interactions, including providing supports as recommended through the Pyramid Approach.

• Ensure the implementation of high‑quality early education by implementing rules, regulations, and performance standards as dictated by Head Start, Early Head Start, Quality Rated and NAEYC.
• Monitor and maintain accurate documentation for all classroom activities, child progress, and family engagement efforts.
• Support program enrollment goals by collaborating with staff to recruit and enroll eligible children.
• Collaborate with the Site Director and Curriculum Manager to maintain a continuous feedback loop, including surveys, focus groups, and closing‑the‑loop meetings with families.

• Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities and apply best practices in early childhood education.
• Provide mentorship and support to other classroom staff to foster professional growth.
• Serve as a resource for colleagues by sharing expertise on early childhood education and development.

Disclaimer:
This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform. Duties and responsibilities can be changed, expanded, reduced, or delegated by management to meet the business needs of Our House.

• Minimum of a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or state equivalent in Early Childhood Education required.
• Preferred:
  Bachelor’s Degree in Early…