Lead Preschool Teacher

Under the supervision of the Campus Director or Campus Supervisor and in accordance with Head Start (HS) Federal Program Performance Standards, California Department of Education (CDE), California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Childcare Licensing Division (CLD), and Mission Neighborhood Center’s (MNC), the Lead Preschool Teacher is responsible for providing a positive learning environment and varied, developmentally appropriate experiences that support all areas of development and meet each child’s individual needs.

The Lead Teacher observes and assesses children’s development, plans curriculum based on child development knowledge, designs the learning environment, and implements and supervises developmentally appropriate learning activities, while supporting the parent’s role as the principal influence on the child’s education and development. In addition, the Lead Teacher contributes to a safe, healthy, nurturing, and culturally relevant classroom environment that supports children’s social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and nutritional development.

• Facilitates intentional, child-led learning through small group activities, routines, classroom interactions, and transitions to meet individual and group needs.
• Develop developmentally appropriate lesson and curriculum plans using the Creative Curriculum guidelines, based on children’s strengths, interests, and developmental needs as reflected in observations, screenings, and DRDP-2015 assessment results, to prepare them for success in school.
• Organize age-appropriate indoor, outdoor, quiet, active, and field trip activities, actively participating alongside children to foster exploration and discovery.
• Implements academic, behavior, family events, health, and nutrition plans for the purpose of achieving program objectives.
• Responsible for ensuring all adults in the classroom follow schedules, routines, and policies of the classroom, campus, and agency.
• Instructs children and parents to support child development and parenting skills, and helps ESL learners acquire and expand English language skills and vocabulary.
• Assists children with personal care routines, including feeding, diapering, toileting, hand washing, tooth brushing, and safe sleep, while following written policies and procedures to model proper hygiene.
• Prioritizes children’s health and safety by maintaining required adult-child ratios and ensuring active supervision at all times.
• Counts children during and after transitions and throughout the day, communicating and documenting on the board.
• May assume coverage in the absence of the Campus Director / Campus Supervisor and maintain flexibility with scheduling, including working in another classroom as programs needs change.
• Monitors children’s conversations, manners, cleanup, listening, and other interactions for the purpose of demonstrating appropriate social behavior.
• Observes children across all developmental domains and documents observations according to policies and procedures within the required timelines.
• Uses positive discipline techniques, including CSEFEL and co-regulation strategies, to guide children’s behavior and support them in managing strong emotions and behaviors.
• Maintains flexibility to adjust planned activities based on children’s interests.
• Ensures that screenings, assessments, and other required paperwork/reports for 30-, 45-, and 90-day deadlines are met based on each child’s enrollment date.
• Assists in measuring children’s height and weight twice a year, following policies and procedures within designated timelines.
• Maintains student files and records to ensure organized, accurate, and readily accessible information.
• Completes daily meal counts and attendance records for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in accordance with MNC policies and procedures.
• Complete and track Department of Education Attendance Register and Best Interest Day Forms (daily/monthly).
• Conducts three developmental assessments (DRDP-2015) for each child.
• Develops Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) for each child based on observations, screenings, parent…