Early Childhood Support Teacher

Under the direction and supervision of the Center Director, Youth Development Leadership Team and by established policies and procedures of the YMCA of Central Kentucky, a Teacher shall be responsible for directing all aspects of primary caregiving, classroom curriculum, and program activities. The Teacher supervises and guides each child's development and creates developmentally appropriate lesson plans utilizing the Creative Curriculum. Provides a nurturing, safe, healthy, respectful and enriching environment and partners with parents to provide high quality care for the child and family. Works as a team to provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. Staff schedules are flexible and set to meets the needs of the staff member, classroom, team, and center.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Responsible for assuring high standards of program quality and safety by licensing rules and regulations, KY All STARS, YMCA safety and risk management policies.
• Provide excellent service to all families, children, and staff.
• Communicate with supervisor, staff, members, guests, and volunteers in a clear, concise and positive manner.
• Conduct self in a professional and responsible manner.
• Work as a team, in both the classroom and age group, to ensure the best environment for children, families, and staff.
• Plan developmentally appropriate activities utilizing Creative Curriculum and supplemental curriculum.
• Track each child’s development meeting documentation timelines.
• Use positive guidance techniques at all times.
• Supervise children at all times.
• Follow health and safety guidelines.
• Provide an environment which promotes smooth and orderly transitions which are developmentally appropriate for the child.
• Provide daily communication with parents and staff.
• Submit lesson plans and other documents on time.
• Promote team building and high morale.
• Assist in training and serve as a mentor to other staff.
• Guide, encourage and provide feedback to support staff working in classroom.
• Maintain appropriate and timely records as required by the center.
• Attend all required center meetings, family events, and trainings.
• Maintain a neat, clean, organized and welcoming classroom.
• Follow cleaning and sanitizing schedules to ensure a healthy environment for children.
• Abide by policies as outlined in the employee handbook.
• Be flexible in work schedule.
• Possess working knowledge of child abuse and neglect laws and proper reporting procedures.
• Possess working knowledge of YMCA mission, purpose, and goals.
• Keep continuing education requirements current including CPR, First Aid, and Abusive Pediatric Head Trauma and annual state required training hours.
• Adhere to the Center dress code policy.
• Know all emergency procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned by your supervisor or YMCA leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Be 18 years of age
• High school diploma.
• Meet the licensing requirements for child care staff in a Type I child care center.
• CDA, Early Childhood degree or related degree preferred.
• Experience working with young children in a professional setting.

SPECIAL SKILLS OR REQUIREMENTS: 

• Ability to write reports and complete forms that conform to prescribed style and format.
• Ability to effectively present information to families, administration, staff.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret instructions that deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Understand the nature and purpose of the YMCA and be able to administer and discharge the Child Care Center Program’s responsibilities accordingly and to ensure that all activities will contribute toward the achievements of the Association’s goals.
• Child Abuse and Prevention Training

Language Skills:

Read, analyze, and interpret complex documents.

Respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries and complaints.

Must be able to persuade and motivate others into action.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure.

Ability to compute rates, ratios, and percentages and be able to interpret data for effective decision-making.

Reasoning Skills:

Must be able to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions and data and draw well-thought conclusions for effective decision-making and planning.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Employee is regularly required to use hands to fingers, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, run, stoop, kneel or crouch, sit and get up from the floor and occasionally taste and smell.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 20 pounds, and occasionally move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Characteristics of the work environment are representative of those that may be encountered by an employee while performing the essential functions of the job.  The YMCA of Central Kentucky promotes equal opportunity workplace that includes reasonable accommodation of otherwise qualified applicants and employees.

The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and frequent body traffic in work areas.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EFFECT ON END RESULT:

Smooth working relationship with the director, executive director, volunteers, and other YMCA professional staff.  Takes initiative in resolving problems.  No errors in correspondence.  Be a role model for professionalism in attitude, behavior, and communications.  All work is completed in an efficient and timely manner.

It is mutually agreed that the job description does not constitute any written or implied contract of employment.  The YMCA reserves the right to revise or change job duties as business requirements dictate.