Toddler Teacher-Lead

Building Blocks Child Care Center, Inc. is an Early Achievers Level 4 rated, independent preschool and childcare center in Pullman, WA

Position: Lead Teacher: Toddler

(12 months to 30 months old)

Lead Teachers at Building Blocks Child Care Center, Inc. are ambassadors of secure relationships, creating opportunities every day that reflect our mission to make a difference in the lives of children, their families, and communities. Our passionate teachers use a growth mindset to develop young minds and inspire a love of learning.

Starting Wage: Between $16.75-$22.50/hour

Successful candidates typically begin at the beginning of the salary range and receive scheduled salary increment increases with good accumulative evaluations and maintaining 10 hours of annual continuing education. The most experienced and educated candidates start at the ending of the salary range.

Schedule (No Weekends):

Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm

Essential Duties:

• Lead, coach, and mentor less experienced teachers in your classroom; model behaviors and provide feedback.
• Responsible for the overall classroom management, leading a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment.
• Serve as a role model, using a growth mindset to develop young minds and inspire a love of learning.
• Implement curriculum supporting our Emergent Philosophy, working with Infant children in a way that is consistent with the unique needs of each child.
• Create a safe, nurturing and engaging environment where children can play and learn.
• Communicate regularly with parents, sharing their children’s latest adventures and achievements through a variety of avenues, including mobile apps and personal discussions.
• Support the center’s success by partnering with the center teaching teams and leadership to achieve our overall goals.
• Build relationships with families and coworkers and create a dynamic environment where play and learning are seamless.
• Plan the implementation of culturally responsive individual, small group, and large group activities based on the developmental needs of the children, which cultivate each child's sense of importance and belonging across indoor and outdoor settings within the Infant classroom.
• Assist in the developmental assessment and screening of each child using program-approved tools and instruments to maintain a healthy, safe, and developmentally appropriate program.
• Model positive communication skills, positive guidance techniques, and nurturing qualities while promoting positive attachments between caregivers, children and families, consistent with program-approved best practices.
• Use and be knowledgeable of all educational equipment and supplies routinely used in the program and maintain and request equipment and supplies through the director as necessary.
• Create and provide classroom visual aids and resources as necessary.
• Complete, secure, and deliver all required documentation as assigned.
• Recognize parents as their child’s primary teachers and become familiar with family circumstances.
• Maintain positive, open communication, that foregrounds a child’s strengths and assets, and developmental needs, while recognizing parents as their child’s primary teachers and becoming familiar with family circumstances
• Encourage and support parental involvement in the classroom and all other educational opportunities.
• Provide opportunities for parents to learn about the growth and development of their child, including ways to increase connections between school and home.
• Maintain appropriate professionalism and confidentiality consistent with NAEYC ethics and professional standards.
• Support dual language families with classroom and program resources where necessary with existing and emerging partnerships.
• Maintain professional, respectful, and productive relationships with parents, prospective families, and community partners.
• Collaborate and partner with external coaches, including those designated from Early Achievers
• Support all necessary and relevant center requirements, such as ensuring student progress, complying with standard and conduct agreements, and documenting progress and observations.
• Complete required reports and maintain all required documentation of services provided.
• Participate in meetings with center staff, families, external partners, and specialists, as well as center activities such as graduation and family events as necessary.
• Participate in training as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Plan, oversee, and implement daily preschool or infant/toddler instructional activities according to established policies, licensing regulations, and philosophy of the school.
• Provide for a safe and healthy environment for children; identify and correct safety hazards; report faulty or malfunctioning equipment; provide first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to ill and injured children; clean and sanitize classroom and play area equipment.
• Train and provide work direction to field study students, volunteers and others as assigned; provide a positive role model at all times; explain the preschool and infant toddler program, rules, and regulations to visitors, parents and others.
• Plan, implement and revise daily activities in the classroom and on the playground.
• Participate in physical care of preschool and infant/toddler children; oversee and participate in the preparation and serving of breakfast, lunch and snacks; change diapers and toilet children as required.
• Conduct parent conferences and prepare written assessments of the developmental progress of assigned children as specified by Washington State Early Achievers and Department Children Youth and Families.
• Attend staff development activities, workshops, and conferences; conduct special training and share information with co-workers.
• Collaborate effectively with teaching team.
• Maintain ongoing, open communication with parents, co-workers and supervisors.
• Ensure that each family receives an opportunity to build strong relationships with you and your team.
• Provide a classroom environment that encourages parent partnership.
• Collaborate with children's families to ensure a smooth transition from home to your classroom.
• Perform ongoing developmental evaluations of children as required.
• Maintain licensing regulations.
• Maintain Early Achievers level 4 rating standards or exceed.
• Set up classroom materials or equipment and maintain cleanliness and please aesthetics of the classroom.
• Provide for basic needs of children.
• Maintain student records.
• Prepare reports detailing student activities or performance.
• Display student work.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Associate's or higher degree with the equivalent of 30 college quarter credits in Early Childhood Education.

OR

• A valid Washington State Teaching Certificate with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-Grade 3) or Early Childhood Special Education.

We will consider the following qualifications if candidate is willing to sign an education contract to obtain state qualifications for the position:

• Equivalent classroom experience (3 years of full-time classroom experience) and a signed an educational contract to obtain the education requirements for a lead teacher per DCYF in the timeline outlined by DCYF will be required (full scholarship available)

OR

• At least 1 year of lead full-time teaching experience in a professional childcare and/or preschool facility and a signed an educational contract to obtain the education requirements for a lead teacher per DCYF in the timeline outlined by DCYF will be required (full scholarship available)

Training Requirements

Within 90 days of hire, the following needs to be completed:

• CPR & First Aid Certification
• Child Care Basics Certification

Skill Requirements:

• Able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds and in case of emergency a 40-pound child.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Able to maintain an overall positive and professional disposition.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office programs
• Effectively plan, organize and implement educational activities.
• Demonstrable record of making decisions on behalf of children with their well-being the top priority
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Requirements include the ability to take frequent walks, change diapers and/or help children use the potty, use hands and fingers, handle objects, tools, or controls, talk to and hear voices at many levels. May also be required to kneel, bend, squat or crawl and lift up to 30 lbs.

Benefits available immediately:

• accumulation of sick days
• accumulation of family medical leave
• full childcare tuition for all children (averages ~$1500/child) but must show verification that they do not qualify for WCC (childcare subsidy).
• scholarship eligibility for continuing education in ECE (bachelor's pathway)

Available after 1-year Evaluation for Full-time Staff:

• 20% Health reimbursement benefit (toward private health insurance) 
• Accumulated PTO (3 days/calendar year) 
• Paid Holidays (6/calendar year) 
• Health and Wellness Package (.5 paid day off/quarter) 

After 3 Years of Employment: 

• Employer matched Simple IRA plan 

Salary : $17 - $23