Lead Teacher

WE OFFER EXCELLENT BENEFITS:

FREE Employee Medical Insurance

FREE Employee Dental Insurance

FREE Employee Vision Insurance

Sick leave (8 hours of paid sick leave per month)

Vacation (Minimum of 2 weeks paid vacation)

Discounted health memberships

Retirement (Employer contribution - 3% contribution and an additional 3% employer match)

FREE Long-Term Disability Insurance

FREE Life Insurance

13 Paid Holidays

Mission of Catholic Charities

Feed the hungry, heal the hurting, welcome the stranger.

CCEW is an equal opportunity employer. All employees and potential employees will be recruited, selected, trained, promoted, compensated and, if necessary, disciplined or terminated without regard to sex, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, religious affiliation, marital status, military veteran status, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Job Summary

This position is responsible for overseeing the daily activities, providing a safe and nurturing environment, and guiding the development of young children in our care. This role involves implementing age-appropriate curricula, fostering strong relationships with children, parents, and staff, and ensuring a positive, inclusive learning environment. The Lead Teacher will also be responsible for providing guidance to teaching assistants and maintaining classroom organization and cleanliness

Job Duties/Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each of the essential duties/responsibilities listed below.  Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties/responsibilities of this job. 

Develop and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum that meets the needs of children based on their age, developmental level, and interests.

Plan and execute engaging activities that promote cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Assess and document children's progress, providing ongoing feedback to parents and caregivers.

Foster a positive, inclusive classroom environment where children feel safe, respected, and motivated to learn.

Manage classroom routines, transitions, and behavior in a calm and supportive manner.

Establish clear expectations and appropriate boundaries for children, reinforcing positive behavior.

Provide guidance and support to teaching assistants and classroom aids, fostering a collaborative team environment.

Act as a liaison between teaching assistants, classroom aids, and program supervisors, ensuring any concerns or needs are addressed promptly.

Participate in staff meetings with teaching assistants to discuss curriculum, child development strategies, and any classroom-related issues.

Build and maintain strong relationships with parents and families through regular communication, conferences, and updates on children’s development.

Act as a liaison between parents and program supervisors, ensuring any concerns or needs are addressed promptly.

Encourage family involvement in the classroom and at center events.

Ensure that all CCEW and SACFC safety protocols and procedures are followed, maintaining a clean and organized classroom.

Monitor the health and safety of children at all times, responding appropriately to medical, behavioral, or emergency situations.

Stay up to date with DCYF childcare licensing requirements and regulatory guidelines and comply with state and local laws.

Attend staff meetings, workshops, and training to stay current on best practices in early childhood education.

Participate in ongoing professional development and certification opportunities to enhance teaching skills and knowledge

Uses appropriate administrative, fiscal, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of CCEW client protected health information (PHI), per regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

Will regularly utilize all forms of communication (email, text, phone, etc.) and database practices necessary for this position and as directed by supervisor.

As a mandated reporter, follows all procedures outlined in agency policies and procedures to report to the proper agency when there is suspicion and/or confirmation that a child or adult has been a victim of abuse or neglect.

Other duties as assigned by Director/Program Coordinator.

Adheres to the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Doctrine.

Perform as a team member to ensure that productivity outcome measures are achieved.

Performs related functions necessary to support the mission and core values of Catholic Charities.

Job Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must meet the minimum qualifications listed below.  These qualifications are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to perform this job. 

Education/Experience:
to perform this job successfully, an individual must be at least eighteen years old, have knowledge of child development and experience in child development centers, have a High School Diploma or a General Education Degree, and have an ECE short certificate or equivalent as approved and verified in the MERIT system, ECE state certificate, Applied Associate of Arts (AAS) in early childhood education, BA in early childhood development or related field preferred. Two years’ experience as a Lead Teacher in a child development center preferred. Previous leadership or supervisory experience is preferred.

Skills & Abilities: 

Strong knowledge of child development principles and early childhood education best practices.

Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to build strong relationships with children, parents, and staff.

The ability to create a structured yet flexible classroom environment that supports children’s learning and development.

Strong organizational and time-management skills.

Ability to lead a team, providing mentorship and support to other educators.

Certificates/Licenses:  to perform this job successfully, an individual must have the ability to successfully pass a Department of Children Youth Families (DCYF) background check and register in MERIT system. Completion of 30 hours STARS basic training required within six months of hire date if education and/or experience does not substitute.  Food Handler’s Certification, BBP training, First Aid, and CPR, Proof of MMR Vaccination are required upon hire.

Physical Abilities:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to:

Work is active in nature.

regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds.

Frequent kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, climbing, bending, lifting, and twisting.

Frequently standing from sitting and/or kneeling position on floor.

Prolonged periods of standing.

Work is equally performed in indoor temperature-controlled office environment, and outdoor uncontrolled elements.

Frequent oral and auditory communication with others.

Requires communication ability necessary to understand instructions and recognize hazardous, unsafe or poisonous materials and/or products.

Occasional exposure to fumes, dust, odors and/or biohazards.

Frequent use of computers and exposure to terminal screens.

Frequent repetitive hand/wrist motions and finger manipulation.

Clearly see 20+ feet, with or without corrective lenses and differentiate between colors (no color blindness), ability to focus

Must complete a tuberculosis test

Must be 18 years of age

Mental & Other Skills/Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must have the:

Adaptability: ability to adapt to changes, delays or unexpected events in the work environment; ability to manage competing demands and prioritize tasks; ability to change approach or method to best fit the situation.

Analytical Ability: ability to maintain focus for extended periods of time; ability to complete research projects with resourcefulness and persistence; ability to synthesize complex or diverse information; ability to use intuition and experience to complement existing data.

Attendance: ability to consistently arrive and be able to work as scheduled.

Computer/Technical Ability:
working knowledge of Word Processing software, Spreadsheet software, Internet software

Dependability: ability to follow instructions, both in written and verbal format; ability to respond to management direction; ability to complete tasks on time or notify the appropriate person with an alternate plan when necessary.

Interpersonal Skills: ability to maintain satisfactory relationships with others, excellent customer service skills and a good overall understanding of appropriate human relations.  Awareness of and sensitivity to the service population’s culture and socioeconomic characteristics. 

Judgment: ability to make prudent and timely decisions; ability to exhibit sound and accurate judgment; ability to explain reasoning for decisions.

Language Ability: ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence; ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

Mathematical Ability:
ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals; ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Motor Coordination: the ability to coordinate eyes, hands, fingers, and feet accurately and handle precise movements.

Problem Solving Ability: ability to identify and/or prevent problems before they occur; ability to formulate alternative solutions to problems when necessary; ability to transfer learning from past experiences to new experiences of similar nature.

Quality Management: ability to complete duties, on time and with absolute precision, at least 95% of the time; ability to edit the accuracy and thoroughness of one’s work as well as the work of others;  ability to constructively apply feedback to improve performance, ability to generate ideas to improve and promote quality in work.

Reasoning Ability: ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions; ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Supervisory Skills:
ability to carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Company’s policies and applicable laws.  Applicable supervisory responsibilities include training and coaching employees, planning, assigning and directing work, reviewing performance, addressing complaints and questions and resolving problems for assistant teachers or volunteers assigned to the classroom.

Workplace Environmental Conditions

While performing the essential duties/responsibilities of this job, the employee will be:

Noise Conditions: exposed during a shift to constant or intermittent sounds at quiet to moderate levels of sound dependent upon the activities of the Center

Exposure to Trauma: Employees of Catholic Charities Eastern Washington provide direct services to vulnerable community members including those who have behavioral health challenges and those who have been exposed to trauma.

Heat: subject to high temperatures

Cold: exposed to low temperatures

Atmospheric Exposures: exposed to dust, fumes, vapors, or mists