Lead Teacher

• PLUS...
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Family friendly practices and support.
• Flexible work schedules, as appropriate.
• Hybrid and virtual work options, as appropriate.
• Highly robust and comprehensive onboarding and training program.
• Paid professional development.
• Free online trainings that count toward continuing education credits.
• Employee assistance programs.
• “Dress for Your Day” approach to dress code.
• Financial literacy education and workshops.
• Collaborative annual performance appraisals.
• “Dollars for a Difference” program for clients and staff in need.
• And more!

*Some benefits applicable to regular, full-time employees only.

We know culture matters…

• We spend many hours of our day working.
• Workplace culture affects our well-being, how we feel about coming to work, and how we perform.
• Oakland Family Services prioritizes having a healthy, inclusive, equitable, and effective workplace culture.
• That’s why we proudly have twelve (12) defined cultural value statements that dictate how we operate.
• Cultural values are embedded into all we do and how we do it!

• …more about our award-Winning culture
• Our CEO wants to get to know staff personally and has an open-door policy. She hosts regular staff lunches and townhalls to answer questions.
• Open, honest, and transparent communication is celebrated.
• We practice giving the benefit of the doubt.
• We believe that feedback is the breakfast of champions! That’s why we have a staff suggestion program.
• We want our team members to feel valued. That’s why we have a staff recognition program.
• Having FUN is an important part of the job! We love hosting events such as staff recognition celebrations and luncheons, road rallies, seasonal parties, food truck lunches, ice cream days, surprise giveaways, spirit weeks, Bring Your Child to Work Day, cook off/bake off contests, and more.

About the opportunity/Work

Oakland Family Services' Children's Learning Center has both GSRP and Tuition-Based classrooms. GSRP classrooms run during the schoolyear only (September-June), but there are opportunities for GSRP teachers to work in the Summer Camp Program during the summer months.

• The Lead Teacher is responsible for the daily operations of a classroom in Oakland Family Services' Children's Learning Center (CLC). The teacher is responsible for the oversite and implementation of high quality, High Scope learning experiences for children, ensuring adherence to State Licensing standards, task supervision of support staff, daily lesson planning, interacting with parents and volunteers, record keeping, and other miscellaneous operations related to the Children's Learning Center Programming. The position reports to the Early Childhood Education Site Manager.
• Design, implement and evaluate developmentally appropriate, engaging activities using the High Scope approach to learning with children.
• Maintain standards of quality as required by Great Start to Quality, NAEYC and COA accreditation.
• Maintain standards of State licensure including knowledge of all licensing rules and timely reporting of potential violations to both internal and external authorities.
• Maintain accurate records of the children's attendance, meal records, incident reports, medication and allergies and parent communication.
• Facilitate daily and weekly team planning meetings to create lesson plans, review COR and other assessment data, discuss classroom support needs and coordinate task responsibilities with the Assistant Teacher or other classroom support staff.
• Participate in gathering necessary data, creating, and implementing Behavioral Plans for identified children with support from the Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist and/or site supervisor.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, training and feedback to assistant teacher(s) and the childcare assistant on teaching team.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, training, and feedback to the teaching team in areas of personal expertise.
• Collaborate with classroom teaching partners, supervisor and administrative team members on curriculum, student, and center needs.
• Schedule, plan, and conduct ASQ parent feedback meetings and minimum of two parent-teacher conferences per school year.
• Schedule, plan and conduct two home visits with each Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) enrolled family.
• Create and maintain formal and informal communications with parents through daily interactions, weekly newsletters, program apps, emails and additional conferences as needed.
• Daily documentation of children's interactions and play through anecdotal notes.
• Oversee and review all anecdotal notes, classroom and other program documentation for completion and grammatical accuracy prior to submission. This includes the review of the assistant teacher’s anecdotal notes.
• Assess children’s developmental progress using High Scope's Child Observation Record (COR).
• Administer, score, and provide parental feedback on the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE) and other Agency required assessments and screenings as needed.
• Collaborate, create, and oversee implementation of children’s behavioral support plans as needed.
• Planning and facilitating parent education programs.
• Track parent involvement and complete all required reporting.
• Create and maintain a clean, healthy, and esthetically pleasing classroom learning environment for children.
• Provide active supervision to ensure the safety and wellbeing of each child.
• Request and inventory classroom materials and supplies.
• Participate in professional development opportunities, meetings, and other program and agency activities as required by licensing, accreditation, and other funding requirements.
• Responsible for incorporating principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in work processes and in job functions. Responsible for promoting a feeling of welcoming, belonging, and acceptance to all clients and staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to be physical and capable of successfully managing an early learning environment. The employee is frequently required to sit and/or stand for 8 hours or more. Staff must have the ability to reach with hands and arms and must occasionally lift and move up to 25 pounds.

• Does This Describe YOU?
• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, or child development with a specialization in preschool teaching, or an elementary teaching certification with an early childhood endorsement.
• Two years of teaching experience preferred.
• If lead teachers do not meet the above required credentials, they may be placed on a compliance plan and complete the plan within three years.
• To be eligible for a compliance plan, lead teachers may be hired if they:
• Have at least five years of experience as a GSRP associate teacher, Head Start teacher, or teacher at a licensed childcare center, and
• Have completed “significant but incomplete training in Early Childhood Education or Child Development.”
• Most recently, the statute allows for the 2023-2024 grant year that a lead teacher with at least three years of experience, significant training in early childhood education or child development, and a recommendation from their ISD with a classroom observation may also be eligible to enter into a compliance plan.
• Experience utilizing the High Scope approach preferred.
• Excellent communication skills that focus on positive and professional communication with parents and children.
• Utilization of positive classroom management techniques.
• Abilities and skills in the team approach to problem solving and task completion.
• Selected candidates for this position must possess a sensitivity to the diversity of the Agency’s service population including (but not limited to) differences of culture, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Special abilities and skills necessary to perform the required tasks and that best meet the needs of the agency also will be considered. There may be some standards above that may be waived when compensating specifications or circumstances exist.