Location
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
The Lead Teacher is responsible for planning, organizing, and monitoring the fiscal, physical, and operational aspects of a Head Start Center, including setting up classrooms and implementing educational programs to ensure children and families receive appropriate services. Specific duties involve directing classroom activities, ensuring child health and safety, developing lesson plans, administering screenings, documenting development, conducting home visits, and stimulating parent involvement.
Candidates must possess an AA degree in child development, early childhood education, or a related field, or meet specific credit hour requirements if the degree is unrelated, along with an Infant/Toddler CDA. Essential abilities include relating positively to children and parents, supervising staff, developing effective classroom experiences based on curriculum, knowledge of community resources, and maintaining professionalism.
Supervises: Classroom staff
The Lead Teacher is responsible for planning, organizing and monitoring the fiscal, physical and operational aspects of a Head Start Center. This responsibility includes setting up classrooms and developing and implementing educational programs. Ensure that children and families receive the appropriate services for all components offered by Head Start.
1. Responsible for direction of classroom activities, health, safety and well-being of the children during time in the Head Start program. 2. Assist in developing the overall curriculum. 3. Develop weekly lesson plans outlining daily classroom activities and individual plans to meet children's needs within the curriculum. 4. Help administer required health related screening to children, document results. 5. Administer developmental screening to each child, document results. 6. Assess each child’s on-going development and individualize for each child based on their strengths and weaknesses, document. 7. Observe each child on a regular schedule and document observations and document. 8. Refer any children with suspected problems. 9. Responsible for the facilities, equipment and consumable supplies used in the center. 10. Maintaining a clean, sanitary and comfortable classroom environment. 11. Perform teaching tasks as directed by supervisor and as outlined in curriculum. 12. Responsible for home visits for each family and child to assist with understanding the goals of the Head Start program and the parent role in the development of their child. 13. Stimulate parent involvement in classroom activities, utilize parents as volunteers in the center and assist Parent Committees in organizing and conducting programs. 14. Prepare and submit necessary agency and Head Start reports as assigned. 15. Maintain the confidentiality requirements of the program. 16. Relate the Head Start purpose and goals to parents, staff and the general community and undertake other public information activities as assigned. 17. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Head Start staff and other human services staff in the community. 18. Advise Supervisor concerning the needs of Head Start children and parents, and programming necessary to meet those needs. 19. Participate in Head Start training and career development activities appropriate to maintain a high degree of professionalism in work with children and parents. 20. Be current with professional resources to increase knowledge of early childhood education. 21. Attend pre-service and in-service training.
1. Possess an AA degree in the area of child development, early childhood education or a related field. 2. Must have 8 credit hours in early childhood education courses if degree is not in a related field 3. Possess an Infant/Toddler CDA 4. Knowledge and experience in early childhood development, teaching methods and practices, as required by performance standards. 5. Ability to relate to children and parents in a positive, constructive manner. 6. Ability to supervise classroom staff. 7. Ability to develop and implement effective structural classroom experiences based upon the Head Start curriculum and individual children's needs. 8. Knowledge of all social and health resources in the community and ability to make effective referrals to such resources. 9. Ability to work effectively with other Head Start staff and local community agencies and individuals. 10. Knowledge of the purpose, goals and objectives of the Head Start program. 11. Ability to follow written and oral instructions. 12. Ability to conduct oneself in a manner projecting a positive image to the children, parents, staff, program, agency and community. 13. Obtain initial medical exam and TB assessment within 30 days of employment. Complete a medical exam and TB assessment every five years following initial employment. 14. Pass background screen, child abuse/neglect screen, drug screen, and be subject to random drug testing.
emotional maturity, willingness to cooperate with the standards of the program, respect for children and adults, flexibility, patience, good personal hygiene, and physical and mental health which does not interfere with responsibilities. Must have good verbal communication skills and visual ability to observe children. Ability to fulfill responsibilities under pressure, including during emergencies.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by a person in this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties that may be performed in such a position, including changes in location, classroom, caseload, and hours. The Executive Director may, at any time, for disciplinary purposes, the utilization of personnel, or for the general good of the program, reassign an employee from one position to another position.
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I accept the duties and responsibilities as outlined in this position description. This position is not exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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Signature of Employee Date
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Signature of Supervisor/Mentor Date of Orientation
Rev 5-23
Market context
In Missouri, EHS Teacher roles are typically tied to ongoing early childhood staffing needs, especially in programs serving infants and toddlers. These positions are competitive because they require both formal early childhood preparation and hands-on experience, including an AA in child development or early childhood education, 8 early childhood credits, and an Infant/Toddler CDA. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits on this platform to save time, then compare your coursework and CDA details before applying.
Salary benchmark
$42,657 avg / yr
Typical range: $31,200–$46,524 based on 250 active listings in Missouri