The Lead Teacher is responsible for designing and implementing a dynamic curriculum to support the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of children. They collaborate with assistant teachers and maintain professional relationships with families while ensuring compliance with Federal and State contracts.
Requirements summary
Candidates must have an Associate Degree in Early Childhood with specific required coursework and 2 to 4 years of experience in the field. Additional requirements include a valid driver's license, fingerprint clearance, and proficiency in computer tools.
associate degreeDocumentationMentoringPatient CommunicationClassroom ManagementPowerPointMicrosoft WordCurriculum DesignCultural CompetencyStudent AssessmentZoomChild ObservationApple ProductsHealth and Safety StandardsGoogle DriveBilingual English-SpanishEarly Childhood Theory
Job description
Lead Teacher (Early Head Start & Head Start)
Department: Early Childhood Education
FLSA Status
Non-Exempt
Reports to: ECC Director
Supervises: 0
Hours
7am-4pm
Monday-Friday
Rate: $23.24 per hour
Summary
The Early Childhood Lead Teacher is responsible for fostering children's development in line with Head Start principles. This includes designing a dynamic curriculum to support social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. Collaborating closely with colleagues, especially the Assistant Teacher, ensures a cohesive environment tailored to each child's needs. Through keen observation and documentation, the educator tracks progress using foundational early childhood theories.
Essential duties and responsibilities
Promote and support children's social, emotional, and physical development consistent with the philosophy of Head Start.
Plan and develop a creative curriculum and opportunities for social and emotional development.
Work in collaboration with classroom staff, specifically the Assistant Teacher.
Observe and document children's learning and development on an ongoing and consistent basis.
Demonstrate knowledge of early childhood theories of growth and development.
Provide individualized learning opportunities to children to enhance their development of cognitive and language skills.
Establish a quality early childhood learning environment, with attention to standards of health, safety, and organization, and maintain the policies and procedures of the program.
Demonstrate and maintain required individual children assessments in compliance with Federal and State contracts with all early childhood affiliations.
Ensure that the Assistant Teacher is kept updated in the classroom and program, i.e., Lead Teacher Meetings, lesson plans, policies & procedures, and training received.
Actively promote the professional development of Teacher assistants through modeling, mentoring, and inclusiveness in duty implementation.
Maintain a professional relationship with staff and families.
Attend and complete required professional training, classes, meetings, and workshops.
Perform other related duties as assigned
Qualification Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Qualifications
Associate Degree in Early Childhood with 30 hours in Early Childhood required.
A valid driver's license is required
Two (2) to four (4) years of experience in the Early Childhood Education field is required.
Official transcripts must include MO State Childcare Licensing and Head Start required Early Childhood classes
Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Zoom, and Google Drive.
Familiar with Apple products such as MacBook Air and iPad, preferred.
Ability to combine face-to-face interactions with remote learning.
Attentive and patient with a friendly and energetic nature.
TB test is required
A physical examination is required
FBI and MO State fingerprint clearance is required.
Knowledge of community diversity and cultural dynamics.
Ability to work in a non-judgmental way with a diverse range of people maintaining a respectful and inclusive culture.
Work Environment
This job operates in an early childhood school and professional environment.
This role continually uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.
Guadalupe Centers serves a diverse population, including children, adolescents, and adults, who may have mental or behavioral health problems.
Consequently, all GC staff must demonstrate appropriate daily behavior, appropriate expression of emotions, and appropriate role modeling.
Hostility, aggression, unnecessary or inappropriate physical actions, and inappropriate emotional expression are not acceptable behaviors for our employees.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, talk, or hear.
The employee is also frequently required to walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds.
The employee must sometimes push items of 45 lbs. such as pushing children on a bike or moving/rearranging furniture.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.
The employee is directly responsible for safety, well-being, and work output.
The position requires the individual to meet multiple demands from several people and interact with the public and other staff.
Equal Opportunity Employer
GCI is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, creed, ancestry, age, sex, gender, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, genetic information, veteran status, service member status or any other category protected by federal, state or local law. Preventing discrimination is the responsibility of every employee in the way employees treat and interact with one another. Therefore, GCI expects all work relations to be business-like and professional, free of bias, prejudice, harassment, and/or discrimination.
GCI's policy of Equal Opportunity extends to all conditions of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placement, training, compensation, discipline, transfers, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, and promotion. GCI will not tolerate any discrimination in the workplace, and it is expected that any employee who believes they have been subjected to any practice that appears to be inconsistent with this policy will contact Human Resources. Improper interference with the ability of GCI's employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.
GCI encourages reporting incidents or concerns regarding discrimination to the Director of Human Resources, so that prompt and constructive action can be taken. There will be no retaliation or adverse action against an employee for raising an issue or complaint pursuant to this policy. The report will be investigated to determine what if any, responsive action is necessary and appropriate. Any employee found responsible for an inappropriate or discriminatory act will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
In Missouri, teaching assistant roles often draw steady interest because schools and early childhood programs need candidates who can support classrooms for ages 0-5. These positions are competitive when applicants already have a CDA or early childhood college credits, plus CPR and First Aid certification and experience with young children. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save time, then confirm your credentials and recent child-care experience before applying.
