Company
For more than six decades, Goodwill Central Texas has been relentlessly focused on empowering thousands of people to work. We transform revenue from over 37 retail locations into a combination of education, career training, job placement, career coaching and support, and more. Every time you shop or support Goodwill, you are helping fund our greater mission to serve our community. Goodwill’s vision extends far beyond our retail stores and your generous donations: We envision a Central Texas where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
The Goodwill Excel Center for Adults opened in 2014 as an open-enrollment public charter high school for adults ages 18 to 50. The Excel Center Adult High School transforms lives in a supportive and holistic learning environment where all students are empowered to achieve.
For more information on the Goodwill Excel Center Adult High School, visit https://excelcenterhighschool.org [https://excelcenterhighschool.org/]
Commitment to Excellence
At The Excel Center, we are building a high-performing organization focused on transforming lives through the power of education and work and becoming the model of excellence for adult education across Texas. Our team members contribute to a culture grounded in our values of caring, innovation, and accountability and focused on strong graduate outcomes.
All Excel team members
- Deliver Excellence - Uphold high standards of professionalism, execution, and service to students
- Own the Outcome - Demonstrate accountability through ownership, reliability, follow-through, and continuous improvement.
- Work as One Team - Collaborate and contribute positively to a solutions-oriented culture
- Lead with Purpose - Align actions and decisions to the organization’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities
- Strengthen the System - Support systems, processes, and practices that strengthen organizational effectiveness and student impact
All team members demonstrate our standards through strong individual performance and a commitment to collective excellence.
Important retirement information
The Goodwill Excel Center for Adults is a Texas public charter school district. Employees in TRS-eligible positions participate in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS).
Eligible employees are required to contribute a portion of their salary to TRS retirement and TRS-Care through automatic payroll deductions. TRS is a defined-benefit retirement system, and employees generally become vested after earning five years of TRS service credit.
Candidates should consider these required retirement contributions when evaluating compensation and long-term employment with the district. Additional information about TRS eligibility, contributions, vesting, and retirement benefits is available through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
The Goodwill Excel Center Adult High School is currently recruiting for a Early Childhood Teacher for our Norwood Campus located at 1015 Norwood Park Blvd Austin, TX 78753.
Position summary
The Early Childhood Teacher is responsible for developing and implementing a high-quality, developmentally appropriate program for children from birth to age five within the Exploration Center.
Guided by NAEYC Professional Standards, Texas Rising Star requirements, and program policies, this position creates a safe, nurturing, and inclusive learning environment that supports each child's physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language development.
The Early Childhood Teacher provides exceptional care and education while ensuring the overall well-being of all children in the classroom.
This role is responsible for designing engaging learning environments, planning and delivering intentional instruction, assessing children's progress, and modeling positive, responsive interactions that foster curiosity, confidence, and lifelong learning.
Through collaboration with families and colleagues, the Early Childhood Teacher promotes the growth and development of every child and advances the center's mission of excellence in early childhood education.
Essential duties and responsibilities
1. Develop, implement, and evaluate developmentally appropriate curriculum and lesson plans aligned with NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) principles, early learning standards, and program goals.
2. Provide high-quality learning experiences that support the holistic development of children across cognitive, language, literacy, social-emotional, physical, and creative domains.
3. Incorporate play-based learning, emergent curriculum approaches, and individualized teaching strategies to meet the unique needs, interests, and abilities of each child.
4. Use intentional teaching practices, including open-ended questioning, guided exploration, and instructional scaffolding, to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and deeper learning.
5. Monitor children's developmental progress, identify milestones and potential concerns, and collaborate with families, specialists, and the teaching team to support early intervention efforts when appropriate.
6. Establish and maintain consistent classroom routines and environments that promote safety, security, independence, and positive learning experiences.
7. Implement positive behavior guidance strategies that foster self-regulation, social competence, conflict resolution, and emotional well-being.
8. Build strong partnerships with families by encouraging participation in classroom activities, family events, conferences, and home-school learning connections.
9. Ensure compliance with all applicable licensing, accreditation, and quality standards, including NAEYC, Texas Rising Star (TRS), Texas School Ready (TSR), Texas Healthy Building Blocks (THBB), and Child Care Regulation (CCR) requirements.
10. Uphold the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct by demonstrating professionalism, integrity, respect, confidentiality, and ethical decision-making in all interactions.
11. Design and maintain engaging, developmentally appropriate learning environments that encourage exploration, discovery, creativity, and conceptual understanding.
12. Support continuous quality improvement initiatives and inclusive practices that enhance program effectiveness and child outcomes.
13. Foster open, respectful, and collaborative communication with families to support children's learning, development, and consistency between home and school environments.
14. Conduct regular family conferences and maintain ongoing communication regarding children's progress, developmental milestones, and classroom experiences.
15. Utilize formal and informal assessment methods to monitor children's growth and development, maintain accurate documentation, collect work samples, and develop individualized portfolios.
16. Participate in ongoing program evaluation and collaborate with the Coordinator to implement current research, best practices, and continuous improvement strategies within the classroom.
17. Communicate effectively and professionally with children, families, colleagues, and community partners while maintaining a positive and supportive learning environment.
Other duties and responsibilities
1. Maintain a clean, safe, healthy, and organized classroom environment through routine cleaning, sanitizing, and organization of materials and learning spaces.
2. Collaborate as an active member of the teaching team by sharing ideas, providing feedback,
and contributing to program planning and improvement efforts.
3. Provide guidance, mentoring, and support to Teacher Aides/Floaters, Child Development Specialists, Assistant Teachers, substitutes, and other classroom support staff by modeling effective teaching and caregiving practices.
4. Ensure curriculum plans, classroom schedules, and learning experiences provide a balanced mix of child-initiated exploration and adult-guided instruction that reflects children's interests and developmental needs.
5. Communicate center policies, procedures, and program expectations to staff and families in a clear, respectful, and professional manner.
6. Perform additional duties as assigned to support the overall success, quality, and mission of the Exploration Center.
Supervisory responsibility
This position may supervise Assistant Teachers, Child Development Specialist, Aides/Floaters, volunteers, substitutes and/or practicum students.
Required qualifications
1. Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline with a minimum of 36 college credits in a related field. (Related field is considered early childhood education, early childhood special education, elementary education, or child development OR anything that includes at least 36 early childhood related credits.)
1. Accredited, in-person Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification (must obtain within 30 days of hire).
2. Three years of experience as a classroom teacher of young children in a child development center or other educational facility working with children from birth to kindergarten age.
3. Must be able to understand work instructions in English.
4. Must have a working knowledge of computer programs and accessing internet applications such as Microsoft Products, Google Applications (Gmail), Excel, Microsoft Word, and Internet Explorer.
5. Communication skills to be able to work on a team as well as interact with parents in a professional manner.
6. Ability to work cooperatively within a multidisciplinary team.
7. Ability to engage in physical activity with children (bending, lifting up to 40 lbs., standing for extended periods).
8. Must possess an understanding of marginalization and how it impacts those Goodwill serves and employs.
Preferred qualifications: Bilingual in English and Spanish, Arabic, Pashto, American Sign Language (ASL)
Compensation & Schedule
• Based on experience and qualifications.
What We Offer
Comprehensive Health Coverage
We provide top-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance to ensure you and your family stay healthy and happy.
Generous Paid Time Off
Recharge with our generous PTO policy, which includes vacation days, personal days, and company-wide holidays.
Teacher Retirement System & 403b Participation
Paid Parental Leave
We understand the importance of family. We offer a generous parental leave policy to support you during this significant life event.
Professional Development Opportunities
We believe in continuous growth! Take advantage of our access to workshops and online courses & tuition/certification support.
Wellness Programs
Prioritize your well-being with our wellness initiatives, including gym memberships and free mental health support.
Employee Recognition Programs
We celebrate our team members’ achievements with recognition awards.
Diverse and Inclusive Culture
Join a workplace that values diversity and inclusion, with regular team-building activities and events that foster a sense of belonging.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Goodwill Central Texas is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to a workplace where everyone feels included. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic.
Background Check
Goodwill Excel Center is a public school and pre-employment background check and fingerprinting is required to ensure the applicant meets all eligibility requirements for the position. Additionally, positions that will be entering a campus located within a correctional facility are required to submit to pre-employment drug testing and receive a negative result as a condition of employment.
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