Lead Preschool Teacher

Job description

F/T Early Childhood Education Lead Preschool Teacher

Storyteller Children’s Center is seeking a passionate, experienced, motivated educator to serve as a lead teacher in our Preschool Program.

ABOUT US:

Storyteller Children’s Center is a therapeutic preschool that provides high-quality early childhood education for homeless and at-risk children in Santa Barbara County, as well as comprehensive support services for their families. We operate two fully licensed early childhood education centers, and serve over 100 children and their families ages 18 months – 5 years from Santa Barbara County annually. Our programs are based on a cultural and clinical framework that is trauma-informed and strength-based. Our goals are to instill Kindergarten Readiness in our students, reduce vulnerabilities and promote protective factors in children, caregivers, teachers, and our community. We focus on positive social and emotional outcomes for our students, providing culturally and developmentally appropriate learning environments, supporting and improving the skills of parents to maximize optimal child development, and strengthening the family and community. 

POSITION SUMMARY: 

Storyteller Children’s Center provides high-quality, trauma-informed care to children of Santa Barbara County, as well as wrap-around support services for families. We receive funding from Head Start and California The Department of Education and all of our children receive subsidies for their tuition. We are seeking a passionate Lead Teacher committed to planning and implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum for low-income, minority, and children with disabilities.

JOB DUTIES:

• Plans and implements program regulations with the Program Manager, Site Supervisor, and Executive Director a curriculum designed to meet the developmental needs of preschool children in accordance with the program philosophy and policies.
• Maintains a classroom environment that is consistent with child development standards and program performance standards.
• Attends regular staff meetings and curriculum planning meetings, and all work-related events, including in-service training and parent meetings as assigned.
• Meets regularly with the team or Site Supervisor/Program Manager to plan individualization of the curriculum.
• Responsible for large group time twice a week and a small group daily.
• Assist with the written documentation relating to a child’s development; including anecdotal records, IEPs (Individualized Education Plans), DRDPs (Desired  Results Developmental Profile), ECERS (Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale), ASQs (Ages and Stages Questionnaire), CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System), developmentally appropriate lesson plans, referrals, and documentation of home visits/parent conferences.
• Assist with home visits and parental contact.
• Assumes responsibility for maintenance of required records.
• Maintains confidentiality of records and information on families.
• Maintains a physically safe environment. Reports all unsafe conditions and hazardous materials to the Program Manager/Site Supervisor/Executive Director.
• Maintains a sanitary work environment, which includes cleaning duties, etc.
• Provides daily ongoing communication with parents regarding their child’s development, including during home visits and conferences as assigned.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with clients and program staff.
• Must be able to maintain good working relationships with other program staff.
• Must be available for evening or weekend home visits, meetings, or special events to meet the needs of working families.
• Must attend all pre-service and in-service training.
• Cooperates with the Program Director, Site Supervisor, and Executive Director in evaluating and improving the educational program.
• Substitute for other classroom teachers when necessary.
• Performs related duties as required.
• Maintain educational requirements from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Permit Matrix.
• While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently required to walk and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employees must occasionally lift and move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close, distance, color, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Contribute: as a teacher to our vision of a community where all children are loved, valued, and respected and all families are supported to reach their highest potential. This drives their performance and professional motivations.
• Ethical: Understands their role in growing and protecting the organization’s reputation. Upholds our highest values of integrity, honesty, and transparency.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must pass the DOJ/FBI/Child Abuse Index fingerprint process.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination and tuberculosis clearance.
• Show verification for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) and the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) vaccinations.
• Ability to meet requirements of Community Care Licensing; pass and update as required, a general physical exam, TB test, fingerprint clearance, and First Aid/CPR certification.
• Ability to express and demonstrate appropriate early childhood principles and practices.
• Ability to maintain a pleasant, responsive, constructive attitude toward the program; and establish good working relationships with participants’ families.
• Ability to complete written reports and required documentation accurately.
• Fluency in speaking and writing in English and Spanish is desirable.
• Ability to safely supervise and handle active 18 months, 2, 3, 4, and 5-year-olds which involves but is not limited to 1) circulating in the classroom and on the playground, 2) the ability to run across room or playground to prevent an accident or quickly reach one which has happened and 3) administering emergency first aid as necessary.
• Experience working with children with disabilities is desirable.
• Support Storyteller Children Center’s philosophy, goals, and objectives.

EDUCATION, LICENSES, AND CERTIFICATES:

• Minimum of 24 units in ECE, including core courses.
• Minimum of six (6) months of experience with preschool children in an educational environment.
• Child Development Teacher Permit.
• AA or higher in ECE with three-semester units of supervised field experience in an appropriate settings AND * Support and meet the requirements of the Head Start, CSPP, and Storyteller Children’s Center Programs.
• Using transportation, must be able to travel to different locations to make scheduled home visits with client families. I may need to make visits after work or on weekends.
• Hold or obtain a valid Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR card and update as required. (Fees will be paid for).
• Hold a valid California Driver’s License.

SALARY: $19.50-23.50/hour, dependent upon experience. This is a non-exempt position. Benefits after 30 days include health, dental and vision insurance, sick/vacation accrual, paid holidays, and a 401k retirement plan.

TO APPLY: Please submit a cover letter and resume for consideration to Adriana Serdio at adriana@storytellercenter.org.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Storyteller Children’s Center is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $19.50 – $23.50 per hour

COVID-19 considerations:

We are committed to a safe and healthy work environment for employees based on guidelines from the CDC, Cal OSHA, local health departments, and other reputable health and professional organizations.