Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher

Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher

Under the supervision of the Campus Director or Campus Supervisor and in accordance with Head Start (HS) Federal Program Performance Standards, California Department of Education (CDE), California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Childcare Licensing Division (CLD), and Mission Neighborhood Center's (MNC), the Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher is responsible for providing a positive learning environment and varied, developmentally appropriate experiences that support all areas of development and meet each child's individual needs. The Lead Teacher observesand assesses children's development, plans curriculum based on child development knowledge, designs the learning environment, and implements and supervises developmentally appropriate learning activities, while supporting the parent's role as the principal influence on the child's education and development. In addition, the Lead Teacher contributes to a safe, healthy, nurturing, and culturally relevant classroom environment that supports children's social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and nutritional development.

Essential Functions / Responsibilities

• Facilitates intentional, child-led learning through small group activities, routines, classroom interactions, and transitions to meet individual and group needs.
• Develop developmentally appropriate lesson and curriculum plans using Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) guidelines, based on children's strengths, interests, and developmental needs as reflected in observations, screenings, and DRDP-2015 assessment results.
• Organize age-appropriate indoor, outdoor, quiet, active, and field trip activities, actively participating alongside children to foster exploration and discovery.
• Implements academic, behavior, family events, health, and nutrition plans for the purpose of achieving program objectives.
• Responsible for ensuring all adults in the classroom follow schedules, routines, and policies of the classroom, campus, and agency.
• Instructs children and parents to support child development and parenting skills, and helps ESL learners acquire and expand English language skills and vocabulary.
• Assists children with personal care routines, including feeding, diapering, toileting, hand washing, tooth brushing, and safe sleep, while following written policies and procedures to model proper hygiene.
• Prioritizes children's health and safety by maintaining required adult-child ratios and ensuring active supervision at all times.
• May assume coverage in the absence of the Campus Director / Campus Supervisor and maintain flexibility with scheduling, including working in another classroom as programs needs change.
• Counts children during and after transitions and throughout the day, communicating and documenting on the board.
• Monitors children's conversations, manners, cleanup, listening, and other interactions for the purpose of demonstrating appropriate social behavior.
• Observes children across all developmental domains and documents observations according to policies and procedures within the required timelines.
• Uses positive discipline techniques, including CSEFEL and co-regulation strategies, to guide children's behavior and support them in managing strong emotions and behaviors.
• Maintains flexibility to adjust planned activities based on children's interests.
• Ensures that screenings, assessments, and other required paperwork/reports for 30-, 45-, and 90-day deadlines are met based on each child's enrollment date.
• Tracks and completes daily forms, including infant/toddler information forms, infant safe sleep checklist, and other health and safety related documentation.
• Assists in measuring children's height and weight twice a year, following policies and procedures within designated timelines.
• Maintains student files and records to ensure organized, accurate, and readily accessible information.
• Completes daily meal counts and attendance records for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in accordance with MNC policies and procedures.
• Complete and track Department of Education Attendance Register and Best Interest Day Forms (daily/monthly).
• Conducts three developmental assessments (DRDP-2015) for each child.
• Develops Individualized Learning Plans for each child based on observations, screenings, parent input, and DRDP-2015 assessment results.
• Conduct parent-teacher conferences (ILPs) and home visit packet, as needed, following program policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with the campus team to ensure specialized services are provided for children with identified special needs, and prepares documentation to support referrals for further evaluation and services for children with suspected special needs.
• Builds strong relationships with children and their families and encourages parent involvement in the program.
• Keeps parents informed about daily classroom routines, expectations, policies, and volunteer opportunities.
• Communicates with parents about incidents observed and documented on-site regarding their child.
• Partners with families to incorporate children's home cultural practices and traditions in the classroom, promoting diversity and inclusivity to reflect each child's unique background.
• Collaborates with Family Support Specialists to support families in case managing specific needs, advocating for parents, and encouraging parent involvement in the program.
• Assists volunteers, substitutes, and parents in working with children in the classroom, ensuring proper health practices, food handling, and appropriate interactions and supervision.
• Maintains and cleans classroom spaces, equipment, refrigerators, work areas, and playgrounds to ensure availability of items and to provide a safe, sanitary environment.
• Keeps classroom areas and materials organized and labeled, rotating a variety of materials on low shelves for children to use independently.
• Sets up and serves meals and snacks to meet children's nutritional needs and checks and signs for food and food service supplies upon delivery.
• Checks and logs food temperatures and follows procedures for heating and storing food according to MNC's policies and procedures.
• Carries out Health & Safety Checklists, identifies and corrects deficiencies, performs minor classroom repairs as needed, and reports major repairs to the Campus Director or Supervisor.
• Understands and follows emergency and safety procedures.
• Responds to emergency situations to resolve immediate safety concerns and assists in maintaining emergency equipment and supplies.
• Assist Campus Director / Campus Supervisor in organizing campus parent committee and electing officers and representatives to PPC in accordance with the Program Performance Standards and PPC bylaws.
• Follow Head Start/CDE/CLD policies and procedures in reporting suspected child abuse in accordance with federal and state laws.
• Participate in parent meetings, professional development trainings, in-service sessions, and other opportunities.
• Develops an individualized professional development plan with the Campus Director / Campus Supervisor annually to identify needed training and areas for growth.
• Partners with education coaches to engage in practice-based coaching cycles to improve teaching practices rooted in CLASS, CSEFEL, DRDP and the Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC) framework.
• Complete DRDP 2025 training and receive rater certification within 30 days of start date and enroll in additional DRDP Instrument and Meaningful Observation training if necessary.
• Enroll in annual CA Social-Emotional Foundations in Early Learning (CSEFEL) training when available.
• Participate in PITC Curriculum Framework training within 1 year of start date.
• Must follow timekeeping policies and procedures and approve your timesheet following payroll schedule.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support classroom, campus, and program needs.

Customer Services

• Provide exceptional customer service.
• Always representing the company in a professional manner.

Safety

• Maintain personal safety, use personal protection equipment (PPE) and follow Company policies.
• Report all and any safety issues, accidents or injuries to your manager as a matter of priority.
• Use safety walk and carry one child at a time up and down stairs.

Effective Team Member

• Ability to interact positively with team members.
• Ability to facilitate positive change.
• Partner with Campus Director / Campus Supervisor when necessary to address department issues or concerns

Position Qualification Requirements

Education: An Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Development (ECD) or related field is required, and must be enrolled in a Bachelor's Degree program in ECD or related field. A Bachelor's Degree in ECD or a related field is highly preferred. A minimum of 6 units in Infant Care is also required.

Experience: At least 2 years