Contact Person: Natalia Vanarkel

Job Location:
Spartan Child Development Center
33 Crescent Rd, East Lansing, MI 48823

Job Description:

The Lead Teacher is responsible for a group of children; observing and assessing their development while supporting their transition to the next classroom and beyond. The lead teacher is responsible for the planning and implementation of the Center curriculum and children’s program. The Lead Teacher is also responsible for maintaining the health and safety of all children in their care. This is a professional salaried position and as such includes responsibilities related to the classroom, Center and community. The following is a list of specific areas of responsibility for this position. It is understood that some factors which affect the quality of a teaching program may not be quantifiable or possible to clearly define. Therefore, this list may not be all inclusive; specific duties may vary according to the needs of the program and children in the classroom. Policies relating to benefits, evaluations, and procedures may be found in the employee handbook. It is expected that professional staff members will maintain a professional attitude and exhibit a commitment to the field of early childhood.

A Lead Teacher is hired to the Center and may be assigned to any classroom.

1. Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree or higher, from an accredited institution, in Child Development, Early Childhood, Elementary Education or related field;
At least 30 college level credit hours in coursework related to early childhood
For infant/toddler teacher candidates: at least 3 college-level semester hours in infant/toddler development and care practices OR 4.5 CEUs in infant/toddler development and care practices are required
Some teaching experience is strongly preferred
Physical and mental stamina; including repeated lifting (30 lbs or more), ability to move quickly from sitting on the floor to standing position repeatedly, and the ability to run if needed
Knowledge of teaching and activity methods used with infant, toddler, preschool or early elementary school-age children and principles of child development, the behavior of young children, positive discipline and redirection techniques.
Knowledge of materials and equipment used in group settings of young children
A philosophy of early childhood education that is compatible with the center’s
Ability to establish warm supportive relationships with the children, recognize illness symptoms, accept and profit from supervision and constructive criticism, develop and maintain working relationships with parents and staff, and thrive in a team-oriented environment.
Experience with planning lessons and activities that support an emergent learning environment
Basic computer skills including ability to access the internet for research, send and receive emails, and experience using Microsoft Office to create documents 
Ability to lead and supervise support staff member.

2. Responsibilities Related to other staff
Write and post weekly lesson plans in classrooms. These plans must meet the criteria required by High Scope curriculum
Maintain the evaluation and documentation of the developmental progress of the children
Discuss daily health and developmental observations of the children
Collaborate in supervising and planning activities and lessons to be implemented in the classroom.
Coordinate with the assistant teacher in orienting new staff members to the classroom, providing written information about specific room limits and procedures, including emergency procedures.
Coordinate with the assistant teacher in directly supervising all classroom staff; provide ongoing training via modeling, daily instruction, immediate feedback, notes, and formal classroom meetings.
Collaborate to complete Aide evaluations and conduct classroom meetings, twice a year
Meet regularly with other professional staff and Administrative/Assistant Director to improve own teaching skills.
Comply with all of the center’s policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook
Attend and participate in staff meetings, trainings, and professional development opportunities with other professional staff
Share activities, ideas and resources; share information from professional and/or popular publications, conferences, etc.
Share playground supervision duties, clean-up responsibilities and classroom supervision duties.
Work with other professional staff directly in carrying out the planned children’s program.
Coordinate with the assistant teacher to evaluate the developmental progress of all children.
Coordinate with assistant teacher in supervising and planning all activities and lessons to be implemented in the classroom.
Provide supervision, mentorship and training to the assistant teacher assigned to the classroom.
Participate in problem solving related to classroom management issues.
Orient new staff members to the classroom, providing written information about specific room limits and procedures, classroom management, education plans and emergency procedures.
Directly supervise all classroom staff.
Provide ongoing training via modeling, daily instruction, immediate feedback, notes, and formal classroom meetings for assigned classroom aide staff.

3. Responsibilities Related to the Children
Create a safe environment designed to promote the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional growth and development of each child.
Supervise the children’s activities inside and outside, be engaged with the children, ensure the safety and well-being of the children while under the center’s care, and intervene to support children when necessary.
Participate in problem solving related to classroom management issues.
Interact directly with children during all parts of the day including indoor and outdoor play, meals and naptime. o
Dress appropriately for these times of the day
Regularly rotate children’s art displays.
Discuss with the assistant teacher regular observations of the children for the purpose of detecting early symptoms of developmental challenges and determine if the child is well enough to participate in group care on a day to day basis.
Ensure that children with allergies are not exposed to materials which may be harmful to them o
Post this information in the classroom.
Create a pleasant mealtime atmosphere which encourages healthy eating habits and social interactions; include tooth brushing as a regular part of a meal.
Enhance children’s experiences through creative use of community resources such as field trips and visitors.
Provide experiences which promote global awareness and sensitivity to the likenesses and differences among people of all cultures.
Encourage respect for other individuals, including the teaching of non-violent problem solving techniques.
Foster positive and developmentally appropriate interactions through the use of the center language model and philosophy.
Observe and document children’s development and make referrals for additional services/programs as necessary.
Develop behavior and education plans as necessary for individual children.
Actively participate in referral process for additional services, including special education, by providing necessary documentation and assisting with creating IEP’s in-line with state guidelines.

4. Responsibilities Related to the Parents
Maintain informal daily communication with parents, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained.
Inform parents when a child is ill or has been injured and complete an accident report.
Establish rapport through use of parent involvement activities and/or parent education conferences.
Encourage parents to visit, observe, and participate in their child’s classroom.
Maintain formal communication with parents via weekly emails, room signs, and/or personal notes.
Be available to parents for in-center or telephone conferences upon request and inform parents of this option.
Act as a resource for parents upon request, referring parents to other sources of information or assistance, or seek guidance from the administration.
Meet with prospective and new parents to provide specific information about the classroom and other concerns.
Conduct a minimum of two parent/teacher conferences per year.

5. Responsibilities related to the Classroom
Regularly rotate picture displays and books, using both in-center and community resources.
Label items and make name tags as needed.
Arrange room to facilitate safe circulations and optimal use of space.
Post room limits and label classroom play areas.
Post allergy lists in room and give a copy to the cook.
Post safety and emergency information in a conspicuous place in the room. (These must include tornado, fire and accident procedures.)
Maintain a clean, orderly environment.
Create and implement daily/weekly cleaning/organizing schedules for the classroom.
Take attendance and meal counts daily
Complete regular inventories of expendable room supplies and notify the office once a month.

6. Responsibilities Related to the Center
Cooperate with other classrooms in rotating center resources.
Help organize, participate in, and attend center-wide functions when they occur.
Attend and participate in Center-wide parent involvement activities, including but not limited to, General Board Meetings, Board Election, Open House, and International Night.
Read literature made available by the Center staff.
Serve actively on at least one board committee.

7. Professional Development
Staff members are strongly encouraged to maintain an active interest in the field of Early Childhood Education and in the community as it affects the profession.
Participate in informal discussions related to Child Development philosophy by learning theories, classroom management techniques, etc.
Maintain awareness of political issues which affect child welfare.
Share information with parents, peers, community members, and political representatives where appropriate.
Participate in at least 12 hours of professional development each year. These may include in and out-of-center trainings.

8. All other duties, as assigned
Annual evaluations will take place as outlined in the employee handbook.

9. Compensation
A competitive salary with benefits including health, dental and vision insurances, supplemental insurances, paid holidays, sick days, vacation days and personal days.
SCDC reserves the right to add and/or require attendance for trainings, meetings and special events per center policies, state or accreditation guidelines. This may include but is not limited to the following:
Mandated training and development
Annual Enrichment Training and Professional Development
First Aid/CPR
Blood Borne Pathogen training
Infant/Toddler Training (Infant/Toddler/Transition teachers)
Room Meetings o
School Readiness Seminar/Training (Preschool teachers/assistants)
Center special events
o International Night
o Parent Involvement Activities Meetings
o Committee Meetings and Board Meetings
o Staff Meetings Meetings Committee Meetings and Board Meetings
Staff Meetings

Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $35,000 – $41,000 per year

Benefits:
Dental insurance
Employee discount
Flexible schedule
Health insurance
Life insurance
Paid time off
Professional development assistance
Retirement plan
Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Closing Date for Job:  11/26/2025