Certified Lead Teacher (Early/Head Start starting at $53k)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Educare of Omaha, Inc. is a collaborative partnership between the Early Head Start/Head Start, Omaha Public Schools and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. Comprised of the two Educare Omaha Schools (Kellom and Indian Hill) and the three Early Learning Centers (Skinner, Gateway and Kennedy), the mission of Educare of Omaha, Inc. is to promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children ages 0 to 5 years through the provision of evidence-based education, health, nutritional, social, family engagement and other services to enrolled children and their families.     

The Lead Teacher is responsible for the planning, implementation and coordination of a comprehensive education program. The Lead Teacher ensures the education program is developmentally appropriate and meets children’s individual needs as well as program standards of Educare of Omaha Inc., Head Start/Early Head Start, Sixpence, and the Nebraska state licensing guidelines.

Schedule: This position is full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday. There is a variation of schedules available with the hours falling between 7:00am-5:30pm.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Child Development

• Observe, assess, and document each child’s development and behavior.
• Create individualized lesson plans to support growth and school readiness.
• Identify and refer children with special or mental health needs.
• Participate in family reviews and transition planning.
• Foster positive, nurturing relationships with all children.

Classroom Management

• Maintain a safe, healthy, and engaging classroom.
• Ensure constant supervision and use positive behavior strategies.
• Participate in reflective supervision.

Curriculum

• Plan and implement age-appropriate activities that support all developmental areas.
• Use assessment data to guide classroom planning and share progress with families.
• Submit lesson plans and maintain a stimulating learning environment.
• Integrate health, nutrition, safety, and family engagement into the curriculum.
• Create documentation panels to showcase learning.

Parent Involvement

• Conduct two home visits and two parent conferences per year.
• Communicate regularly with parents about their child’s progress.
• Collaborate with Family Engagement staff on monthly family activities.
• Encourage parent involvement in both classroom and at-home learning.

Supervision / Administration

• Engage in ongoing training and coaching to improve instruction.
• Lead and support classroom team planning and best practices.
• Supervise and mentor Associate Teachers, Aides, students, and volunteers.
• Maintain records including attendance, food counts, assessments, and reports.
• Uphold confidentiality and participate in hiring classroom staff.

EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Education required, Early Childhood preferred.
• An active Nebraska Teaching Certificate per NDE Rule 11 is required.
  1. Must possess an endorsement in one of the following: Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Preschool Disabilities, or Early Childhood Education Unified.
  2. A CDA (Child Development Associate) Certification will be required to be attained within 12 months of hire if Endorsement is not in Early Childhood Education.
• Two years early childhood experience in a group setting preferred.
• Must be able to pass a background check that meets compliance standards.

Educare of Omaha, Inc. is committed to ensuring equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all hiring and employment practices.  We are committed to equal treatment for all applicants and employees and will not discriminate based on age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, disability, sex/gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. 

Equal Opportunity Employer