Lead Teacher - Junior Preschool | McKnight Campus

Fueling Brains & Academies; Calgary; On-site; CAD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Fueling Brains Academy in Calgary, AB is seeking a Lead Teacher to anchor a homeroom for children aged 19 months to 3 years. You will establish high-quality routines, design engaging play-based lessons, and foster executive function, independence, and social-emotional development in a warm, inclusive classroom.

You will mentor Group Educators, coordinate with families, document progress, and participate in interviews and training as part of our continuous improvement culture.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from a recognized institution.
• Valid provincial ECE Certification, as required by the province of employment.
• Minimum 2 years' experience with children aged 19 months to 3 years in a licensed childcare setting in Canada.
• Experience with Montessori, Reggio Emilia, or play-based learning is an asset.
• Experience leading teams or mentoring educators is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily routines, circle times, and structured learning blocks in your homeroom.
• Design engaging lesson plans aligned with Fueling Brains' term structure and executive function goals.
• Create a classroom environment that fosters curiosity, independence, communication, and problem-solving.
• Partner with Group Educators to ensure smooth transitions and a cohesive experience across homerooms.
• Observe, document, and assess children's executive function development.
• Maintain accurate progress records and contribute to parent-teacher interviews.
• Build trusting partnerships with families through daily communication and interviews.
• Mentor and guide Group Educators, modeling best practices and assigning responsibilities.

Skills

Executive function

Team leadership

Curriculum design

Child development

Communication

Education

ECE Diploma or Degree

Provincial ECE Certification

Job description

Overview

The Lead Teacher anchors a homeroom (Left Brain) and provides a consistent, high-quality learning environment for children aged 19 months to 3 years. Rooted in the Fueling Brains philosophy, Lead Teachers guide the development of executive functions while fostering children's independence, communication, social-emotional development, and curiosity through engaging, play-based learning experiences. They partner closely with Group Educators (Assistant Teachers) who accompany consistent cohorts across environments.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Program Development & Implementation

• Lead daily routines, circle times, and structured learning blocks in your homeroom.


• Design engaging lesson plans aligned with Fueling Brains' term structure and executive function goals.


• Create a classroom environment that fosters curiosity, independence, communication, and problem-solving.


• Partner with Group Educators to ensure smooth transitions and a cohesive experience across all homerooms.

Child Supervision & Safety

• Support children as they develop independence, self-help skills, positive peer interactions, and confidence within daily routines.


• Ensure ratios, health protocols, and licensing requirements are consistently met.


• Model respect, empathy, and inclusivity in all interactions.

Child Assessment & Development

• Observe, document, and assess children's executive function development.


• Adapt programming to meet the needs of individual learners.


• Maintain accurate progress records and contribute to parent-teacher interviews.

Family Engagement & Communication

• Build trusting partnerships with families through daily communication, orientation sessions, and formal interviews.


• Share insights and strategies that extend learning into the home.


• Partner with families through scheduled parent-teacher interviews, orientation sessions, and daily updates.


• Provide insights on children's development, strengths, and strategies for learning at home.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Mentor and guide Group Educators, modeling best practices and assigning purposeful responsibilities.


• Contribute to team planning sessions and a positive, collaborative workplace culture.

Professional Development & Organizational Contribution

• Stay current with research and best practices in early learning and executive function.


• Participate in training and professional development as part of Fueling Brains' continuous improvement culture.


• Support school initiatives, events, and community engagement.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Education

• Diploma or Degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from a recognized institution.


• Valid provincial Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Certification, as required by the province of employment.

Experience

• Minimum 2 years' experience working with children aged 19 months to 3 years in a licensed childcare or early learning environment in Canada is required.


• Familiarity with Montessori, Reggio Emilia, or play-based learning is an asset (training provided in the Fueling Brains system).


• Experience designing and implementing age-appropriate curriculum in early learning settings.


• Demonstrated ability to adapt programming for diverse learning needs.


• Experience leading teams, mentoring educators, or supervising assistants is an asset.

Key Skills

• Strong knowledge of child development and early learning strategies.


• Ability to plan and deliver developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote executive function, communication, and independence.


• Effective communicator with children, families, and colleagues.


• Leadership and collaboration skills to guide and inspire a team.


• Creative, flexible, and inclusive in program planning and problem-solving.

Work Environment Requirements

• Flexibility to work across all scheduled shifts, including early mornings and/or late afternoons, depending on the facility’s operational requirements. Flexibility to move between classrooms and support transitions throughout the day is valued.


• Physical Requirements: Ability to engage in active play with children, including lifting small children, sitting on the floor, and participating in outdoor activities.


• Flexibility to support schedules across homerooms.


• Comfort in a dynamic, multi-age early learning setting.

Additional Requirements

• Criminal Record Check: Successful completion of a criminal record check, including a vulnerable sector search.


• First Aid Certification: Valid Emergency Child Care First Aid and CPR or willingness to obtain within the first three months of employment.


• Physical Requirements: Ability to engage in active play and lift up to 40 lbs.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Please note that only those applicants for further consideration will be contacted.

Fueling Brains Academy is an equal opportunity workplace, and we are committed to building and fostering an environment where our employees feel included, valued, and heard. We believe that a strong focus and commitment to diversity and inclusion enables us to truly make early childhood education an enabler for wide-reaching change. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities, and/or people with intersectional identities.