Great Start Readiness Program – Lead Teacher

Memspa; Kentwood (MI); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Kentwood Public Schools is seeking a Lead Teacher for the Great Start Readiness Program at the Early Childhood Explorer Campus. The role focuses on planning and implementing developmentally appropriate activities to prepare students for Young 5’s or Kindergarten.

The position requires a Michigan teaching certificate with ECE endorsement or a related bachelor’s degree, CPR/First Aid certification, and a commitment to professional growth in a diverse setting.

Qualifications

• Valid Michigan teaching certificate with Early Childhood Education (ZA) or Early Childhood-General and Special Education (ZS) endorsement.
• OR a bachelor’s degree with a major in Early Childhood Education or child development with a specialization in preschool teaching.
• Experience in Early Childhood classrooms preferred.
• CPR and First Aid certification required by State Licensing or willingness to obtain within 6 months of hire.

Responsibilities

• Develop and administer high-quality weekly lesson plans with fidelity to the preschool curriculum.
• Lead developmentally appropriate learning activities for all parts of the preschool day.
• Promote a classroom environment that is safe and conducive to individualized and small group instruction, and student learning.
• Gather child assessment data to plan for individualized instruction.
• Attend home visits, conferences, family events/advisory meetings, and open houses.
• Provide day-to-day direction, guidance, and feedback to assigned support staff regarding instructional practices, student supervision, data collection, and behavioral supports.

Skills

Preschool/early childhood

Lesson planning

Safe learning environment

Communication with families

Written and verbal communication

Practical understanding

Self-directed

Diversity awareness

Education

Michigan teaching certificate - Early Childhood (ZA) or ECE (ZS) endorsement

Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education or Child Development (preschool focus)

Job description

Deadline: September 23, 2026
District/Organization: Kentwood Public Schools
Position/Type: Teacher, full time

Lead Teacher – Great Start Readiness Program

Category: Great Start Readiness Program – Lead Teacher
Date Posted: 9/16/2026
Location: Early Childhood Explorer Campus
Date Closing: 09/23/2026

Position: Lead Teacher – Great Start Readiness Program

Schedule: 172 days/34 weeks per year; 35 hours per week

Position Purpose: Under the direction of the Director of Early Childhood, the Lead Teacher is responsible for the strategic planning, implementation, and monitoring of classroom activities designed to prepare students for Young 5’s or Kindergarten.

Essential Job Functions:

• Develop and administer high-quality weekly lesson plans with fidelity to the preschool curriculum.
• Lead/facilitate developmentally appropriate learning activities for all parts of the preschool day.
• Promote a classroom environment that is safe and conducive to individualized and small group instruction, and student learning.
• Gather child assessment data to plan for individualized instruction.
• Attend home visits, conferences, family events/ advisory meetings, and open houses.
• Actively participate in all planned professional development.
• Assist with loading and unloading of children from the buses.
• Maintain child files.
• Ensure compliance with all licensing standards.
• Demonstrate respect for confidentiality requirements of information.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with families, other staff, and community partners.
• Able to work as part of a collaborative team.
• Provides day-to-day direction, guidance, and feedback to assigned support staff regarding instructional practices, student supervision, data collection, and behavioral supports.
• Models effective instructional and behavioral strategies and assists support staff in carrying out assigned duties aligned to student needs and classroom expectations.
• Responsible for daily operation of the program.
• Regular, reliable and punctual attendance

Additional Duties: Performs other related tasks as assigned by the Director, Dean and other central office administrators as designated by the Superintendent.

Note: This description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities and is not meant to be all-inclusive.

Equipment: Uses standard office equipment such as personal computers, printer, copy and fax machines, and telephone.

Travel Requirements: Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge and experience working with preschool, early elementary, and/or early childhood education.
• Ability to plan, prepare, and carry out engaging educational activities that promote the social-emotional, academic, and physical development of the whole child.
• Ability to establish and maintain a safe and secure learning environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with young children and their families.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding and learned skills while interacting with students and adults.
• Demonstrate self-directedness and initiative when given a variety of tasks and responsibilities.
• Ability to work in an economically, culturally and racially diverse environment.

Qualifications:

• Must have one of the following educational requirements:
  • A valid Michigan teaching certificate with Early Childhood Education (ZA) OR Early Childhood-General and Special Education (ZS) endorsement;
  • OR A bachelor’s degree with a major in Early Childhood Education OR child development with a specialization in preschool teaching.
• Experience in Early Childhood classrooms, preferred.
• Certification of CPR and First Aid required by State Licensing, required OR willingness to obtain within 6 (six) months of hire date.

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards:

• ADA Requirements: The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk, hear (in a quiet or noisy environment), taste and smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust/focus.
• Work Environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually loud to moderate.
• Mental Functions:While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to compare, analyze, communicate both orally and in writing, copy, coordinate, instruct, compute, synthesize, evaluate, use interpersonal skills, compile and negotiate.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Kentwood Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status in its employment decisions or the provision of services.

Kentwood Public School District uses the applicant tracking system from Frontline Education to manage employment applications online.