Lead 18 Month Teacher, Preschool, 12+ Units

JCC Association of North America; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 75,768 - 89,544; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Vacation and holidays

Sick pay

Union representation

Job summary

The Lead 18 Month Teacher, 12+ Units at The JCC East Bay in Berkeley, CA, reports to the Director of Early Childhood Education and fosters a safe, welcoming environment to support growth. You will guide curriculum planning and collaborate with fellow teachers to implement a developmentally and culturally appropriate emergent program.

You will mentor less experienced staff, participate in team and parent meetings, and contribute to anti-bias education while maintaining strong family communication

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in an ECE setting and 12 or more completed ECE units.
• Bachelor's or Associate's Degree highly preferred.
• Knowledge of current research and practices in early childhood education.
• Proficient in planning, scheduling, record keeping and classroom management.
• CPR and First Aid certifications.
• Ability to be on your feet and work a full 7.5 hour shift, 5 days per week.
• Ability to lift and carry a child, and help children with clothing, shoes or other needs.
• Commitment to the mission of the JCC East Bay and knowledge of or commitment to learning about the Jewish community, values, and traditions.

Responsibilities

• Develop inquiry-based curriculum advancing physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth.
• Submit a lesson plan before the start of every week.
• Incorporate Jewish community values, traditions, and overall program vision.
• Support other teachers' lesson planning and collaborate on classroom planning.
• Provide varied opportunities using multiple learning styles for active participation and independent choices.
• Establish safe, organized classroom with proper staff-to-child ratios.
• Observe and assess children's development and share observations with families.
• Write classroom newsletters and communicate regularly with parents.
• Lead professional development and participate in staff trainings.

Skills

Planning

Scheduling

Record keeping

Classroom management

Communication with families

Team collaboration

DEI commitment

Education

12+ ECE units

Bachelor's or Associate's Degree preferred

Job description

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Location and Job Title:

Lead 18 Month Teacher, Preschool, 12+ Units
Jewish Community Center of the East Bay
1414 Walnut St
Berkeley, CA 94709

Principal Responsibilities:

POSITION SUMMARY

The Lead 18 Month Teacher, 12+ Units will report directly to the Director of Early Childhood Education and play a critical role in promoting a safe and welcoming environment to support the learning and individual growth of the preschool community. Lead teachers will create an environment of acceptance where children can grow with a positive self-concept, and where each child and staff member are treated with dignity and respect. Children will be enriched by a developmentally and culturally appropriate emergent curriculum.

Curriculum Planning

• Develop inquiry-based curriculum that advances the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth of children. Submit a lesson plan before the start of every week.
• Develop curriculum that incorporates a commitment to learning about the Jewish community, values, and traditions.
• Develop curriculum that incorporates organizational philosophies and overall program vision.
• Ability to support other teachers' lesson planning; point person for collaboration around classroom lesson planning.
• Provide varied opportunities using multiple learning styles for children's active participation, independent choices, experimentation, and problem solving within the context of a structured setting and program.

Classroom Safety

• Establish and maintain a well-organized, safe, and healthy environment for children.
• Check materials, equipment, and supplies to see that amounts are adequate and that everything is in good working condition; take preventative measures against hazards to physical safety.
• Maintain appropriate staff to child ratios for supervising children at all times.
• Complete accurate reports as directed (attendance, accidents/incidents, illness, medications administration, ID checks, etc.).
• Maintain cleanliness of classroom: wash dishes, wipe counters, put things away.

Support and Communication

• Observe and assess the cognitive, perceptual, spoken, non-verbal language, and social, emotional, physical, and personal developmental needs of each child. Share observations with families on areas of interest, strengths, and challenges.
• Identify, provide, and facilitate additional assessment or interventions when necessary.
• Serve as a role model and facilitiate collaboration between teachers in the classroom.
• Point person for interceding in conflict resolution within the classroom; support an amicable resolution for children involved.
• Help children find a place of calm and comfort, and attend to any injuries.
• Establish positive communication with parents in daily conversation and formal parent conferences that facilitate the free flow of information about their children.
• Write classroom newsletter.

General

• Ability to and interest in mentoring less experienced teachers.
• Participate in team meetings for planning curriculum, other staff meetings and trainings, and other JCC staff meetings.
• Participate in parent orientations, parent conferences, and community-wide activities and celebrations.
• Meet weekly with the Program Director to discuss classroom, student, and/or team needs.
• Ability to lead peer to peer professional development.
• Continue professional development through workshops and classes.
• Assist with early and/or late care, as needed.
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging work.
• Commitment to anti-bias education.

The salary range for this position is $30.53/hour to $32.09/hour. Excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, vacation, sick pay, and holidays (including Jewish). This position is represented by the union.

The JCC East Bay is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. JCC East Bay policy prohibits unlawful discrimination in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. The JCC East Bay complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. If you require particular accommodations during the application and interview process, please inform us of your needs so that we can provide accordingly.

Systemic inequities in hiring have caused women, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, and others to apply to jobs only if they meet all of the qualifications. The JCC East Bay encourages you to apply anyway, as no one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. We look forward to your application.

Minimum Qualifications:

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 1-2 years of experience in an ECE setting and 12 or more completed ECE units.
• Bachelor's or Associate's Degree highly preferred.
• Knowledge of current research and practices in early childhood education.
• Proficient in various skill areas such as planning, scheduling, record keeping, classroom environmental design and arrangement, classroom management.
• Competent in various skills areas, such as music, art, science, literacy, mathematics, language development, and physical development.
• Maintain First Aid and CPR certifications.
• Ability to be on your feet and work a full 7.5 hour shift, 5 days per week.
• Ability to sit on the floor and to get up and down with ease.
• Ability to lift and carry a child, and help children with clothing, shoes or other needs.
• Ability to diaper change or help children with toilet needs.
• Quick reflexes to respond to the needs of children.
• Ability to work with teams of teachers in classroom settings.
• Ability to speak with parents about their children.
• Commitment to the mission of the JCC East Bay and knowledge of or commitment to learning about the Jewish community, values, and traditions.

Salary:

$55,000 - $65,000

Agency Information:

ABOUT THE JCC EAST BAY

The JCC East Bay values hachnasat orchim (providing a welcoming home) for people of all ages and life stages. Inspired by Jewish values, culture, and tradition, we build relationships, foster learning, and offer accessible pathways to Jewish life through programs for children, teens, families, adults, and older adults. After decades of operating our suite of programs in North Berkeley, we will be opening a new home for East Bay Jewish life in the summer of 2026 in Oakland. Our new Campus will offer programs and activities to spark creativity, nurture identity, and weave together diverse generations, cultures, and organizations--including voices from across global Jewry--into a living tapestry of culture, learning, and kehilla (community) connections. Our flagship Campus in the Rockridge neighborhood will house our administrative offices and our award-winning preschool opening in the fall of 2026, and we will retain afterschool programs in Berkeley and in several Oakland public schools.The JCC East Bay is a welcoming home for people of all ages and life stages. Inspired by Jewish values, culture, and tradition, we build interpersonal relationships, foster learning and curiosity, and offer accessible pathways to Jewish life. The JCC's core programs include early childhood education and preschool; camp and afterschool programs; teen engagement; older adult activities; intergenerational Jewish holiday celebrations; and ongoing opportunities to connect with Jewish life and our richly diverse community. The JCC East Bay operates from four locations: our full-service building in Berkeley, afterschool programs at Joaquin Miller Elementary and Hintil Cuu Ca Preschool in Oakland, and administrative offices on our soon to be flagship campus in Oakland.