Lead Infant Teacher

North American Reggio Emilia Alliance; Northern, New York (KY, NY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Job summary

Buckle My Shoe Preschool is seeking a warm, organized leader in Early Childhood Education to guide classroom practice in a Reggio Emilia-inspired setting. You will design project-based learning, maintain child portfolios, and lead staff development while maintaining strong parent communication.

The role requires a Master’s degree (or progress toward one), two years of infant classroom experience, and a preference for New York State Certification.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education (or working toward) is required or preferred.
• Two years of classroom experience with infants (3 months to 1 year).
• New York State Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily communication with parents, including daily reports, photo updates, and documentation of children’s experiences.
• Create portfolios for each child with written documentation of higher-level thinking and dialogue.
• Develop and maintain a class portfolio reflecting classroom management and reflection meetings.
• Design developmentally appropriate, project-based lesson plans incorporating weekly specialists (music, movement, language).
• Attend professional meetings and development days with Reggio specialists.
• Lead training, development, and supervision of assistant/co-teacher.
• Design weekly lesson plans and update individual portfolios and classroom project documentation.
• Foster warm, professional atmosphere with children, families, and staff.

Skills

Communication with parents

Portfolio development

Classroom management

Project-based learning

Team leadership

Education

Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education (or pursuing)

Job description

Buckle My Shoe Preschool is looking for a warm, loving, highly organized, creative, innovative, hard-working leader who is passionate about Early Childhood Education.

Responsibilities include:

• Daily communication with parents (comfortable speaking with parents, writing a daily report, taking photos of children at work, and documenting their experiences; ability to upload photos for parents to view, slideshows of children’s experiences).
• Create portfolios for each child, with written documentation of the higher-level thinking that takes place, including dialogue and analysis.
• Create a class portfolio, highlighting project work from the entire school year. Portfolios must reflect the teacher’s experience in classroom management, including the ability to use gentle redirection, work with small and large groups, facilitate group time, and conduct reflection meetings.
• Design developmentally appropriate lesson plans that follow the interests of the children through project-based work. Additionally, the weekly specialists (music, movement, language) will be reflected in the lesson plans.
• Meet the individual needs of the children through feeding, dressing, sleep schedules, and diaper changing.
• Attend professional meetings and development days with Reggio specialists.

Confer with staff members, co-teachers, and administration through weekly meetings using documentation to further our learning of ourselves and of the children.
Lead the training, development, and supervision of assistant/co-teacher.

Daily Responsibilities:

• Design developmentally appropriate lesson plans each week for presentation every Monday.
• Consistently maintain and update individual children’s portfolios and classroom project documentation.
• Engage in daily communication with parents, sharing photos and reports of children’s experiences.
• Work in conjunction with co-workers to collaborate on documentation and classroom planning.
• Attend all professional development days and staff meetings to foster ongoing learning.
• Uphold a warm, loving, and professional atmosphere with all children, families, and staff.
• Maintain a Reggio Emilia approach to learning.

Minimum Qualifications/Requirements

Required Experience:

• Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education (or working toward a degree in Early Childhood Education)
• Two years of experience in the classroom working with infants (3 months to 1 year)
• New York State Certification preferred

License/Certification:

• CPR Certification (Preferred)
• Child Development Associate Certification (Preferred)

Salary & Benefits

Salary: $60,000.00 – $68,000.00 per year

• 401(k)
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Program Description

Buckle My Shoe Preschool, established in 1981 by Linda Ensko, M.Ed., is dedicated to meaningful and joyful learning. We offer curriculum for children ages three months to five years old. Our programs integrate developmentally appropriate education, drawing from the tenets of Jean Piaget, the Bank Street Philosophy of teaching, and the Reggio Emilia approach to early education. We believe in parental and community involvement, reflective documentation of learning experiences, respect for children’s process, and the power of play.

Your support will help us advance the quality of every child's one childhood.

Together, we are empowering exceptional education.