Lead Teacher 0-3 (Infant Toddler)

Family Focus; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on Bonus

Benefits package

Job summary

Family Focus is seeking a Lead Teacher 0-3 to supervise a classroom of Infants and Toddlers in the South Shore area. You will implement curriculum, support families, and ensure safety and well-being. The role emphasizes leadership, teamwork, and strong communication with parents.

Qualifications include a Bachelor's in ECE or related field, Infant Toddler Gateways Level 5, and at least one year of teaching experience. A $2,500 sign-on bonus is available.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child development from an accredited institution.
• Infant Toddler Gateways Credential Level 5 is required.
• Minimum one year of teaching experience in early childhood.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise the classroom team in planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum across domains.
• Foster a warm, inclusive learning environment for infants and toddlers and families.
• Provide engaging experiences promoting language, play, and early learning.
• Demonstrate strong classroom leadership through meetings, collaboration, and delegation.
• Observe, document, and monitor children's development using standard tools; coordinate with specialists as needed.

Skills

Classroom leadership

Curriculum development

Parent communication

Observation and assessment

Team supervision

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in early childhood education

Infant Toddler Gateways Credential Level 5

Tools

Teaching Strategies GOLD

ASQ-SE

Job description

Job Title: Lead Teacher 0-3 (Infant/Toddler)

Location: South Shore

Supervisor: Site Director

Welcome to Family Focus, where we're on a mission to empower families and their children across Chicagoland! Through our comprehensive range of holistic family support services, including center-based and home-based services, emergency assistance, prevention initiatives, early childhood education, after-school programs, and more. At Family Focus, we believe in the power of community support to unlock the full potential of our neighborhoods. With 11 centers already making a difference, we're excited to expand our reach and touch even more lives. That's why we're on the lookout for passionate individuals who share our vision to join our team as we grow and serve more families. Are you ready to make a difference? We want you to be a part of our journey!

The Lead Teacher 0-3 is responsible for the care, supervision, and management of a class of Infants and Toddlers following the goals and curriculum plan. The principal duties of the Infant Lead Teacher include conducting focused observations of children, developing action plans, carrying out activities daily and evaluating the effectiveness of child development activities, ensuring the safety and well-being of the children, maintaining regular communication with parents, and contributing to the effective operation of the overall early care and education center. Lead teachers serve as ambassadors for the school and the agency.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Lead and supervise the classroom team in planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum across language, cognitive, physical, social-emotional, personal, and creative domains, incorporating the Project Approach and Creative Curriculum.
• Foster a warm, nurturing, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where infants, toddlers, and families feel safe, valued, and comfortable.
• Provide engaging experiences that promote language development, individual expression, creativity, play, and early learning.
• Provide strong classroom leadership by facilitating team meetings, promoting collaboration, delegating responsibilities, and supporting effective teamwork.
• Observe, assess, document, and monitor children's development and well-being using Teaching Strategies GOLD and ASQ-SE; collaborate with specialists when developmental concerns or referrals are identified.
• Maintain safe, hygienic, and developmentally appropriate classroom routines, including diapering, handwashing, meals, napping, transitions, and active supervision.
• Build strong, respectful partnerships with families by communicating regularly about children's development, supporting parent-child relationships, and facilitating parent-teacher conferences and family engagement activities.
• Maintain accurate records related to attendance, health and safety, nutrition, incidents, observations, and developmental assessments.
• Collaborate with education leadership and classroom staff on purchasing, classroom organization, equipment care, and maintaining a clean, safe, and orderly environment.
• Participate in professional development, trainings, workshops, committees, and other school or agency initiatives to maintain current knowledge of early childhood education.

The ideal candidate will have the following education and experience:

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child development from an accredited institution is required.
• Must have a minimum of an Infant Toddler Gateways Credential Level 5.
• Minimum of one-year of teaching experience.
• Experience supervising and leading classroom team in preparation and implementation of lesson plans for classroom activities covering all developmental areas: language, cognitive, physical, personal, social/emotional, and creative. Explore new curriculum ideas and implement the Project Approach along with the Creative Curriculum.
• Knowledge of childcare routines as carried out in a manner that is prompt, hygienic, and consistent with child development principles. This includes routines related to diapering, hand washing, eating, napping, and transitioning between activities.
• Observe, document, and report appropriate aspects of and changes in the child's health, including but not limited to injuries, changes in physical appearance, and/or social behaviors. Fill out appropriate accident and incident reports on the day of occurrence. This is to include Active Supervision incidents.
• Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with peers, direct reports, children's parents, families, and community partners.
• Experience organizing and/or delegating administrative record keeping, including daily attendance, CACFP food forms, daily health, and safety checks, and evaluate the quality of childcare services provided, reporting regularly to the Infant Toddler Specialist.
• Knowledge of Early Head Start program principles, practices, and cornerstones.
• Excellent comprehension and navigation of computers, software, and databases.

Salary: $55,000/year

This is a full-time exempt position.

Schedule: Monday-Friday 7 AM - 4 PM

$2,500 Sign-on Bonus Available!

Discover all the benefits we offer to support your well-being and professional growth here: https://www.family-focus.org/about/benefits/

Family Focus is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Family Focus is an Equal Opportunity Employer that invests in strengthening families and their children in Chicago and NE Illinois, so they build social capital and achieve upward economic mobility through high-quality innovative programs and services, grounded in anti-racism and social justice.

Family Focus provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, or service in the military. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.