Lead Teacher (Early Childhood 0-3)

brightpoint.org; Palatine (IL); On-site; USD 57,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Three weeks PTO per year

11 paid holidays

401(k) with match

Job summary

Brightpoint invites you to join a mission-driven team dedicated to an equitable world where children and families thrive. As Lead Teacher for 0-3 year olds, you will implement Head Start standards, tailor activities to individual needs, and support families through collaboration with a COA/NAEYC-accredited center.

You will coordinate curriculum, perform developmental screenings, and maintain documentation while mentoring staff and engaging parents in learning activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field required.
• Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Level 5 Credential required for ECE, Infant/Toddler Level 5 Credential required.
• Minimum of two years working with children and/or families.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements individualized learning for children in the classroom.
• Maintains knowledge of Center philosophy and program standards (Head Start, ISBE, NAEYC).
• Implements curriculum aligning with mandated elements and parental/cultural influences.
• Conducts developmental screenings and regular assessments for lesson planning.
• Enters all required information into the data management system.
• Identifies children needing additional assistance and refers as needed.
• Leads weekly planning meetings and shares teaching strategies with staff.
• Mentors and trains teachers and aides in child development and classroom techniques.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in ECE or related

Illinois Gateways Level 5 Credential (ECE)

Illinois Gateways Infant-Toddler Level 5 Credential

Job description

Brightpointinvites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leader in the human services sector for 140 years, we aim to advance the well-being of children by investing in families and strengthening communities through data-informed, collaborative, and preventative solutions.

As Lead Teacher, you will implement Head Start standards for children, age 0-3, and their families, ensuring that services are individualized and meet the social, emotional, developmental, and intellectual needs of your students. As an Early Childhood Education Center with both COA and NAEYC accreditation and ExceleRate Gold Circle of Quality designation, you’ll be proud to be part of the Community Child Care Center of Palatine Township team, and with our cohesive team style and supportive, high-quality supervision, you’ll look forward to coming back each day.

For Lead Teacher 0-3 year olds:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field with a minimum of 24 hours of Early Childhood Education classes required.
• Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Early Childhood Education Level 5 Credential required and Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Infant Toddler Level 5 Credential required.
• A minimum of two years working with children and/or families required.
• Ability to communicate in both English and Spanish preferred.

(Candidates without the required degree/credentials may be considered with an approved educational plan).

Job Responsibilities:

• Develops and implements individualized learning that meets the social, emotional, developmental, and intellectual needs of all children in the classroom.
• Maintains knowledge of Center philosophy and classroom operations, including Head Start program performance standards, ISBE requirements, and NAEYC requirements, when applicable.
• Implements classroom curriculum to support high quality teaching and learning practices which reflect mandated elements and components, and parental and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children.
• Conducts developmental screenings and regular assessments and uses information for lesson planning.
• Enters all required information on children, including assessment results, into data management system.
• Identifies children who may require additional assistance and works with supervisor to make appropriate referrals.
• Completes weekly child observations and enters them into the organization’s assessment tool; ensures that observations are completed by classroom staff and assists them as needed.
• Meets weekly with classroom and other staff as required to review lesson plans, share teaching strategies, and discuss children’s progress.
• Mentors and trains Teachers, Classroom Support Aides, student interns, and volunteers assigned in the classroom in basic child development and classroom techniques.
• Assists supervisor in completing annual performance reviews and other performance management activities for classroom staff
• Leads integration of supplemental learning initiatives for parents and children into classroom and plans and implements regular activities for parents to connect home and classroom learning.
• Completes and submits required monthly reports, monitoring reports, and all other documentation to supervisor, as assigned.

Job details:

• Compensation: Salary range is between $57k-$59k; offers are commensurate with experience and bilingual candidates may receive additional compensation. The salary range provided represents our current estimate for this role at the time of posting and is subject to change. The final salary will be determined based on a range of factors, including but not limited to, a candidate's relevant experience, education, qualifications, skills, certifications, and alignment with organizational needs. We are dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to fostering a diverse workforce while providing equal opportunities for all candidates.
• Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, three scheduled weeks of paid time off each year (Spring, Summer, Winter), and additional flexible paid leave that accrues based on tenure; 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match, ( more benefit details here ).
• Schedule: Full-time, salaried; center is open Mon-Fri, 7:30am-5:30pm; assigned shifts will vary.
• We don’t just hire talent—we grow it: Emerging Leaders will have access to leadership development opportunities and one‑on‑one mentorship.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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