Lead Teacher (Early Childhood 3-5)

Brightpoint; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

11 paid holidays

401(k) with match

Job summary

Brightpoint invites you to join our mission-driven team at the Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child & Family Center in Chicago. As Lead Teacher for ages 3-5, you will implement Head Start standards and tailor services to each family, ensuring social, emotional, developmental, and intellectual growth.

You will collaborate with a cohesive team, participate in assessments and planning, mentor classroom staff, and contribute to a supportive, high-quality educational environment with full-time hours.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field.
• PEL required or must be obtained within 24 months of employment.
• Illinois Gateways to Opportunity ECE Level 5 Credential required.
• Minimum of two years working with children and/or families.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred.

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 and relevant standards.
• Implements curriculum to support high quality teaching and learning reflecting family and cultural influences.
• Performs developmental screenings and regular assessments for lesson planning.
• Enters all required information on children, including assessments, into data systems.
• Identifies children needing additional assistance and refers as needed.
• Completes weekly child observations and supports staff in documenting them.
• Meets weekly with staff to review lesson plans and progress.
• Mentors and trains Teachers, Classroom Support Aides, interns, and volunteers.
• Supports performance reviews and other processes for classroom staff.

Skills

Bilingual in Spanish

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field

Job description

Brightpoint invites 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, 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 Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child & Family Center team, and with our cohesive team style and supportive, high-quality supervision, you’ll look forward to coming back each day.

Candidate Qualifications

For Lead Teacher 3-5 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 Professional Educators License (PEL) required or must be obtained within 24 months of employment and Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Early Childhood Education Level 5 Credential required.
• A minimum of two years working with children and/or families required.
• Bilingual in 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, as well as 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 $55k-$65k; offers are commensurate on 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).
• Location: Classroom setting Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child & Family Center.
• 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.
• Student Loan Forgiveness: Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).