Lead Teacher - PRE-K Counts Program / Waterford

YMCA of Greater Erie; Waterford (PA); On-site; USD 54,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & dental insurance

Disability and life insurance

A funded retirement plan

Paid holidays

Paid time off (PTO)

A free YMCA membership

Discounted program fees includingChild

Flexible work schedule

Job summary

YMCA of Greater Erie is looking to hire a Lead Teacher for our PRE-K COUNTS program at Waterford YMCA for the 2026-2027 school year. They emphasize creativity, energy, and a love for teaching young children, with weekends free and a 35-hour week.

This role pays $39.33 per hour and requires implementing Keystone STARS-aligned curriculum, ensuring high-quality early learning, and maintaining strong communication with families and staff.

Qualifications

• At least 18 years of age.
• Ability to pass a background check (FBI, Child Abuse, State Police, and NSOR)
• Ability to pass a physical
• Negative TB test
• Acquire a minimum of twenty four (24) hours of training annually or as the individual professional plan requires.
• Love for children

Responsibilities

• Assist the child care program director in ensuring a positive and enriching experience for all children involved.
• Plan, develop and implement the curriculum with daily lesson plans and activities with the Assistant Teacher.
• Assure compliance with federal, state and local regulations in the classroom.
• Assist with enrollment of new children and onboarding of each child and their parents.
• Keep classroom records up to date and accurate and ensure compliance with YMCA standards and government regulations.
• Attend and participate in community events and program activities with enthusiasm.

Skills

Background check

Physical ability

Love for children

18+ years old

Training commitment

Team player

Education

BA or BS Degree in Early Childhood Education with PreK-4 Certification

BA or BS Degree in related field w/30 ECE credits PreK-4 Certification

Elementary Education Degree w/18 ECE credits PreK Certification

BA or BS Degree in related field with PreK-4 Certification

Job description

YMCA of Greater Erie is looking to hire a Lead Teacher for our PRE-K COUNTS program at our Waterford YMCA for the 2026-2027 school year. Are you creative, energetic, and fun-loving? Do you love working with children and watching them learn? Do you want to have your weekends free? If so, please read on!

These positions pays $39.33 per hour.

PRE-K COUNTS is a pre-kindergarten program, established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, that makes quality pre-kindergarten opportunities available to children and families across the commonwealth. This position is directly responsible for delivering a program that meets the highest Keystone STARS rating. Visit PA's educational website for more information on PRE-K COUNTS.

https://www.education.pa.gov/Early%20Learning/OCDEL%20Preschool%20Programs/Pages/default.aspx

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LEAD TEACHER

As a Lead Teacher at the YMCA, you assist the child care program director in ensuring a positive and enriching experience for all children involved. Always alert, you provide proper supervision and discipline for the children as you "see, hear, direct, and assess." You are careful to act as a role model for the children at all times!

Use your creativity to plan, develop and implement the curriculum with daily lesson plans and activities with the help of the Assistant Teacher. Use your organizational skills to assure compliance with federal, state and local regulations in your classroom.

You are friendly and patient as you assist with the enrollment of new children and facilitate the onboarding of each child and his/her parents into the Y Program. As a key liaison between children, their parents, and the Child Care Program Director, you keep this good rapport going as you communicate with parents on a daily basis. Parents feel good about leaving their children in your loving and capable hands.

With enthusiasm, you help implement lesson plans based on child development principles and keep the classroom clean and in order. You are also conscientious about keeping classroom records up to date and accurate and ensuring compliance with YMCA standards and government regulations. As someone who loves your job, you happily attend and participate in all family events and program activities.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR A LEAD TEACHER

• At least 18 years of age
• Ability to pass a background check (FBI, Child Abuse, State Police, and NSOR)
• Ability to pass a physical
• Negative TB test
• Acquire a minimum of twenty four (24) hours of training annually or as the individual professional plan requires.
• Love for children

Must have attained one of the following qualifications:

• BA or BS Degree or higher in Early Childhood Education with PreK - 4 Certification
• BA or BS Degree or higher in any related field w/30 ECE credits with PreK - 4 Certification
• Elementary Education Degree w/18 ECE credits with PreK Certification
• BA or BS Degree in any related field with PreK-4 Certification

Are you a people person who especially enjoys interacting with children? Do you have an understanding of child development and teaching strategies? Are you patient and able to remain calm when stressed? Do you enjoy reading and singing with children? If so, you might just be perfect for this Lead Teacher position!

WORK SCHEDULE

This typical schedule for this fulltime childcare position is 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

ABOUT YMCA OF GREATER ERIE

We are a nonprofit organization with a focus on healthy living, social responsibility, and youth development. Our cause is to strengthen the community. We serve a diverse population of men, women, and children with an emphasis on families. Our membership is 21 million strong and spread across more than 2,600 Y associations nationwide. Here, locally, our four membership branches, outdoor recreation center, nine early and school-age education program centers, and community outreach programs serve more than 35,000.

We value our people. Working for us means you'll enjoy a great work-life balance and be treated with respect. We offer competitive wage and benefit packages for full and part-time employees. We truly believe that the YMCA is for all people, and that shows in our staffing. Here, you will be able to put your experiences, abilities, and energy to work as you impact the lives of those around you.

Some of the benefits that we offer, depending on your position and schedule, include health & dental insurance, disability and life insurance, a funded retirement plan, paid holidays, paid time off (PTO), a free YMCA membership, discounted program fees including childcare, and a flexible work schedule.

• health & dental insurance
• disability and life insurance
• a funded retirement plan
• paid holidays
• paid time off (PTO)
• a free YMCA membership
• discounted program fees including childcare
• a flexible work schedule

A medical examination, including drug testing, may be required after an offer of employment has been made. Evidence from a physician that a potential employee can physically perform the specified job requirements may be required. Act 33 and 34 Clearances are required. In some cases, an FBI clearance may be required. An employee is not permitted to begin work until he/she has mailed his/her clearance requests, and signed the Employee Disclosure Statement.In addition, persons hired to work directly in the licensed child care operations or one of its subsidiary programs, must have acceptable Act 151 clearances, Mantoux tine test, National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) clearance and other requirements as dictated by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).