Teacher I

Save the Children; Opelousas (LA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health benefits

HSA option

FSA option

Life insurance

Family benefits

Employee rewards program

Retirement plan

Wellness programs

Employee Assistance Program

Learning & Growth opportunities

Job summary

Save the Children in Opelousas, LA seeks a Head Start Teacher to develop and implement individual and group preschool plans that promote social-emotional, physical and cognitive growth, aligned to developmental stages. You will oversee daily classroom operations, ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, and build strong partnerships with families to sustain high-quality program standards.

Reporting to Center Director or Manager of Education & Inclusion, you may supervise assistants

Qualifications

• Associate degree in child development or early childhood education with related coursework.
• Proven ability to communicate and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and time‑management skills.
• Ability to follow directions and take initiative.
• Knowledge of Head Start/Early Head Start program purpose.
• Ability to relate to children with sensitivity and maintain confidentiality.
• Must participate in required professional development and CPR/first aid.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement individualized and group lesson plans for preschoolers.
• Maintain a safe, healthy, developmentally appropriate learning environment.
• Build relationships with children and families and document progress.
• Maintain records, ensure confidentiality, and conduct observations and assessments.
• Supervise Teacher Assistants and volunteers; collaborate with management on PD plans.
• Engage in activities to promote readiness for school and community involvement.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and Head Start standards.
• Provide active supervision and safety during all activities and manage classroom equipment.
• Plan conferences and home visits to inform families about progress and routines.

Skills

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Time management

Conflict resolution

English proficiency

Education

Associate degree in child development or early childhood education

Job description

Position Title:

Head Start Teacher

Employee Type:

Full-Time Regular

Supervisor Title:

Center Director or Manager, Education & Inclusion

Division:

Head Start, U.S. Programs

Save the Children

For over 100 years, Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children. The right to a healthy start in life. To have access to education. To be in a safe environment, protected from harm. We work in some of the world's hardest‑to‑reach places - over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you're creating positive, irreversible change for children, and the future we all share.

The Role

The Head Start Teacher develops and implements individual and group educational plans for preschool children, designed to promote social‑emotional, physical and cognitive growth in a manner appropriate to their stage of development. You will be responsible for the general, day‑to‑day operations of a Head Start classroom and must verify legal compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. You will create and nurture strong partnerships with families and ensure that the program quality remains at the highest standards.

You will report directly to the Center Director or Manager of Education & Inclusion. You may also supervise Teacher Assistants and seek support in the classroom from Program Aides and Volunteers.

As a front‑line representative of Save the Children, you are required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that you come in contact with, adhering to the agency's values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaborations, Creativity and Integrity.

What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Develop and implement individualized and group lesson plans as well as educational activities that promote all developmental areas to improve the readiness of children for school.
• Ensure there is a safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate learning environment.
• Build effective relationships within the organization, the children, and their families.
• Maintain accurate records, both on paper and in designated online systems.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding children and families.
• Plan, conduct and document observations, assessments, and screenings. Maintain a comprehensive and ongoing portfolio assessment for each child including weekly observations, examples of the child's work, and developmental assessments.
• Keep manager informed of important issues.
• Work with the Assistant Teacher, Program Aides and Volunteers to develop their skills and abilities in planning and carrying out classroom activities.
• Engage with children during all activities throughout the day. Provide constant supervision of children during all learning activities indoors and outdoors and ensure a safe environment.
• Use the playground as an extension of the classroom; ensure the playground is safe.
• Provide a balanced program of child‑initiated and teacher‑directed activities and opportunities for individual, small group, and large group learning activities.
• Eat with and assist children in eating during mealtime to teach social and self‑help skills and sound nutritional practices.
• Ensure that the physical needs of children are met, assisting children in health and personal habits, such as resting, brushing teeth, diapering, and toilet habits.
• Create ways to engage parents in the education of their children, including encouraging classroom involvement and home activities.
• Create an inventory of all classroom equipment and supplies annually.
• Plan and conduct conferences (minimum 2) and home visits (minimum 2) or more often as needed to ensure parent/caregiver is well informed on their child's progress in development and learning, routines, activities and behavior.
• Work in cooperation with Manager of Education & Inclusion to develop and document progress on professional development plans; actively engage in professional development activities to increase qualifications.
• Work closely with management to ensure program compliments the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• This position must have the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner and protect the children's safety by implementing active supervision techniques to ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.
• Ensure the mobilization and documentation of matching‑in‑kind activities, goods and services.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of an associate degree in child development, early childhood education or a related degree with early childhood equivalent coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education, with experience teaching preschool‑age children.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully communicate and collaborate with individuals and teams at all levels-whether internal or external-in the provision of high‑quality services to children and families
• Demonstrated successful interpersonal, communication and organizational skills; great problem solving and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to follow established and communicated directions and take initiative
• Demonstrated knowledge of the purpose of the Head Start/Early Head Start program.
• Proven ability to relate sensitively to children.
• Proven ability to keep all required information strictly confidential.
• Must participate in professional development training including basic first aid and pediatric CPR certification as required by state licensing and HSPPS.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual preferred (English/Spanish or English and other languages used by children and families).
• If in North Carolina, holding a Birth‑Kindergarten (B‑K) Licensure preferred.

Additional Qualifications

• Physical Requirements related to essential functions: Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 5‑10 pounds constantly, performing such activities as sitting, crawling, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting and grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills, keyboarding, and computer use.
• Clear pre‑employment background check requirements, including local, state, and national criminal records check, sex offender registries, employment, and education verifications (including child abuse registry check if required by state regulations) and pass all state and local health requirements required post job offer and prior to employment.
• This position will require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver's license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.
• Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

About Us

We are looking to build an inclusive team at Save the Children. We offer a range of outstanding benefits to support this goal:

• Paid time off: 10 days winter break and 5 days spring break, 5 personal days, 11 holidays plus 2 floating holidays per year.
• Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family. Employer paid short term disability and long-term disability benefits.
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA): Option to select HSA if enrolled into a High‑Deductible Health Plan in which the company matches a portion of the contribution.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Option to enroll in health care and dependent care options.
• Life: Agency paid life and accidental death and dismemberment benefits (AD&D).
• Family: Parental/adoption, fertility benefits
• Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
• Retirement: Retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
• Wellness: Health benefits and support through Calm and company‑hosted events
• Employee Assistance Program: Free and confidential assessments, short‑term counseling, referrals, and follow‑up services
• Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships. Certification and tuition assistance.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.