Child Care Center-Lead Teacher-Infant Room

Shenandoah University’s Child Care Center is accepting applications for a Lead Teacher in the Infant classroom. This is a full-time benefited position located in Winchester, Virginia.

Shenandoah University Childcare Center offers a warm, exciting, and friendly atmosphere. Teachers are eligible for all university benefits including university tuition reimbursement for self, dependents, and spouse. Shenandoah offers a competitive benefits package including additional university holidays.

The childcare center is an intricate part of our community. Our philosophy is that the well-rounded child develops through a variety of experiences and stimuli. Most importantly, we feel it is essential that each child develops a positive self-concept, feels loved, secure, and safe while in our care.

The Lead Teacher is responsible for maintaining an organized infant classroom that is positive, safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate. The Lead Teacher provides responsive individualized care and learning experiences for infants while overseeing the daily operation of the classroom.

Essential Duties:

• Follow each infant's individual daily routine, including feeding, sleeping, diapering, and play.
• Provide warm, responsive interactions and respond appropriately to each child's individual cues and needs.
• Develop and implement weekly, developmentally appropriate lesson plans and learning experiences based on early learning standards and the Center's curriculum.
• Provide age-appropriate sensory, language, music, movement, fine-motor, gross-motor, and social-emotional experiences.
• Feed, diaper, comfort, supervise, and actively interact with all children.
• Provide supervised tummy time and floor play that supports infants' physical development and exploration.
• Take children outside daily, weather and conditions permitting.
• Accurately document each child's day, including feedings, diapering, sleep, activities, and other required information.
• Maintain frequent and professional communication with families regarding their child's day, development, routines, and classroom experiences.
• Maintain a healthy, clean, organized, and safe classroom environment.
• Clean and sanitize toys, cribs, feeding equipment, highchairs, and classroom materials according to required procedures.
• Stock and maintain diapers, wipes, ointments, feeding supplies, and other necessary classroom materials.
• Follow all applicable safe-sleep, feeding, bottle-handling, diapering, handwashing, hygiene, sanitation, and infection-control procedures.
• Maintain active supervision and required staff-to-child ratios at all times.
• Supervise and provide direction to classroom assistants, substitutes, and work-study students to ensure daily routines, planned activities, hygiene, and safety procedures are followed.
• Maintain accurate records, forms, files, attendance, lesson plans, and required classroom documentation.
• Learn, follow, and implement Shenandoah University Child Care Center policies and applicable Virginia licensing regulations.
• Participate in staff meetings, required training, professional development, and Center activities.
• Maintain a professional development plan supporting continuous quality improvement.

Required Skills

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong oral and written communication and basic computer skills.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• Positive attitude and ability to work effectively with children, families, and staff while fostering a team environment.
• Strong understanding of child development and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Ability to multitask, work effectively in an active classroom environment, and maintain confidentiality.
• Current Infant/Child/Adult CPR and First Aid certification.
• Complete required Virginia pre-service training.
• Complete required TB screening, background checks, fingerprinting, and other required employment screenings.
• Complete required annual in-service training and attend staff meetings and professional development.
• Complete MAT training as required.
• Ability to lift at least 50 pounds and possess the physical dexterity necessary to reach overhead, kneel, bend, squat, sit on the floor, and crawl.

Required Experience

Required Education Level and Experience :

Must be at least 21 years of age, have completed a high school program or equivalent, and meet one of the following:

• A degree in a child-related field, such as early childhood education, elementary education, nursing, recreation, or a related field, and six months of programmatic experience.
• An endorsement or bachelor's degree in a child-related field and one year of programmatic experience.
• An associate degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field with a minimum of 18 credits in ECE and one year of programmatic experience.
• A Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and one year of programmatic experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience working with infants in a licensed early childhood setting.
• Knowledge of infant development, responsive caregiving, and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Knowledge of basic American Sign Language (ASL) or infant/toddler sign language to support early communication.

How to Apply:

The complete application will include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references. Applications will be reviewed immediately and will continue until a qualified candidate is selected.

**Note: A pre-employment background check will be required, and a satisfactory driving record may be required as a condition of hire.

**Authorized to work in the United States is a pre-condition of employment. At this time, Shenandoah University is not in a position to sponsor international visas.

Shenandoah University values individuals and communities' unique and diverse perspectives locally and globally. It seeks to foster mutual understanding in an inviting community where individuals are welcome and respected. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic or national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, or on any other basis protected under applicable law.