Lead Teacher

Job Title: Early Childhood Teacher FLSA Status: Full Time Non-Exempt

Reports to: Childcare Director

Revision Date: 12/5/2025

Salary Range: $17.00-$20.00______________________________________________________________

Position Summary:

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit, charitable organization committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Early Childhood Teacher develops, organizes, and implements high quality YMCA early childhood program(s). This position shall be able to demonstrate the skill and competence necessary to contribute to each child’s physical, intellectual, personal, emotional, and social development. Provides a quality classroom experience to children and parents that focuses on building achievement and belonging in youth and relationships among youth and within families. Provides age-appropriate direction for the children in the classroom and implements daily program curriculum.

Our Culture

Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. At the YMCA Childcare Center, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day. We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing and we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger, beginning with you.

Essential Functions:

• Plan and leads day-to-day lesson plans that follow and support the given curriculum. When appropriate adds interactive extracurricular program activities.
• Creates a safe, structured, nurturing environment that follows licensing and center guidelines.
• Provides individual support and behavior gui8dance using positive redirection and reinforcement.
• Helps lead, train, develop and support assistant teachers, delegates tasks effectively.
• Maintain active supervision at all times and ensures staff-child ratios.
• May assist in the marketing and distribution of program information.
• Helps operate program within pre-determined budget.
• Assures compliance with state and local regulations as they relate to program areas. Ensures that YMCA program standards are met, and safety procedures followed.
• Model best teaching practices and maintains a positive team environment.
• Develops and maintains effective relationships with parents. Provide clear communication about each child’s day verbally and through Brightwheel. Responds to all parent and community inquiries and complaints in a timely manner.
• Maintains proper program records including meal counts, incident, behavior and boo-boo reports.
• Helps organize and deliver special events for parents and children.
• Performs light housekeeping duties making sure to keep classroom materials sanitized and organized according to health and safety standards.
• Other duties as assigned.

YMCA Competencies (Leader):

Mission and Community Oriented: Accepts and demonstrates YMCA values. Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions and perceptions. Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs. Recruits volunteers and builds effective, supportive working relationships with them.

People Oriented: Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view, and to remain calm in challenging situations. Builds rapport and relates well to others. Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively. Takes initiative to assist in developing others.

Results Oriented: Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-value experience for members. Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience. Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another.

Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work and actively participates in meetings. Supports fundraising. Follows budgeting policies and procedures and reports all financial irregularities immediately.

Personal Development Oriented: Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships. Pursues self-development that enhances job performance. Demonstrates an openness to change and seeks opportunities in the change process.

KSA’s (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

• Emotional maturity when working with children.
• Cooperation with the purposes and services of the program
• Respect for children and adults
• Flexibility, understanding and patience.
• Physical and mental health that do not interfere with childcare responsibilities.
• Good personal hygiene
• Comfortable with frequent interaction with children
• Listening skills, availability and responsiveness to children

• Use of positive discipline and guidance techniques
• Ability to provide an environment in which children can feel comfortable, relaxed, happy and involved in play, recreation and other activities.
• Ensure classroom health and safety standards are upheld and maintained.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or 1-3 months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education & experience.
• Must be at least 19 years of age.
• Must have completed 60 semester hours from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 6 semester hours in courses directly related to childcare and/or development from birth to age six; or 1 year of child development experience and 30 semester hours from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 6 semester hours directly related to childcare and/or development from birth to age six or a qualifying CDA.
• Certifications required upon hire: CPR, First Aid & AED, Child abuse prevention, Blood-borne Pathogens and New Employee Orientation.
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead and relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.
• Medical Release form CFS 602 filled out by physician, including proof of negative result of 2-step TB test and MMR immunization.
• Must submit to a DCFS background check (Form CFS 718-B), and be fingerprinted (if necessary)
• A minimum of 3 written references
• Register with Gateways to Opportunity
• Participate in a minimum of 15 clock hours of in-service training per calendar year.
• Complete Mandated Reporter Training, as well as training on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Shaken Baby Syndrome and Food Handler in service training within the first 30 days of employment.
• ExcelleRate Illinois Early Childhood Credential Level 3 or higher
• Training in ECERS/ITERS Quality Rating Scale training and assessments.
• Participate in a minimum of 15 clock hours of in-service training per year.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this role, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, walk, and occasionally may be required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.