Infant Daycare Lead Teacher

The Infant/Toddler Daycare Teacher is responsible for the safety and well-being of children in the infant or toddler daycare room. This person takes leadership of the planning and daily programming for children in care. The Infant/Toddler Daycare Teacher works with assistant daycare teachers to ensure a nurturing and developmentally appropriate atmosphere that is responsive to children’s needs and supports children’s growth in all developmental domains.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain a nurturing, orderly, predictable and safe classroom and center environment
• Plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities for both inside and outside (weather permitting) the classroom and that promote the physical, intellectual, social, cultural and emotional well-being of the children
• Write weekly lesson plans that are posted and reflect activities for all developmental domains
• Maintain awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of all children in the room at all times
• Actively engage with children through conversation and play at all times of the day, in a way that is developmentally appropriate and on their level (e.g., on the floor)
• Complete all daily functions of the classroom, including, but not limited to, feeding, toileting, and cleaning 
• Implement positive behavior management strategies for effective functioning of the daycare room
• Develop professional, positive, and productive relationships with children, families, agency staff, visitors, outside agencies, and the general public
• Express a supportive and caring demeanor to relate sensitively to children, families, and program staff
• Monitor children’s development with periodic developmental assessments that are shared with families, including the identification of any concerns in developmental progress
• Communicate effectively with parents with regular feedback regarding their children, through daily contact, written correspondence, and/or parent conferences
• Complete paperwork in a timely manner as required for OCFS Daycare regulations and program procedures, including health monitoring and attendance
• Cooperate with other staff members to maintain standards of professionalism throughout the center
• Attend training/conferences for continuing professional development
• Follow all State Education regulations and OCFS Daycare licensing regulations, as well as Elmcrest program policies and procedures
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Early Education Program Administrator

Must meet OCFS Daycare Licensing Head of Group qualifications:

• An Associate’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or a related field AND 1 year of training/experience in infant or toddler care, OR
• A CDA (Child Development Associate Credential) AND 2 years of experience related to caring for young children where at least 1 year is in infant or toddler care, OR
• 9 college credits in Early Childhood or related field and 2 years of experience related to caring for children (where 1 year is experience in infant/toddler care) and a plan to complete CDA or Associate’s degree (plan must be submitted to OCFS, updated yearly)

Ability to present with warmth, nurturing and kindness a necessity

Knowledge of child development a must

Knowledge of OCFS Daycare regulations helpful

Essential Job Qualifications:

• Ability to lift 50 pounds without assistance.
• Ability to sit, squat, crouch and stand for elongated periods of time
• Ability to lift arms over head in upward reaching motion
• Ability to walk up and downstairs up to several times per day.