Lead Teacher - Infants, Toddlers, Pre-K

Position Summary The Lead Teacher is the leader within the classroom and is responsible for carrying out and ensuring that the classroom operates with the highest standards of educational excellence and quality and offers a safe learning environment. Responsible for teaching students basic academic, social, and other formative skills at the childcare level, and in accordance with Lightbridge Academy Mission, Vision and Core Values. Lead Teachers are responsible for developing and supervising Assistant Teachers in the classroom, while maintaining the integrity of the company and serving as a steward of Lightbridge Academy within the community. The Lead Teacher is expected to intentionally support both early literacy and STEM development by designing engaging, developmentally appropriate experiences that build strong foundations in phonics (letter-sound recognition, phonemic awareness, and word blending) alongside foundational STEM concepts such as observation, counting, pattern recognition, cause and effect, and problem-solving. This role fosters a love for learning by encouraging children to explore language, numbers, patterns, and the world around them—supporting confidence in early reading, communication, reasoning, and critical thinking through interactive, hands-on, and play-based learning. The Lead Teacher creates a classroom environment that promotes curiosity, inquiry, creativity, and exploration—guiding children to ask questions, experiment, build, and discover while developing confidence in both early literacy and problem-solving skills. Essential Duties and Responsibilities The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following: Deliver quality classroom experiences by ensuring a safe and nurturing learning environment that encourages social, emotional, physical and intellectual development. Responsible for overall classroom management, developing clear classroom goals, planning and implementing appropriate lessons plans in accordance with the Seedlings curriculum, and guiding Assistant Teachers to continually meet the highest standards of excellence in quality childcare, education and safety. Encourage a partnering relationship with parents to work as a team for the benefit of the child and keep parents informed of the child's progress on a regular basis, including formal parent conferences twice a year. Deliver exceptional customer service to parents by going above and beyond to address questions and concerns, and assist parents promptly and effectively. Observe and assess students for creating and maintaining individual profiles, portfolios and parent conferences, and adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests. Maintain interaction with children at all times during small and whole group interactive learning. Implement a philosophy of positive reinforcement and redirection of children's behavior, in accordance with Lightbridge Academy's Discipline Policy. Supervise children during daily outdoor recess to ensure safety and active participation. Ensure proper staff/child ratio as set by the state licensing entity. Maintain responsibility in the areas of 1) planning, assigning and directing work of Teacher Assistants, 2) conducting performance observations, providing constructive feedback, supportive coaching, corrective action, and overall guidance for professional development, and 3) addressing complaints and resolving problems of direct reports. Develop and conduct weekly mini-meetings with Assistant Teachers, and other meetings as needed. Participate in required trainings and meetings, and travel to off-site trainings as needed. Participate in marketing events and tours as needed; assist with the sales process by engaging parents during the classroom tour and following-up post-tour. Maintain the standards per the Association of Early Learning Leaders and the company's operation and education audits. Perform other duties assigned to support the success of the classroom and center. STEM and Early Literacy Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: • Intentionally design and deliver high-quality learning experiences that build strong foundations in both early literacy and STEM, including phonics (letter-sound correspondence, phonemic awareness, and word blending) alongside foundational STEM concepts such as observation, cause and effect, counting, pattern recognition, and problem-solving, using engaging and developmentally appropriate instructional methods. • Cultivate a dynamic and inquiry-driven classroom environment that inspires curiosity and confidence by guiding children to explore language, numbers, patterns, and the world around them—encouraging storytelling, questioning, experimenting, building, and discovery—while supporting the development of early reading, communication, reasoning, and critical thinking skills through interactive, hands-on learning experiences.

Pay:

$17.00 - $20.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

Employee discount Paid time off Professional development assistance Referral program Application Question(s): Explain why you are the best fit for this position What classroom are you most interested in? Infant, toddler, pre-school, or pre-kindergarten?

Education:

Associate (Required)

Experience:

childcare : 3 years (Required)

Work Location:

In person