Infant Lead Daycare Teacher

The Infant Daycare Lead 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 Daycare Lead 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.