Lead Preschool Teacher

Learning Links, by AbilityPath, is hiring for Lead Preschool Teachers!

Opportunities available in: Mountain View

The Lead Teacher provides guidance and mentorship to other teachers, adapts the preschool curriculum to best support children with a variety of needs, and collaborates with the preschool team and families in educating children in an inclusive and/or special day class environment with an emphasis on cognition, behavior, social- emotional development, and kindergarten readiness.

ABOUT US:

We are a non-profit organization that provides a variety of programs and a lifespan of services for individuals with disabilities. Our mission to accept, respect, and include people of all abilities extends to every member of our community. We are committed to the lifelong process of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) learning and application to build a more inclusive culture, where everyone plays a role in advancing DEI. We will always have work to do, and we look forward to doing it TOGETHER!

WHAT WE OFFER:

At AbilityPath, we support a well-rounded career experience with a focus on career development, collaboration, employee wellness, and employee recognition, including the below benefits and opportunities for staff:

• Up to 4 weeks of PTO

• 10 paid holidays*

• Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, and vision benefits upon hire*

• 401(k) plan with employer match

• Performance bonuses

• Educational reimbursement benefit with ongoing professional development and growth opportunities

• Full-time staff only

WHAT WE VALUE:

• Passion for the mission

• Interest in working with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities

• Teamwork and collaboration

• Effective and open communication, thoughtfulness, and ability to adapt

• Shared commitment to DEI in creating a community where all members can represent themselves authentically

We strongly encourage BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, and any multiply marginalized people to apply. AbilityPath is committed to recruiting and retaining diversity among our staff teams.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

• Supervise day-to-day operations of inclusive preschool classroom and ensure overall health/safety of the program (including allergy awareness and other dietary restrictions) and adherence to licensing standards

• Provide effective classroom management in a co-teaching environment to create a thriving learning environment for children of all abilities

• Responsible for ongoing development, evaluation and oversight of the child-centered, play-based curriculum for all children in classroom.

• Create weekly lesson plans to be reviewed and approved by center administration. Once approved to be posted to center shared drive and classroom communication boards.

• Lead staff in the supervision and guidance of all children in classroom, including planning and implementation of classroom activities

• Assist Preschool Director and Assistant Director to mentor and support teachers with classroom and curriculum needs to ensure best practices are adopted and implemented

• Provide care for each child's needs including changing diapers and assist with self-help skills

• Communicate and clarify school policies and philosophy to parents, teachers and staff; orient and mentor new parents by conducting a Needs & Services meeting

• Send weekly communication to parents including information about upcoming curriculum and classroom happenings

• Collaborate with preschool teaching team, Inclusion Teacher, service providers, and Director of Inclusion to create and adapt curriculum for children with special needs

• Collaborate with Inclusion Teacher, service provider and Director of Inclusion to identify developmental needs in children, advise and council parents regarding recommendations, and refer parents to appropriate resources

• Conduct DRDP reports and documentation for all children in classroom. Work with classroom team to create a system for evidence collection.

• Coordinate with center administration to support the ASQ screening tool with families

• Other duties as assigned

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE:

In our approach to inclusive hiring, we recognize that job qualifications within hiring policies have been used to exclude candidates from marginalized backgrounds. Below is a list of Education and Work Experience that would be helpful to have in this role, however, we encourage you to apply even if you may not meet all of the listed qualifications, as any combination of lived and learned education and experience can make you a successful candidate.

• Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's in Early Childhood Development

• Minimum three years of experience working w/ children ages 3-5 in an inclusive environment preferred

• 12 ECE required coursework (preferred)

HIRING REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid California Driver's License/ID

• Clean Driving Record (if applicable)

• Proof of negative TB test results

• Verification of occupational physical clearance

• Pass a criminal fingerprint clearance

• 18 years of age or job permit clearance

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:

Employees have the opportunity to share access needs during the interview process, upon hire, and ongoing throughout their employment. AbilityPath recognizes that each person has unique access needs and we are committed to an ongoing evaluation process to make our organization more accessible to meet the needs of our team members.

• Ability to physically respond to children with special needs

• Ability to lift at least 25 lbs. as needed

• Ability to sit, stand, stoop, and bend frequently

• Ability to sit and keyboard as needed\

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

AbilityPath is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best available persons in every job. Our policy prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry (including language-use restrictions and possession of a driver's license), citizenship, physical or mental disability, genetic characteristics, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, legally protected medical condition, military or veteran status, or other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local laws. AbilityPath will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination against, harassment of, or disrespectful or unprofessional conduct toward an employee based upon any of the protected characteristics listed above or based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics. All such discrimination is unlawful.

Via Services is now affiliated with AbilityPath, thriving together to provide a lifetime of opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Learn more at abilitypath.org/affiliationFAQ.

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