Colorado Nonprofit Association

Lead Teacher (4-5 Year Olds)

Job Description

Position: Lead Teacher (4-5-Year Olds)

Reports to: Megan Gallagher, Executive Director; Kat Murphy-Woo, Assistant Director

Overview

The Rise School of Denver is an inclusive, non-profit early care and education center that supports young children with and without developmental delays and disabilities and their families. We are looking for a full-time Lead Teacher to join our passionate, expert team beginning Ocotber 1, 2024.

The Lead Teacher provides a stimulating, safe, and developmentally appropriate educational environment where children with and without disabilities have the opportunity to develop cognitive, social, language, emotional, adaptive, and physical skills. Lead Teachers lead a classroom team that includes a Lead Teacher, teaching assistant and members of the therapy team, with three adults present in the room and no more than 12 students present each day. Lead Teachers are also part of a larger transdisciplinary team that includes therapists, children’s families, and member’s of Rise’s leadership team.

The Rise School is committed to teacher development. Joining the lead teaching team at Rise offers teachers the opportunity to receive practice-based coaching from our Director of Education and Inclusion to implement the LEAP Model of Inclusion and Pyramid Model of Social and Emotional Competence. This position also involves joining Rise’s lead teaching team, who engage in group coaching with one another on a regular basis to ensure that every practitioner is fully supported.  

Duties and Responsibilities

• Aligns with the Rise School philosophy that all children have the ability to learn when given appropriate encouragement and with evidence-based supports.
• Adheres to the Rise School mission of preparing children to be included in Kindergarten classrooms, providing differential instruction based on individual children’s needs, and integrating individual intervention plans into lesson plans and daily classroom routines.
• Conducts ongoing screening and curriculum based assessment of all children in the classroom. Teams with therapists to administer standardized assessments as needed.
• Prepares weekly lesson plans.
• Utilizes best practices for implementing Universal Design for Learning, multi-tiered systems of support, and a linked system framework (i.e., screening, assessment, goal development, intervention, progress monitoring) for supporting all young children in the classroom with the level of support they need to successfully and meaningfully engage.
• Participates in regular collaborative meetings with Rise School therapists. Maintains constructive working relationships with therapists and takes initiative to implement techniques and strategies as recommended; requesting more support and coaching if needed.
• Participates in practice-based coaching with the Director of Education and Inclusion to work toward achieving and maintaining high fidelity implementation of the LEAP Preschool and Pyramid Models.
• Implements family-centered partnership strategies and practices, while creating and maintaining professional relationships to assist with family engagement in the Rise School program.
• Participates in strengths-based, Family–Teacher Conferences twice a year, or more often as requested by families at which time individualized goals for children with disabilities are reviewed and/or developed.
• Creates equitable learning opportunities for all young children in the classroom by affirming the race, class, culture, gender, sexual orientation, ability and disability, language, national origin, indigenous heritage, religion, and other identities of all young children and families and by using practices that are developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for the learning environment and for each child and family.
• Leads various collaborative teaming meetings on a regular basis.
• Maintains professional, open and direct communication with administration and leadership team.
• Maintains professional interactions and open communication with families, caregivers, therapists, outside providers, volunteers, and other critical members of the Rise School community.
• Ensures the confidentiality of all children and families within and away from the school.
• Maintains a safe, appropriate environment for all children and staff. This includes ensuring that all Colorado Shines and Childcare Licensing guidelines for safety and cleanliness are adhered to.
• Maintains current CPR, First Aid, Universal Precautions, and Medication Administration certifications.
• Eures that all children’s daily care needs including diapering, feeding, medication administration, etc. are met.
• Prepares classroom activities for the day prior to the arrival of children.
• Monitors classroom supplies and materials and submits orders as needed.
• Participates in all staff meetings and in-service activities.
• Supports school wide fundraising and development activities.
• Participates in writing school newsletters as requested.
• Participates in research studies or collaborations (e.g., hosting and supervising practicum students) with outside organizations as indicated.
• Maintains a professional appearance including appropriate dress and grooming.
• Demonstrates teamwork and cooperation. Takes initiative. Stays open and enthusiastic to change.
• Participates in other duties as requested.

Qualifications

Knowledge

Knowledge of young children’s development, the National Association for the Education of Young Children Developmentally Appropriate Practices for working with all young children, and the Division for Early Childhood Recommended Practices for working with young children with or at risk for developmental delays and disabilities.

Required Education

• Required:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, or a related field.
• Active teaching license (Colorado or other state).
• Preferred:
• Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education (with licensure in Early Childhood Special Education, or in the process of obtaining.
• Experience teaching young children with disabilities.

Skills

Physical Skills

• Move around and remain upright for long periods of time.
• Play with children at their level (e.g., on ground, at table, in/around sandbox)
• Pick uand carry children (weighing 20 to 50 pounds) when needed
• Crouching/leaning over to clean tables and toys and to change children’s diapers
• Retrieve supplies
• During nap time, move child (e.g., lift, push/pull nap mat), pat children’s backs while they lie on floor on nap mat, and help them fall asleep
• Respond to unsafe situations very quickly
• Should COVID recommendations reinstate, the ability to wear a face mask and, when necessary, other personal protective equipment for the entire day
• Other Necessary Skills
• Open to receiving and responsive to coaching and feedback
• Passionate about young children and inclusion for young children with developmental delays and disabilities
• Patient
• Creative, playful, and fun
• Outgoing, high-energy
• Enjoy collaborating with a team
• Thrive in high-stress, fast-paced environments
• May be exposed to all types of weather conditions safe for children to play in

Compensation

$50,000 – $60,000 depending on education and experience.

The Rise School of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, and disability status. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.