Infant Lead Teacher in Jacksonville, Florida at Legacy Solutions Inc

Infant program • Ages 6 weeks to 12 months • Reports to the Principal Position Summary The Infant Lead Teacher provides safe, loving, and responsive care in keeping with the Christian mission and philosophy of Dayspring Christian Academy and Preschool. The teacher builds trusting relationships, follows each infant’s individual routines, plans developmentally appropriate experiences, and partners with families to support healthy growth and early learning. Essential Responsibilities Plan weekly experiences using the school’s adopted infant curriculum and Florida’s early learning standards for infants. Use observations and family input to individualize activities and care. Provide warm, responsive interactions throughout the day. Talk, sing, read, and play with infants; respond promptly to cues; and offer supervised floor play, awake tummy time, sensory exploration, and movement suited to each child’s development. Follow individualized feeding, diapering, and rest routines. Handle, label, store, prepare, and serve breast milk, formula, and food in accordance with written instructions and school sanitation procedures. Hold infants during bottle feeding; never prop bottles. Use calm, gentle guidance and comforting strategies. Never use physical punishment, rough handling, shaking, or humiliating language. Seek support promptly when an infant is difficult to soothe. Complete daily records of feeding, diapers, sleep, activities, and significant observations in the school’s designated system. Maintain accurate attendance and incident records and communicate concerns promptly. Keep cribs, toys, feeding equipment, diapering areas, and classroom spaces clean, sanitized, organized, and free of hazards. Follow handwashing, diapering, illness, allergy, medication, and emergency procedures. Observe developmental progress and share concerns with the principal and families without diagnosing. Support children with individual care plans and collaborate with approved specialists. Communicate professionally with families about routines, milestones, supplies, and concerns. Protect confidential information and provide respectful, dependable care to every family. Guide classroom assistants in routines, supervision, documentation, and sanitation. Coordinate daily responsibilities and communicate coverage needs to the principal. Required Qualifications At least 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED, as a school hiring requirement for this lead position. Demonstrated ability to care for infants safely, understand infant development, follow individualized care routines, and maintain accurate records. Ability to communicate effectively with families and colleagues and support the Christian mission of the school. Ability to perform essential caregiving duties, including lifting and carrying infants safely, diapering, floor-level interaction, and emergency evacuation, with or without reasonable accommodation. Required Training and Screening Obtain required Level 2 background screening eligibility before beginning work and maintain eligibility and required rescreening under applicable Florida requirements. Meet DCF introductory childcare training requirements, including the required 45-hour training and competency examinations, unless an approved exemption applies. Complete approved safe sleep and shaken baby syndrome prevention training before assignment to infant care, as a school requirement. Complete required early literacy training, annual in-service training, and other applicable health and safety training within required deadlines. Preferred Experience and Credentials An Infant Toddler CDA, an eligible FCCPC, or an early childhood education degree is preferred. Prior infant classroom experience, familiarity with CLASS assessment, curriculum, and Brightwheel, and strong family communication and organizational skills are preferred.