Lead Teacher, Infant/Toddler (EHS) at Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) – Seattle, Washington

Puget Sound Educational Service District seeks a highly qualified Infant/Toddler Lead Teacher to join our team of educators and lead a classroom unit working in a strong collaborative partnership with the Teacher and Assistant Teacher. Job duties include designing and leading children’s learning, documenting children’s outcomes, and working with families. The Educare lead teacher develop and implements academic, behavior, developmental, health and nutrition plans for the purpose of maximizing students’ outcome, achieving program objectives and encouraging home school connection. The lead teacher and the teaching team implement diverse experiences that support global learning focusing on the child’s back experience and heritage.

Open until filled; for best consideration, submit a complete application by NEW best consideration date of 1/13/2025. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for 1/21/2026.

At Educare, you will join a community of learners focused on providing high quality care and early childhood education, while working closely with families to support the growth and development of their children. Educare is a research-based early learning program implementing best and most promising new practices. We hold high expectations for achieving child and family goals and offer reflective practices so that teachers reach and sustain those goals. We encourage you to join us in achieving a vision of excellence, innovation, and creativity for the children and families we serve.

PSESD is one of nine regional educational agencies serving school districts and state approved charter and private schools in Washington. Serving over 39% of Washington’s K-12 public school students, our agency provides critical services designed to ensure that our students are ready to enter school, achieve at high levels in the K-12 system, and succeed in postsecondary endeavors. To learn more about PSESD, visit www.psesd.org/about-psesd.

This job reports to Mentor Teacher

Essential Functions

• Acts as a support to families for the purpose of meeting specific family needs related to child guidance and development, advocating for parents, and encouraging parent involvement in the program.
• Administers health screenings (part day) and developmental testing programs, assessments, etc. (both part day and full day) for the purpose of identifying needs, assessing student development and/or developing individual learning plans.
• Assists children with hand washing, tooth brushing, diapering, etc. for the purpose of modeling appropriate personal hygiene and meeting standards.
• Attends a variety of educational workshops, seminars, in-service trainings, etc. for the purpose of maintaining their professional knowledge.
• Collaborates with families for the purpose of optimizing development of each child and helping to enhance parenting skills.
• Conducts home visits and conferences for the purpose of providing information and resources to families on a schedule in compliance with program requirements and to partner with families in educational planning and goal setting.
• Coordinates development of Individualized Educational Plans for the purpose of ensuring compliance with established regulations and performance standards, encouraging parent involvement, and maximizing child outcomes.
• Coordinates and manages classroom preparation of teaching materials, planning and management of classroom routines and staff roles for the purpose of ensuring the availability of equipment, materials, and personnel to achieve objectives.
• Develops weekly curriculum plans with individualization for students in collaboration with classroom team including (e.g. indoor and outdoor instruction, quiet and active learning opportunities, group, small group and individualized instruction, environmental adaptations and use of daily routines for learning to support individual and group needs, etc.) for the purpose of maximizing child outcomes and delivering services in compliance with established guidelines.
• Engages in Active Supervision, as defined by the Head Start National Center on Health, with focused attention and intentional observation of children at all times for the purpose of providing a safe and positive learning environment.
• Implements academic, behavior, developmental, health and nutrition plans for the purpose of ensuring compliance with established regulations and performance standards; maximizing student outcomes, achieving program objectives and encouraging parent involvement.
• Instructs children for the purpose of optimizing outcomes for each child in accordance with School Readiness goals.
• Maintains files and/or records for the purpose of providing up-to-date reference, cross component communication and/audit trail for compliance with district, local, state, and federal regulations.
• Maintains classroom equipment, work areas, student files/records for the purpose of ensuring availability of items, providing reliable information and/or ensuring a safe and sanitary environment.
• Models conversation, respectful interaction, conflict resolution and, clean-up/selfcare activities for the purpose of demonstrating appropriate social behavior and supporting a positive classroom climate in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Organizes and serves meals and snacks in compliance with USDA and HS regulations for the purpose of meeting nutritional needs of students.
• Participates in a variety of program activities for the purpose of conveying and/or receiving information related to program plan.
• Participates in local and national evaluation activities for the purpose of continuous program improvement.
• Prepares reports for the purpose of documenting family and child activities as described in the work plan.
• Provides child guidance information and support for the purpose of increasing parent/family understanding of child development, learning and school readiness.
• Provides care to children for the purpose of ensuring a safe and healthy environment for children.
• Replies to inquiries from a variety of sources for the purpose of resolving issues, providing information and/or referrals.
• Responds to emergency situations for the purpose of resolving immediate safety concerns and/or directing to appropriate personnel for resolution.
• Serves as an active and engaged team member in interdisciplinary planning for children and families for the purpose of conveying and/or receiving information related to child development, learning, and health and family goals.
• Supervises personnel (e.g., provide coaching and consultation on technical issues, adaptive challenges, personnel matters, strategic opportunities, career goals, professional development, job performance, etc.) for the purpose of advancing the development of effective leaders and high performing teams and achieving agency and departmental objectives.
• Supervises Teachers and/or Teacher’s Aide for the purpose of collaborating to meet the needs of the family, providing training, and encouraging their participation in planning, curriculum development and classroom activities.

Other Functions

• Assist other personnel as may be required for the purpose of ensuring an efficient and effective work environment.

JOB-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:

BOUNDARY SETTING: Maintains professional relationships between self and others by establishing parameters regarding interpersonal interactions. Engages in discussions about work constraints while maintaining positive relationships.
CLASSROOM GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP: Demonstrates knowledge of evidence-based classroom leadership practices that create a climate for student learning.
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT: Demonstrates knowledge and expertise related to State and Federal learning standards and curriculum adaptation and implementation. Utilizes evidence-based research regarding teaching strategies to advance practices that meet the needs of all students.

• AA or higher in a related field with Infant toddler coursework; OR Current Infant/Toddler CDA; OR Current Preschool CDA credential from the Council for Professional Recognition with infant/toddler coursework; OR ECE initial certificate with infant/toddler coursework
• 2 years of professional experience working with children 0-5
• Early childhood oversight experience in a childcare center, child development center, or preschool program

• Experience as a lead teacher in Head Start, Early Head Start, or other comprehensive child development/family support program
• Experience supervising early childhood classroom staff
• Experience working with children birth to 5 who are from diverse backgrounds