Purpose: The Head Teacher, Head Start ensures, supports, and promotes each child’s learning, well-being, and development in cooperation with their parents and other early childhood professionals in a manner consistent with the Head Start Performance Standards and N. J. Department of Children and Families.

This position is located at our site in Orange, NJ and is in partnership with the Orange Board of Education.

Essential Functions:
Prepares and implements developmentally and culturally appropriate lesson plans that meet the needs of all children and their families, guided by school readiness goals;
Interacts positively with all children to support their learning and meet their emotional needs;
Partners with families to ensure their involvement in the education program; Involves parents in the educational activities of the program in order to enhance their role as their child's primary educator. Assist parents to increase their knowledge of child growth and development. Help parents learn activities to do in their homes to help their children.
Eats family-style meals with the children daily;
Completes assessment of children on a timely basis utilizing assessment tools such as COR ,/GOLD, ESI, and other assessment tools and applies findings to differentiate instruction;
Review evidence that CLASS scores are assessed and use data to drive professional development and increase the effectiveness of interactions with children.
Conduct home visits and parent/teacher conferences (including evening meetings ) twice yearly.
Organize and implement a well-planned program for preschool children consistent with Head Start Performance Standards using the following strategies:
Effectively arranging and equipping the classroom
Sets up a consistent routine and communicates it to the children. Assists the children in planning what they are going to do.
Encouraging the use of language as a medium of communication and a tool for thinking
Apply positive guidance techniques toward discipline.
Providing experiences in several levels and models of representation, from concrete to abstract.
Planning activities based on the child’s own experiences, individualizing to meet the needs of each child .
Plan and implement curriculum to ensure developmentally appropriate activities that nurture the whole child, based on individual needs and abilities.
Ensures a safe and healthy learning environment by city, state, and federal requirements .
Supervise children by sound and sight at all times.
Provide for the needs of special needs children according to their IEP, the inclusion teacher, and the disabilities manager.
Promote social competence and healthy emotional development by talking to children at eye-level using a soft tone of voice. Assist children in coping constructively with anger, frustration, disappointment, and fears.
Maintain the following records and documentation on forms or by entering in Childplus:
• Attendance log
• File for each child and all required contents
• Referral Forms
• Record of all workshops attended
• All classroom binders/packets
• Field trip requests
• Parent Newsletter articles
• Videotape assignment forms
• Peer observation forms
• Children’s portfolios
• Child anecdotal notes
• Home visit and parent conference forms
• Weekly lesson plans
Provides supervision for all classroom staff and volunteers and cultivates Establishes positive working relationships between classroom staff
Prepares lesson plans weekly; demonstrates a willingness to participate and contribute to curriculum development and improvement.
Works collaboratively with the Assistant Teacher, Aide and other staff to implement lesson plans and the daily schedule.Arranges and implements meetings of the classroom staff as needed for planning classroom activities .
Informs the Education Programs and Services Manager or Site Supervisor of all classroom activities and problems.
Attend staff meetings, parent meetings, advisory meetings, training sessions, and workshops for ongoing development and involvement in the Head Start program.
Committed to professional improvement through enrolling in college courses or completing training sessions, workshops, and seminars.
Demonstrates continual interest in exploring new approaches and innovations in teaching. Perform other duties as required

Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or other related field with credits in Early Childhood Eeducation and New Jersey PreK-3 certification,
Proficiency in written and verbal English language skills.
Basic skills in Google Suite, including Google Docs and Sheets.
Physical demands: Ability to lift up to 35 lbs. Must be able to stand for extended periods, sit, squat, bend, and run.
Experience: At least three years of experience in teaching in early childhood (ages 3-5 years old).
Valid Pediatric CPR/AED and First Aid (Pediatric) Certification
Other requirements – Must successfully complete a criminal Federal and State background, Child Abuse Record Information check by the Department of Children and Family Services:
NJ State Sexual Offender and National Sex Offender Registry Clearances .
Must enroll in the NJ workforce registry (NJCCIS).

Montclair Child Development Center, Inc. offers health insurance (employee contribution) and free dental and life insurance, 403b retirement plan and paid sick, personal and administrative time off. MCDC is an equal opportunity employer.