Job Description

About The Role

The Lead Teacher provides leadership for the daily care, supervision, and early learning experiences of infants and toddlers in a state-funded early childhood program. This role is responsible for creating and maintaining a safe, nurturing, healthy, and developmentally appropriate environment where children feel secure, supported, and ready to explore and learn.

This role sets the tone for the classroom by modeling high-quality infant and toddler practices, including responsive caregiving, primary caregiving relationships, continuity of care, positive guidance, and strong teacher-child interactions, and leads the implementation of curriculum, supports individualized daily routines, conducts ongoing child observations, maintains developmental documentation, and fosters meaningful communication with families. The Lead Teacher also guides and supports classroom staff in maintaining consistency, safety, and professionalism.

Working closely with the Center Director, the Lead Teacher ensures that classroom practices align with organizational expectations and all applicable state regulations, including Title 22 and Title 5 requirements. The role supports individualized care and learning by adapting routines and environments to meet each child’s developmental needs, including those with IFSP goals or other specialized supports.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead the daily care, supervision, and early learning experiences of infants and toddlers in a safe, nurturing, clean, and developmentally appropriate classroom environment.
• Plan and implement age-appropriate curriculum, lesson plans, learning experiences, and daily routines that support each child’s development, interests, and individual needs.
• Promote children’s social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and early communication development through responsive caregiving, play-based learning, positive guidance, and strong teacher-child interactions.
• Ensure all classroom routines, including feeding, diapering, toileting, napping, transitions, indoor/outdoor play, and small group activities, are carried out safely, consistently, and with respect for each child’s needs.
• Maintain active supervision at all times and ensure the classroom team follows Kidango’s health, safety, supervision, licensing, and program requirements.
• Ensure compliance with Title 22, Title 5, and all applicable Kidango policies and procedures for state-funded early learning programs.
• Observe and document children’s development using required assessment tools, screenings, notes, photos, and work samples, and use this information to plan individualized learning experiences.
• Support children with IFSP goals, developmental needs, disabilities, or other specialized supports in partnership with families, center leadership, and support staff.
• Maintain accurate classroom records, including attendance, meal counts, child observations, developmental documentation, assessments, and other required program records.
• Partner with families through regular, respectful communication, parent-teacher conferences, and family engagement practices that recognize families as the child’s first teacher.
• Provide leadership, modeling, and daily guidance to Associate Teachers, Teacher Aides, and classroom support staff to promote strong teaching practices, teamwork, consistency, and accountability.
• Support classroom organization, cleanliness, materials preparation, and readiness to ensure a safe, engaging, and high- quality learning environment.
• Collaborate with the Center Director, classroom team, and support staff to ensure strong classroom operations, continuity of care, and high-quality services for children and families.
• Participate in staff meetings, coaching, training, and professional development to strengthen teaching practice and program quality.
• Maintain confidentiality of children, families, and staff while representing Kidango’s mission, values, and professional expectations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Preferred qualifications

• Associate degree required in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field.
• Must meet Title 5 and Title 22 requirements for a Lead Teacher in an infant/toddler classroom, including required Early
• Childhood Education units and Infant/Toddler units.
• 2 to 3 years working with infants and toddlers in a licensed early childhood program preferred.
• Experience leading classroom activities, supporting other teaching staff, and helping maintain a high-quality learning environment preferred.
• Teacher Permit from the Department of Education required.
• Immunization records that comply with Senate Bill 792 (immunity for measles, pertussis, and influenza.)
• Required to be a mandated abuse reporter.
• Ability to provide leadership and accept responsibility.
• Required CPR/First Aid Training Certification.
• 16 hours of health and safety training which includes 1 hour of nutrition training