Lead Teacher - Family Connection Center

San Francisco, CA

About the Job

Job Title: Lead Teacher
Reports To: Education Manager (or designee)
Location: San Francisco (Excelsior and Portola – agency determines center assignment)
Compensation: $36-37 per hour, depending on experience, plus an excellent benefits package
Classification: Exempt, full-time position, and 40 hrs/wk
Schedule: Monday-Friday with occasional weekends
Date: September 30, 2024

To Apply: Review full posting. If you match our qualifications and interests, please click "apply now" to submit your cover letter and resume. (An account creation is not required.)

Benefits Package

100% employer-paid Kaiser Platinum Medical Plan, Vision, Dental, Acupuncture, & Chiropractic
Pays 50% of eligible employee’s children/dependent premium cost
Vacation accrual starts at up to 10 days year one, up to 15 days year two, up to 25 days year six
14 holidays paid time-off including winter week holiday break
Paid sick and bereavement leave
403(b) retirement plan with up to 3% employer contribution
Professional development
PLUS: Paid lunch break, medical Flexible Spending Account, Employee Assistance Program, staff appreciation, team building events, and a great work environment

About Family Connections Centers:
Family Connections Centers’ (FCC) mission is to support the development of strong, healthy families and thriving communities. We create opportunities for people of different backgrounds to work together cooperatively, sharing cultures, values, knowledge, and resources. We offer an array of interconnected, participant-driven programs that include early childhood education, family support, and K-5 education. Visit fccenters.org to learn more.

Position Summary:
Family Connections Centers is seeking an experienced lead preschool teacher for a thriving multicultural Family Resource Center with locations in the Portola and Excelsior neighborhoods of San Francisco.

Pre-K programs are offered with a low teacher-child ratio in partnership with a family support team to provide holistic wraparound services for children and their families.

The Pre-K lead teacher is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the preschool program at their assigned center, working closely with their co-teacher, substitutes, trainees, consultants, and families to develop and nurture each child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills necessary for kindergarten readiness.

Essential Functions:
Programs – Children, Families, and Safety

Ensure the curriculum covers a spectrum of learning areas including: Language and Early Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Fine Arts, Health & Safety, Personal and Social Development and Physical Development.
Ensure program and classroom follows licensing compliance requirements and mandatory assessment standards including ECERs, CLASS, QRIS, and other tools.
Provide oversight of daily operation of the classroom, including overall safety, accident and illness prevention, positive interactions and productive educational activity.
Evaluate, plan, and implement indoor and outdoor curriculum, learning tools and supplies, to ensure outdoor environment is safe, developmentally appropriate, and promotes learning
Plan and implement an age-appropriate program which addresses individual, small and large group needs of preschool children including fieldtrips.
Coordinate and provide semi-annual teacher-parent conferences, DRDP-PS, ASQ, and orientation for prospective and incoming families.
Maintain effective relationships and communications with families.
Develop and maintain a positive and confidential relationship with parents/caregivers of every child, including thorough communication about program and child’s progress.
Coordinate and provide outreach to community partners and vendors for services, including screenings with nurse consultant and extracurricular program activities.
Follow mandatory reporting requirements for suspicion of child abuse or neglect, and record-keeping of injuries or accidents.

Staffing and Supervision

Model and ensure professional standards of communications within classroom, agency and with community partners/vendors.
Conduct coaching and provide oversight of teachers, substitute teachers, interns, and volunteers, in accordance with agency policies and applicable laws.
Support teachers with their work schedules coordination and scheduling of substitute teachers for work coverage needs.

Record Keeping and Other Responsibilities

Conduct ongoing evaluation, documentation, and observation notes of children to create individualized portfolios and information sharing with parents/caregivers, for referrals, and partnering schools.
Maintain records for each participant/child following licensing, agency and grant requirements.
Creates and distribute monthly program newsletter, calendar, and curriculum.
Monitor, maintain and order necessary inventory within approved budget.
In collaboration with management team, coordinate and evaluate program processes, policies and procedures, including enrolment policies and programmatic structures.
Participate in staff meetings, in-service trainings, consultations, and professional development workshops.
Provide data entry and updating data information in agency and funder databases.
Provider enrollment support including checking files, conducting tours, etc.
Perform other duties and ad hoc projects as needed or requested by supervisor.

Qualifications:

BA with 24 ECE/CD units including core courses (child/human growth & development; child/family/community or child/family relations; and programs/curriculum); 6 units administration; 2 units supervision required
Site Supervisor Permit or Director Permit required
Bilingual in English and Cantonese, English and Vietnamese, or English and Spanish strongly preferred
Minimum of 3 years of experience as a preschool teacher, plus minimum of 2 years of experience in a managerial position supervising staff
Demonstrated cultural sensitivity, experience working effectively in diverse communities of staff and participants, and knowledge of San Francisco’s diverse community and learning styles
Collaborative and self-directed, with the ability to work well in teams and independently
Confident and respectful classroom management skills and approach
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including listening skills
Professional ethics of confidentiality, discretion, and good judgment
Proficiency with full Microsoft suite and experience with database useful
Experience working in a remote workspace, with agility to move from on-site to remote, helpful

Skills and Knowledge:

Strong critical thinking, flexibility, resourcefulness, attention to detail, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities
Ability to speak in group settings, provide feedback, and share ideas
Attend in staff meetings, in-service trainings, professional development workshops, meetings with Family Connections’ HR consultant, and relevant meetings, trainings, and workshops as needed
Establish and maintain strong partnerships with community partners
Keen sense for safety, security, and ergonomics
Perform other duties as needed or requested by the supervisor
Stay updated on CPR/First Aid, Mandated Reporter, Pesticide training, Workplace Harassment, Workplace Violence, and required vaccinations
Live Scan Clearance and physical health/TB clearance are required to be maintained throughout employment

Work Environment:
This position will be based out of our Portola and/or Excelsior centers. This job operates in a professional classroom and office environment. Work scheduled weekdays, Monday-Friday, with occasional evening/weekend work to support community events. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, fax machines, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing all day. The employee must frequently lift and/or move items over 25 pounds and on occasion may require lifting/carrying a child or object up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements:
All employees are expected to be fully vaccinated, which includes current/available booster shots based on CDC recommendations. Any candidate unable to be vaccinated due to a sincerely held religious belief or a medical condition will be engaged to determine if a reasonable accommodation can be provided.

Family Connections Centers is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity, inclusion, and respect. We welcome and strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Source : Family Connection Center