Child Development Associate Jobs in Belleville, NJ

BSECDC is currently seeking teachers with their CDAs, Certified, or in a Study Plan for our classrooms. The Lead Teacher supports BSECDC’s mission to make a difference in the lives of children, their families, and communities through the delivery of high-quality early education and child development services that promote children’s school readiness through growth and development across all developmental domains. The Lead Teacher adheres to all federal, state, and local regulations, as well as BSECDC program policies, procedures, and administrative guidance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Implement a well-organized learning environment with developmentally appropriate schedules, lesson plans, and indoor and outdoor learning experiences that provide adequate opportunities for choice, play, exploration, and experimentation among a variety of learning, sensory, and motor experiences.

• Develop and implement weekly lesson plans, including plans for individualized instruction, in accordance with BSECDC’s procedures and the research-based curriculum, that include indoor and outdoor learning experiences to support physical health and development, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, language development and communication, and cognitive development.

• Recognize bilingualism and biliteracy as strengths and, for children who are dual language learners, plan and implement experiences to support English language development.

• Ensure the physical environment and lesson plans reflect the diversity represented in the children and families served.

• Implement nurturing, responsive, and effective teaching practices to ensure daily learning experiences promote critical thinking, inquiry-based learning, STEM, and reading and writing readiness, as well as children’s social-emotional development and universal values of tolerance, compassion, and respect among children.

• Use positive guidance strategies to create a peaceful classroom environment where children resolve conflicts using language to express their feelings and opinions.

• Expose children to individuals of different cultural lifestyles, different genders, and different sexual orientations through stories, posted pictures, and discussion.

• Plan and communicate effectively with all other classroom staff, including the assistant teacher, special education staff, volunteers, and interns about weekly lessons, classroom activities, and other pertinent information regarding children.

• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with families, while maintaining professional boundaries, to encourage their input and support two-way communication regarding the growth and development of their children.

• Conduct two home visits and two parent-teacher conferences per child per year.

• Create and adhere to a posted classroom daily schedule that includes sufficient time for established routines such as nap/rest time, meal time, handwashing, toileting, and transitions through activities.

• Ensure that children are engaged in oral hygiene education through daily tooth brushing, stories, skits, and other activities.

• Facilitate, observe, and communicate the importance of healthy eating habits through family-style meal times, including ensuring all adults eat with children during meal times.

• Conduct all screenings and ongoing assessment of the children in the class, as required, and use data gathered to inform instruction, including individualization, and measure progress towards School Readiness Goals.

• Monitor children’s daily attendance and communicate with the assigned BSECDC staff member if a child needs additional support.

• Support tracking responsibilities of the daily meal count for the CACFP program, as requested.

• Maintain active supervision, group size, and ratios at all times indoors and outdoors.

• Maintain a safe and healthy environment in the classroom and on the playground, including following all health and safety rules pertaining to food allergies, universal precautions, and personal hygiene.

• Maintain consistent attendance to support continuity of care for children and families.

• Participate in staff meetings, in-service training, coaching, workshops, and staff development programs, as requested.

• Ensure complete, accurate, and timely completion of all required data, documentation, and paperwork, including child files.

• Follow all applicable BSECDC policies and procedures, including the Standards of Conduct to safeguard children from abuse, neglect, or exploitation while in the care of the Center.

• Implement fully all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations as cited in the Head Start Performance Standards, the Head Start Act, IDEA, IFSP, FERPA, ACYFIM, Department of Education, and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Health Licensing Code, Article 47 NAEYC.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have their Child Development Associate Credentials (CDA)

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field with an active study plan leading to New York State Early Childhood Education Certification.

• OR Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with NY State Certification.

• OR Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education actively pursuing NY State Certification.

• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.

• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing classroom needs.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with team members, families, and external partners.

• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable learning environment for all children and families.

• Proficient in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, etc.).

• Experience with early childhood assessment tools or educational software (preferred but not required).

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of two years of experience working with preschoolers.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Walk, sit, stand, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• Regularly lift and/or move up to forty pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to fifty pounds.

• Use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear.

• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

BENEFITS:

• DC 37 Union

• Competitive Health Insurance

• Retirement Vested After 6 years of employment - Employer paid

• Life Insurance

• Profit Sharing Vested After 6 years of employment - Employer Paid

• PTO - Vacation/Sick

• 12 Holidays

• Professional Development

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:

• Three (3) reference checks are required.

• Obtain a mandated reporter training certificate (every two years) and complete other required Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and Head Start Performance Standards (HSPS) training.

• Complete a full physical examination with updated TB test, varicella, tdap, and MMR (fees may apply).

• Complete NYS Mandated Child Abuse Reporter training, in addition to other mandated health and safety trainings.

• Ability to pass a Comprehensive Background Clearance through the following:

  • Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)

  • Indentogo

  • Department of Education Fingerprinting Screening

  • NYS Central Registry

  • Sex Offender Registry Clearance

  • SEL check