Head Learning Development Jobs in Connecticut (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary:

Friends Center is an early childhood education center providing year-round, full-time care for children ages 3 months to 5 years. We foster a child-centered, hands-on learning environment that promotes creative play and developmentally-appropriate activities. Our value-based curriculum is guided by Quaker principles, including simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity, and stewardship. As a cooperative organization, we value diversity and collaborative relationships between parents and teachers. Our mission is to educate children, empower families, inspire teachers, engage community, and embrace diversity.

The Infant/Toddler Head Teacher plays a critical role in implementing our mission by providing best practices in childcare, leveraging a cooperative model, and upholding Quaker values. This position is responsible for overseeing the general supervision and management of all children and curricula, as well as supervising teaching staff in their classrooms.

Key Responsibilities:

Teaching: 

• In collaboration with colleagues, plans, supervises, and implements a curriculum that reflects Quaker values and best practices, tailoring activities to children’s interests and developmental needs.
• Ensures the physical, social-emotional, and cognitive needs of all children are met.
• Provides children with center materials that align with our philosophy.
• Maintains organized, clean, and engaging classrooms, updating materials and displays bi-monthly to meet children’s needs.

Modeling:

• Maintains a positive attitude and demeanor with the Executive Director, School Director, families, and other teachers.
• Mentors teaching staff and models best practices for parent-cooperative volunteers.
• Models child guidelines for teachers, assistant teachers, aides, and parents.
• Fosters positive relationships among staff, parents, guardians, and volunteers.

Supervision:

• Communicates daily with families and other teachers, documenting children’s progress.
• Conducts weekly meetings with teachers to discuss curriculum planning, student observations, and communication.
• Supervises teachers, assistant teachers, parents, guardians, and volunteers during group activities.
• Meets weekly to discuss children, families, and teaching teams.
• Provides feedback to the Executive Director and School Director for formal observations of teachers.

Assessment:

• Participates in ongoing evaluations of children through daily observations, weekly work samples, and written assessments.
• Conferences biannually with families, developing goals for each child.
• Provides ongoing evaluations as needed to assess children’s developmental levels.
• Collaborates with the School Director and Emotional Well-Being Coordinator to support referrals for families as needed.

Professional Development:

• Attends all staff meetings.
• Maintains required continuing education hours, staying current with best practices and theory.
• Participates in required early childhood meetings, conferences, and events.
• Incorporates all continuing education certificates into the personnel file.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Development and/or Education.
• CPR certified or ability to complete training.
• Ability to communicate fluently in written and spoken English.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Computer literacy.
• Two years of Early Childhood Education experience.
• Cultural sensitivity and proven ability to work with a diverse population.
• Experience working in a cooperative model a plus.
• Fluency in Spanish or other second language preferred.

Physical Requirements:

•  Vision and hearing must be within normal range so as to be able to provide sight and sound supervision.
•  Ability to lift and carry 40 lbs.
• Ability to bend, sit on the floor for prolonged periods and get up again is required.

Fluency in Spanish

• Benefits: Health Insurance; 403B Retirement Plan, 10 days PTO in addition 30+ center closings (holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year’s), Paid Professional Development, Tuition Reimbursement for ECE coursework, Emergency Financial Hardship Support (teacher loans or grants), Emotional Wellbeing Hardship Support, Free Teacher Housing, and Tuition discount for employee children attending FCfC.