Daycare Head Teacher

*This is a PART-TIME 20 hour per week position.

CLASS DEFINITION:
On a daily basis, opens day care center and greets parents and children; plans and implements age-appropriate curriculum; stimulates the interest of participants while teaching and supervising program activities; maintains safe, secure, clean and orderly classroom and playground environments; provides supervision to teaching staff in the absence of the Day Care Site Director and Assistant Day Site Director; assists teachers and aides during transition periods and as needed; performs a variety of administrative tasks to support program operations and activities such as: answering phones, maintaining files and records, enrolling students, collecting and accounting for program fees, and collecting and accounting for the center’s staff work time reports; and performs special projects as assigned and related work as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
Incumbents in the Head Day Care/Preschool Teacher classification are temporary employees and may not advance to permanent status in any District job classification. Hours of work vary based on the daily census of program participants. This classification is distinguished from the Assistant Day Care Site Director classification by the expanded scope and complexity of duties and responsibilities and the higher level of independent judgment and authority exercised by an incumbent classified as an Assistant Day Care Site Director.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED/EXERCISED:
The Head Day Care/Preschool Teacher classification receives immediate supervision from the Day Care Director or Assistant Day Care Director. Incumbents directly supervise the work of teaching staff during the absence of the Day Care Director and the Assistant Day Care Director.
EXAMPLE OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Opens day care or preschool center; greets parents and children; responds to parent queries relative to program policies, procedures, activities, and fees and/or refers to appropriate personnel for resolution according to established procedures
• Ensures the safety, security, cleanliness and orderliness of classroom and playground environments; notifies the Day Care Director of problems encountered with site maintenance, children and/or parents and recommends appropriate resolutions

• Provides supervision of the work activities of teaching staff during the absence of the Day Care Director and Assistant Day Care Director
• Performs a variety of administrative tasks in support of program operations and activities which includes: answering phones, maintaining a variety of clerical records and reports, enrolling students; collecting, waiving and accounting for monthly program fees; and collecting and accounting for employee work time reports
• Plans and implements age-appropriate curriculum, events and recreational activities at an assigned day care/preschool site; configures classroom and furniture to accommodate planned activities and student population;
• Stimulates interest while teaching and supervising program activities
• Provides direct supervision to children in the classroom and on the playground; actively works towards maintaining positive student relations while following established disciplinary procedures
• Assists teachers and aides as children transition between rooms and programs; walks students to kindergarten when teachers are unavailable; and helps to track and document arrival and departure times of program participants
• Promotes safety procedures around participants, and provides first aid as required

EXAMPLES OF NON-ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
• Prepares snacks for children, which may include mixing and cooking ingredients
• Performs other job-related duties as required
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical path to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:
Education and Experience Guidelines:
- At least two (2) years of work experience in a licensed childcare center or comparable group childcare program, working at least three (3) hours per day for a minimum of fifty (50) days in a six (6) month period as a paid or volunteer staff member, under the supervision of a qualified teacher or director
- Equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade
- Completion of twelve (12) units in early childhood education, recreation, elementary education, or related field is required at licensed day care sites

Knowledge of:

- interests, capabilities, handicaps and age-appropriate recreational activities for elementary school-age children and/or preschool children
- effective methods of planning and implementing age-appropriate recreational activities, programs and special events for children
- Title 22 regulations guiding day care program operations and activities is required for licensed day care sites
- District and program policies, rules and operational procedures
- behavior modification techniques and appropriate methods for disciplining children
- personal computer operation and software applications

Ability to:
- exercise tact, judgment and patience in dealing with children, parents and staff
- supervise and appropriately discipline children, participate in program activities, field trips and/or perform exercises with children
- learn, understand, interpret and explain District and program policies, rules and operational procedures
- direct and coordinate daily work activities of day care staff in an acting supervisory capacity
- maintain attention to detail in a work environment of frequent interruptions
- follow oral and written instructions
- perform a variety of administrative and program support assignments
- effectively operate a personal computer and other standard office equipment
- establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted during the performance of work duties and responsibilities
- perform essential duties of job without causing harm to self or others
Licenses/Certification Required:
- Possession of a valid class C California Driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record
- Possession of a certificate of completion of CPR and first-aid training
- Possession of a certificate of completion of a child health care class is required for licensed day care sites

WORKING CONDITIONS:
Environmental Conditions:
Incumbents perform job duties primarily in a temperature-controlled classroom environment and in close contact with children of various ages, their parents and other District staff. Incumbents are occasionally exposed to varying climate and temperature conditions, including heat and cold and frequently travel to various program sites or on field trips in a vehicle. Incumbents are exposed to dust, constant noise and chemical cleaning solvents on a daily to weekly basis.
Physical Conditions:
Essential duties of a Head Day Care/Preschool Teacher requires the ability to sit for extended periods; repetitive use of feet and hands and finger dexterity; to feel the attributes of objects by touch; to verbally exchange ideas and information; to hear to receive detailed verbal information and instruction; to see to supervise children and view objects within one to twenty feet and to differentiate basic colors and shades of color; to maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling on, slippery surfaces; to twist, climb, stoop, kneel, crouch, stand, run and walk; to place hands in water to perform cleaning tasks; to use hands and arms to reach in any direction; to lift, carry, push, pull, and grasp a variety of objects such as a vacuum and furniture weighing between 5 and 25 pounds on a daily basis.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by persons assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an inclusive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of incumbents. In accordance with the Americans with Disability Act, reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Drafted: 10/2006
Edited: 10/2013
Edited: 10/17/13