Early Childhood Teacher

Illuminate Colorado is a statewide 501(c)(3) organization working to strengthen families, organizations, and communities to prevent child maltreatment. With a research-based approach that emphasizes building promotive and protective factors, we address systemic and multi-sector issues by collaborating with families and partners at the community, state, and national level to develop and implement powerful programs, policies and initiatives that build brighter childhoods in Colorado.

Our organization is working to build an inclusive and diverse team of passionate experts who value each other’s differing lived experiences and backgrounds. All of our work is grounded in the foundations of equity and inclusion, family and community driven, holistic, and multigenerational approaches – and guided by our core values of empathy, innovation, growth, and integrity. Learn more at .

Location Note: This position is based in the Denver Metro area.

Role: Under the guidance of the Child Care Manager, the Early Childhood Teacher will be hired to plan, organize, implement, and deliver an early childhood program curriculum to enrolled children’s individual and group educational, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs. This position will manage a mobile child care classroom for children whose parents are working to address complex issues impacting their family, such as mental health concerns, substance use disorders, or employment challenges; and ensure that the mobile classroom remains in compliance with the State of Colorado Child Care Licensing standards. This position will also work closely with community partners to recruit and enroll families into the program.

Specific Duties Include:

Ensures the classroom environment is safe and meets all State of Colorado Child Care Licensing Regulations
Implements an early childhood program based on individual children’s intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs and strengths:
Develops written plans, with the classroom team, for daily activities based on children’s needs and interests, which stimulate learning in all developmental areas ( language, physical, social, emotional, and intellectual) for a class of up to 5 children which may include children with disabilities.
Organizes classroom materials and equipment to provide a safe, supportive, age-appropriate environment for children.
Warmly greets each child and parent as they arrive to ensure that all families feel welcome in the classroom.
Is considerate and culturally sensitive to the families and children.
Maintains a healthy work environment with staff and children through a strength-based lens of positive communication; acknowledging, recognizing, and accepting all children and their families.
Communicates with the Child Care Operations Manager to ensure that necessary classroom materials are ordered and arrive on time.
Plans and participates in the preparation, setup, and clean-up of foods for infants and toddlers.
Provides clear and consistent expectations for the children’s behavior.
Encourage children’s independence, and trust they can do age-appropriate tasks themselves.
Assess children’s social emotional skills using the appropriate tool within two weeks of a child’s enrollment. Prepares, submits, monitors, and tracks internal and external reports / documents in accordance with program needs.
Works closely with implementation partners to recruit and enroll families for child care services in the on-site classroom.
Demonstrates responsible professional behavior by participating effectively within and across teams, i.e. emails, effective communication using skilled dialogue, etc.
Works effectively with the Family Support team to ensure smooth program operations.
Utilizes the Daily Vehicle Safety Checks to complete an inspection and sign off that the unit is ready for travel and the day’s activities.
Drives the RV classroom to service locations and returns the unit to the garage at the end of the day. RV training will be provided.
Prepares the mobile classroom for the day by opening the slides, setting materials out, and completing safety checks prior to children’s arrival.
Prepares the on-site classroom for departure by cleaning all materials, putting all loose materials away, bringing the slides in, and doing a final check prior to departure.
Ensures the mobile classroom is disinfected and sanitized between sessions and at the end of the day.
Prepares the mobile classroom for the following day by checking and emptying the gray and black water tanks as needed, filling the fresh water tank as needed, filling the unit with fuel, etc.
Other duties as assigned.

Experience, Skills, & Qualifications:

Enthusiastic leader and team member with a positive attitude.
Exceptional oral and written communication skills – ability to understand intermediate written materials and compose information/instruction in written form.
Effective interpersonal skills to support ongoing interaction with other employees, the general public, and children and parents within the community.
Effective organizational, time management, and multitasking skills.
Excellent judgment as well as problem solving/decision making abilities.
Remain calm and calm others in an emergency, stressful and/or confrontational situation.
Identify conflict and take the steps necessary to resolve the issues or involve others to resolve the issues.
Work well with other people, taking into consideration, among the dynamics, their needs, their personal style, and the requirements of their jobs.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications.

Physical Requirements:

Conduct activities involving stooping, kneeling, bending, crouching, crawling, twisting, and reaching on a frequent basis, substantial standing and walking, and moderate sitting.
Sit on the floor or crouch at a child’s level. Lift a child weighing up to 50 pounds. Lift, carry, push, and/or pull a burden weighing up to 25 pounds.
Grasp and manipulate office and art equipment and other similar tools and materials.
Work with hands above shoulder height with a weight up to 5 pounds.
Work with arms extended at shoulder height with a weight up to 20 pounds.
Respond to unanticipated situations involving activities of young children ranging in age from birth to three years of age.

Qualifications:

Professional Development Information System (PDIS) Level 2 Early Childhood Teacher
Must meet or be willing to work towards obtaining the Colorado Child Care Infant Nursery Supervisor requirements (ECE 111 and ECE 112; Expanding Quality
Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred
Valid Driver’s License required
Must pass background check, post-employment medical examination
Experience working in Head Start or Early Head Start program preferred

Compensation & Schedule:

Full-time, salaried, exempt position eligible for benefits. Starting salary is negotiable and commensurate with skills and experience in the range of $45,000- $55,000.

A retention stipend of $1500 is available for this position. The successful candidate will receive a partial stipend at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days of employment upon the successful completion of all training, including but not limited to RV Driver Training, RV Equipment Training, all required PDIS training, and CPR/First Aid.

This position will be required to travel to service locations in the Denver Metro area. A cell phone will be needed to complete necessary duties regarding this position. Flexibility to work an alternating schedule that may include opening and closing center hours, and may include some evenings. More details will be provided through the interview process.

Illuminate Colorado offers health and dental benefits as well as participation in a 401K, EAP, and Life Insurance benefits. In addition, Illuminate Colorado has an unlimited paid time off policy and offers both flexible scheduling and remote work. Residency in Colorado, or anticipated relocation to Colorado in the near future (at your own expense), is a condition of employment with Illuminate.

To Apply:

Please upload a cover letter, resume, and three references to:

https://forms.monday.com/forms/dd48ec827ad8434581cc333233005271?r=use1

Application Deadline: Opened until filled

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $45,000.00 – $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Paid time off
Schedule:

Day shift
Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person