Early Education - Pre-K Lead Teacher

Interested in building a kinder Kansas City?

Della Lamb Community Services has the privilege of serving and investing in children and families who represent a beautiful array of humanity.  Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Della Lamb’s clients represent multiple nationalities, languages, and incomes, and our clients face unique challenges as part of their journey.  Our mission is to empower our clients to meet the challenges of education, employment, and self-sufficiency in an ever-changing world.

Della Lamb traces back to 1897 when a group of entrepreneurial women empathized with the struggles of immigrant families living in the historic Northeast of Kansas City. In response to the plights of these families, these women opened one of the first day care centers in Kansas City, providing care to children as mothers pursued and retained employment.  Today, we continue this proud tradition of service through early education, refugee resettlement, youth services, and social services.

Della Lamb is a National Mission Institution in a covenant relationship with the United Methodist Women and an agency member of the United Way of Greater Kansas City. We strongly believe in the dignity of all people and strive to live out our values of LIGHT: learning, integrity, gratitude, health, and togetherness.

About the Kansas City Pre-K Cooperative

The Kansas City Pre-K Cooperative is an innovative pre-K model that includes twelve local education agencies (LEAs) and five early education providers. The Pre-K Cooperative provides a structure for participating LEAs who do not currently offer pre-K services to operate pre-K classrooms and programs in established, high-quality early education programs to serve students for the academic school year.  In addition to increasing access, these partnerships will increase kindergarten readiness, improve vertical alignment between pre-K and kindergarten, provide families with collaborative support services, and ultimately increase student achievement. 

Through our cooperative partnership with Kansas City International Academy, Della Lamb is seeking to hire Lead Teachers responsible for providing a developmentally appropriate educational environment in a full-day pre-K classroom.

The Kansas City Pre-K Cooperative seeks to: 

• Maximize access to quality pre-K slots for children and families, positioning all students for success throughout their educational journeys. 
• Identify approaches that promote systemic efficiency and coherence, focusing on partnerships across sectors.
• Develop and provide a best-in-class pre-K program with demonstrable kindergarten readiness results.
• Improve the vertical alignment between early education and elementary schooling.
• Collaborate with a broad array of community organization and service providers currently operating in Kansas City to provide comprehensive services for students and families.

Interested candidates should submit an application online, which includes uploading a resume, cover letter, and reference letter. If you have questions, you can contact earlyed@dellalamb.org.

We are grateful for your consideration of a position at Della Lamb!

Primary Responsibility and Duties:

• Maintain a neat, clean, classroom environment and a professional personal appearance.
• Build positive relationships with students, staff and parents. Create and foster a positive learning environment.
• Actively participate in regular professional development activities, both internal and external, such as regular classroom observations, reflective discussion of professional practice, professional readings, visiting other classrooms and schools to observe colleagues, attending conferences, and offering trainings or workshops for colleagues in an area of expertise.
• Take part in a collaborative professional team environment, working with other teachers and administrators to develop, implement, and refine instructional practices.
• Work in conjunction with the Paraprofessional to develop and implement lesson plans using Project Based Learning and Creative Curriculum.
• Prioritize social-emotional learning through use of Trauma Smart and Conscious Discipline models and strategies.
• Plan a program of study that meets the individual needs, interests, and abilities of students. Employ a variety of instructional techniques and instructional media, consistent with the physical limitations of the location provided and the needs and capabilities of the individuals or student groups involved.  Confer with and seek assistance of school administrators regarding possible interventions for struggling students.
• Complete developmental screenings and any other screenings within the first 30-45 days of a child entering the classroom. Complete DRDP Assessments for each child three times per school year. Maintain accurate, complete, and correct records as required by law, school policy, and administrative regulation.
• Report pertinent behavior to the Early Learning Director immediately.
• Participate in the discussion of special needs of individual children with teaching staff supervisors, specialists and parents. Provide necessary documentation for referring children.
• Conduct all required parent/teacher conferences and home visits. Solicit parents’ assistance; explain and promote parent involvement through participation and activities.
• Make provisions for being available to students and parents for education-related purposes outside the instructional day when required or requested to do so under reasonable terms.
• Prepare and help maintain the center for licensing and accreditation requirements.
• Maintain accurate attendance and meal records.
• Practice family style serving (eat meals with the children) daily.

Required Qualifications:

• Must have a bachelor’s degree and appropriate Missouri Teacher Certification in Early Childhood Education or Early Childhood Special Education.
• A commitment to working in urban education and closing the achievement gap.
• Must pass an extensive background check.

The ideal teacher will have:

• Experience teaching early childhood/elementary grades.
• Excellent organization skills and an ability to coordinate multiple tasks and activities.
• Excellent communication/interpersonal skills as well as a desire to collaborate with various stakeholders to help develop a strong school community.
• Familiarity with or a willingness to be trained in the following: Trauma Smart, Conscious Discipline, Creative Curriculum, Project Based Learning
• The desire to continue professional development.  Openness and willingness to receive feedback and coaching instruction.
• Excellent work ethic, positive attitude, flexibility and willingness to perform tasks assigned.
• Relentless determination to do whatever it takes to help students succeed.
• Ethical behavior and hold confidentiality of information about students and teachers in the school environment and community.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Access, and Outlook.
• Embrace Della Lamb core values of LIGHT: learning, integrity, gratitude, health, and togetherness.

Physical Requirements:

• Be able to lift up to 40 pounds.
• Excessive climbing, walking, bending, stretching and sitting on floor with children.
• Exposure to childhood illnesses and diseases.
• Exposure to varying outside temperatures (heat and cold).

Salary is based on years of experience and degree of education.

All Pre-K Cooperative employers are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers and encourage applications from all qualified individuals including women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.