About the Early Childhood Lead Teacher Role: The Early Childhood Education Lead Teacher drives the delivery of instruction, care, discipline, and the preparation of instructional materials for three, four and/or five year-old pre-kindergarten students. The Early Childhood Education Lead Teacher leads a classroom team and performs classroom duties which may include but are not limited to creating a language rich/thematically aligned environment, preparing instructional materials, leading student instruction and daily living skills, care and discipline, conducting ongoing assessments, and keeping the classroom clean and well-organized. The Early Childhood Education Lead Teacher is also responsible for maintaining compliance with licensing regulations required for childcare settings in the state of Colorado.
About KIPP Colorado: Together with families and communities, KIPP creates joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. KIPP is a national network of tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students. There are 255 college-preparatory KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students. Nationally, KIPP students are graduating four-year colleges at three times the national average for low-income students.
Who we are: KIPP Colorado Schools (KIPP CO) is a network of six high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools. Our 300-person staff educates 2,500 students in grades 9-12 at KIPP Denver Collegiate High School and KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy, grades 5-8 at KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy and KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School, and grades Early Childhood Education (ECE)-4 through 4th grade at KIPP Northeast Elementary. In 2019, KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary became our newest elementary school educating students from ECE-3 through 4th grade. Our alumni community is supported by KIPP Forward, which is our comprehensive support program for our 808 high school alumni who are charting their own paths. Learn more about our student and family experience here.
What we do: We believe in the unique gifts and brilliance of every student. We believe in setting a high bar for joy and academic excellence to ensure the infinite possibilities our students have before them become a reality. We aspire to create and reinforce a culture of achievement, belonging and support. We know that every student is different and we personalize learning based on a student's needs, skills, and interests.
Job Responsibilities
Instructional Planning and Delivery
- Develop standards-based unit plans and daily lesson plans.
- Design and deliver rigorous, backwards-planned lessons.
- Design and implement assessments that are aligned with daily objectives.
- Use data to adjust short- and long-term plans in order to meet students’ learning needs.
Constant Learning
- Collaborate with colleagues and seek feedback in the spirit of continuous improvement.
- Reflect on instructional practices to meet individual professional development goals.
- Assume personal responsibility for student achievement.
- Actively participate in professional development, grade level, and department meetings.
School Culture Alignment
- Believe deeply in the mission, values, and Race, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (RIDE) commitments of KIPP Colorado Schools and that all children can and will learn.
- Establish and maintain relationships with students and families based on trust and respect.
- Approach practice with a sense of urgency to maximize instructional time.
- Establish and maintain high expectations for academic work and classroom behavior.
- Establish and reinforce rules and consequences to maintain positive, focused classroom.
- Meet professional obligations such as meeting deadlines and honoring schedules.
Additional Responsibilities
- Maintain compliance with licensing regulations and requirements
- Conduct periodic home visits to build strong relationships with students and parents.
- Communicate regularly with families about academic progress and behavior.
- Be accessible by school cell phone for homework help and student emergencies beyond regular school hours.
- Participate in parent meetings, conferences, and periodic evening events.
- Coordinate and lead overnight field lessons both in and out of state to extend student learning.
- Participate in daily duties (i.e. breakfast, lunch, dismissal) to support school operations.
- Maintain accurate records, grade book, and data tracking systems.
- Assist with both student and staff recruitment.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field
- PDIS 3.0 ECT Credential II+
- Ability to pass FBI, CBI, and TRAILS Child Abuse and Neglect Background Check
- Fulfill all state and federal guidelines to meet Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) criteria
- Ability to work during after-school, evening, and weekend meetings and events at the school
- Commitment to and experience with youth of various cultural and lower economic backgrounds (at least 2 years of teaching experience highly preferred)
- Relentless focus on results and a commitment to teamwork
Compensation and Benefits
Staff retention and satisfaction is imperative for KIPP Colorado. We seek to provide competitive compensation and benefits including the following:
- Competitive Market Salary: The salary range for this role begins at $ 65,015
- Please submit a comprehensive resume to assure all your experience is accounted for! (Tip: We don't care if your resume is more than one page, we are eager to see and compensate you for all of your experience and accomplishments.)
- Excellent Healthcare Plan: 100% of employee-only monthly premium paid by KIPP Colorado and options for family enrollment and coverage, through United Healthcare.
- Time Off !!!: More than 6 weeks of annual vacation and Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Based on hire date, employees are eligible for up to 8 days of Paid Time Off (PTO)
- All employees receive summer break through an Org closure, based on work location and position
- Access to Parental and medical leave: Includes 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid for a total of 12 weeks (after your first year).
- Career Trajectory: Access to opportunity to move up, across schools, and grow your career and weekly coaching session to refine your craft.
- Mental Health Care: Immediate and ongoing access to mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program.
- Technology & Access: Equipment provided: laptop & phone
- Retirement Planning: Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k option.
- Move to Join Us: Relocation reimbursement (when applicable)
- Additional Pay: Most school offer various stipend opportunities
- All the Insurance Options:
- Wellness reimbursement
- Voluntary employee, spousal, and child life insurance
- Voluntary long-term disability insurance
- Voluntary short-term disability insurance
- Optional Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
- All the Info: For more information, you can view our benefits FAQ here.
KIPP Colorado Schools is dedicated to equal employment opportunities and fair labor practices. KIPP Colorado Schools, KIPP Denver Collegiate High School, KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School, KIPP Northeast Elementary, KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy, KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy and KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on job-related qualifications, and the ability to perform a job without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, legally protected medical condition, veteran status, sexual orientation, or on any other basis made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. It is our policy to maintain a non-discriminatory environment free from intimidation, harassment or bias based upon these grounds.