Lead Preschool Teacher (GSRP)

GSRP Training and Preschool Program Information

GSRP trainings will begin on August 25th. The preschool program for students starts on September 8th and runs through the end of May.

At Little Explorers, we also offer year-round employment opportunities for teachers who prefer not to take the summer off.

We’re excited to partner with the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) to offer preschool for 4-year-olds. Classes are held Monday through Thursday, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Fridays are dedicated to professional development and support for our staff. These days include:

• Teacher training sessions
• Lesson planning
• Classroom organization
• GSRP coaching
• Family meetings and conferences

This structure ensures a high-quality learning environment for our students and strong support for our teaching team.

Minimum Requirements:

• A valid Michigan teaching certificate and an Early Childhood Education (ZA) or Early Childhood-General and Special Education (ZS) endorsement
• OR – A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or child development with a specialization in preschool teaching. The transcript will document a major, rather than a minor, in child development or early childhood education.

Preferred Requirements:

• Certification of CPR and First Aid required by State Licensing.
• Teaching experience with at-risk children.
• Experience working with early childhood curriculum.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop high-quality weekly lesson plans with fidelity to the Connect4Learning curriculum.

• Lead/ facilitate developmentally appropriate learning activities for all parts of the preschool day.

• Gather child assessment data to plan for individualized instruction.

• Attend home visits, conferences, family events/ advisory meetings, and open houses.

• Actively participate in all planned professional development and PLCs.

• Maintain child files.

• Ensure compliance with all licensing standards.

• Maintain confidentiality.

• Develop positive partnerships with families and other staff members.

• Guide and collaborate with an Associate Teacher.

• Responsible for daily operation of the program.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Knowledge and experience working with preschool, early elementary, and/or early childhood education.
• Ability to plan, prepare, and carry out engaging educational activities that promote the social-emotional, academic, and physical development of the whole child.
• Ability to establish and maintain a safe and secure learning environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with young children and their families.
• Display sensitivity in meeting the needs of a diverse population of children and families.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding and learned skills while interacting with students and adults.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with students, staff, and the school community.
• Demonstrate self-directedness and initiative when given a variety of tasks and responsibilities.

Physical Requirements:

• Frequently stand, walk, sit, talk and hear.
• Regularly reach with hands and arms.
• Regularly sit on the floor with children for extended periods of time.
• Regularly get up and down from the floor.
• Regularly lift up to 40-70 pounds.
• Occasionally climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.
• The employee needs to be able to tell where a sound is coming from and hear in a noisy environment.
• Employee must possess physical ability sufficient to employ physical intervention strategies when necessary, i.e. non-violent crisis intervention techniques.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.