Position: Assistant Teacher
Salary Range: $40,000-$48,000
Reports to: ELC Site Director
Location: DAY ONE Early Learning Center,Poughkeepsie, NY (in-person)
About DAY ONE Early Learning Community
DAY ONE Early Learning Community is a 501(c)(3) social impact organization dedicated to strengthening communities by investing in our youngest members. We train exceptional teachers, empower families, and deliver high-quality early learning experiences centered in equity, inclusion, and social justice.
Founded in 2019, our work spans New York State, uplifting historically marginalized communities and advancing systemic change in early childhood education. Through innovative workforce development initiatives such as the Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway (TAP), DAY ONE is building pathways into the early childhood profession while advancing educational equity and opportunity.
In 2022, DAY ONE opened the Early Learning Center (ELC), a model early childhood OCFS-regulated program that serves as both a community school for families in the greater Poughkeepsie area as well as a training ground for TAP apprentices. The ELC houses two programs: a Growing Younger program serving children 18 months through 5 years, and a Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program in partnership with the Poughkeepsie City School District. Programming occurs year round at the ELC and includes but is not limited to: Growing Younger and UPK classrooms, parents’ groups, community workshops and events, and TAP.
Position Summary
The Assistant Teacher is a competent and confident early childhood educator with experience and expertise in early childhood development and implementation of research-based best practices for young children. The Assistant Teacher understands the importance of modeling contemporary developmentally appropriate practices and positive guidance models with children throughout the day. The Assistant Teacher supports the whole classroom environment and creates positive, supportive relationships with the community, oversees the overall well-being of the children, and contributes to high-quality instruction and the smooth-running of the classroom on a daily basis.
The Assistant Teacher position is a full-time, 12-month teaching role.
Core Responsibilities
Relationships & Play
- Building Relationships: Warmly welcome children and families; form strong and respectful bonds with each child, honoring their temperament and unique learning profile
- Play Facilitation: Support growth through direct, child-centered, play-based interaction (i.e. get on children’s level, follow their lead, participate in play).
- Inclusion: Celebrate and represent each child’s unique learning profile and cultural/linguistic background.
- Positive Guidance: Resolve conflicts by understanding the child's perspective and applying positive guidance models.
- Independence: Cultivate conversation and self-help skills during meal times.
Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
- Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Contribute to and support the execution of an innovative, integrated early childhood curriculum tailored to the developmental needs of the children.
- TAP Philosophy: Highlight TAP philosophy and pedagogy, as well as utilizing available early learning standards, throughout the classroom (i.e. supporting transitions with a visual schedule; taking a proactive, explanatory guidance approach)
- Lesson Planning: Contribute to the creation and submission of inclusive, play-based weekly lesson plans
- Individual Learning Plans (ILPs): Provide observations and feedback to the Lead Teacher to inform the development and implementation of a written ILP for every child.
- Responsive Teaching: Balance individual student learning with whole-group teaching needs, differentiate plans to meet specific student needs, use observations to inform future planning and practice.
- Assessment: Assist in the completion of developmental screenings and assessments per the ELC calendar or as requested, sharing findings with the team.
Modeling & Mentorship
- Classroom Modeling: Model care, compassion, and professionalism within the classroom.
- Culture Setting: Contribute to a positive, inclusive, strengths-based environment for the teaching team, student teachers, and TAP apprentices.
- Mentorship: Guide TAP apprentices through their internship: welcome apprentices into the classroom, create opportunities for demonstration of learning, support Lead Teaching Week planning and implementation
- Flexibility: Adapt classroom practices smoothly during periods of limited staffing.
Family Engagement
- Partnerships: Build daily, professional partnerships with families through active listening, open and consistent communication, and cultural humility.
- Respect: Honor each family's unique dynamics, identity, and preferred level of involvement.
- Empathy: Take the family’s perspective regarding the joys and challenges of parenting.
- Resource Connection: Support the Lead Teacher in guiding families through periods of transition, assisting them in navigating early intervention systems, and connecting them to community resources and available services.
Administrative & Compliance
- Meetings: Attend all mandatory staff and team meetings.
- Credentials: Maintain an active Aspire registry profile and fulfill all OCFS training hours.
- Licensing & Safety: Maintain accurate attendance, health, and safety records; complete incident reports promptly.
- Documentation: Keep weekly written growth records, maintain student portfolios, and write bi-annual developmental profiles.
- Communication: Support close communication with families through email and messaging apps (Playground) per the DAY ONE Teacher Guide timelines and guidelines; relay important information to ELC admin team; regularly read and respond to DOELC email
- Professional Growth: Work actively toward individual Professional Development Plan (PDP) goals.
Community Engagement
- Ambassadorship: Advocate for early childhood education and positively represent the TAP/DAY ONE experience.
- Events: Attend 3 community events annually (minimum of 8 hours of community work per year). Events may include ELC Open Houses and Meet and Greets, TAP graduations, DAY ONE recruitment events, early childhood advocacy events, etc.
Qualifications
Education
- High school diploma required; CDA/A.A. preferred.
- Completion of the Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway (TAP) required within the first 6-12 months of employment.
- Documentation or completion of the following workshops before August 24, 2026:
- Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
- Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (Project SAVE)
- Dignity for All Students Act (DASA Training)
Experience
- Strong background in child development and play-based early childhood education
- Experience working with diverse populations of children and families
- 1-2 years of experience teaching in an early childhood educational setting preferred
Skills
- Bilingual, English & Spanish strongly preferred
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Strong organizational and communication skills
- Maturity and ease with interpersonal relationships; actively listens to all viewpoints
- Ability to receive and utilize constructive feedback
- Ability to work independently; follow-through on tasks to completion
- Strict adherence to issues of confidentiality
- Demonstrates creativity in problem-solving
- Ability to act calmly and competently in emergency situations
- Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
Commitment to Mission
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice.
- Passion for supporting diverse learners, educators, families, and communities.
- Alignment with DAY ONE's mission and values.
Benefits
DAY ONE offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, Holidays, and Bereavement)
- Childcare Benefit
- Professional Development Opportunities
Our Commitment to Equity and Inclusion
DAY ONE Early Learning Community believes that diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and identities strengthen our organization and our impact. We are committed to radical inclusivity and actively work to dismantle systemic barriers in early childhood education and within our own workplace practices.
We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, cultures, and experiences, particularly those from communities historically underrepresented in leadership and educational systems.
Your voice, experiences, and contributions matter here.
Pay: $40,000.00 - $48,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
