Lead Toddler Teacher (18 Months – 3 Years) Pay is based on education and experience.
St. John's Hilltop Preschool – Stony Ridge, Ohio
Do you believe children learn best through play, exploration, and meaningful relationships? We are looking for a passionate, dependable, and experienced Lead Toddler Teacher to join our faith-based preschool team.
At St. John's Hilltop Preschool, we believe children are naturally curious learners. Our classrooms are child-led, meaning teachers observe children's interests, ask thoughtful questions, and create engaging learning experiences based on those interests while intentionally incorporating Ohio's Early Learning and Development Standards.
Responsibilities
- Plan and facilitate a developmentally appropriate, child-led learning environment.
- Observe children's interests and use those observations to guide curriculum planning.
- Create engaging invitations to play and hands-on learning experiences that encourage exploration, creativity, and problem-solving.
- Build warm, responsive relationships with children and families.
- Complete ongoing observations, assessments, and documentation for each child.
- Maintain individual child portfolios by documenting growth, learning, milestones, and progress throughout the year.
- Use documentation to support individualized learning and communicate children's development with families.
- Design and maintain engaging documentation panels throughout the classroom and hallways that showcase children's thinking, learning, investigations, and developmental progress. Documentation should include photographs, children's words, teacher observations, and connections to learning objectives, making children's learning visible to families and visitors.
- Maintain a safe, nurturing, organized, and engaging classroom environment.
- Lead daily classroom routines including meals, diapering/toileting, rest time, transitions, outdoor learning, and gross motor activities.
- Foster children's social-emotional development by teaching independence, emotional regulation, and positive peer interactions.
- Collaborate with administration and fellow teachers to ensure continuity across classrooms.
- Maintain licensing compliance with Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) regulations.
- Participate in staff meetings, professional development, and required trainings.
- Communicate professionally and respectfully with families and coworkers.
Qualifications
- Experience working with toddlers (18 months–3 years) in a licensed childcare or preschool setting.
- Previous experience as a lead teacher preferred.
- Strong understanding of child development and developmentally appropriate practices.
- Experience with authentic assessment, observation, and documentation of children's learning.
- Ability to create and maintain individual child portfolios using photos, anecdotal notes, and developmental observations.
- Ability to create visually engaging documentation panels that communicate the learning process and highlight children's growth through meaningful displays.
- Comfortable planning curriculum from children's interests rather than following scripted themes.
- Excellent classroom management skills using positive guidance techniques.
- Strong communication and organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a team.
- Must meet all Ohio licensing requirements, including background checks and required trainings.
What We're Looking For
Our ideal candidate is someone who:
- Believes play is the foundation of learning.
- Enjoys observing children and following their interests.
- Understands that documentation is more than checking boxes—it tells each child's learning story.
- Can make children's learning visible through high-quality documentation panels and classroom displays.
- Is patient, energetic, creative, and nurturing.
- Takes initiative and leads with confidence.
- Values teamwork, professionalism, and continuous growth.
- Creates a classroom where children feel safe, capable, and excited to learn every day.
If you're passionate about early childhood education and want to make a meaningful impact in the lives of young children, we'd love to meet you.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $15.50 - $17.50 per hour
Application Question(s):
- Are you available to work between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday?
Work Location: In person
