Organization: Bethlehem Center – Highland Early Learning Center (HELC)
Location: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Position: Lead 4K Teacher
Employment Status: Full-Time
Compensation: $18.00 per hour and up, commensurate with education, credentials, and experience
Benefits: Paid Time Off (PTO), paid holidays, professional development opportunities, and other benefits as applicable
POSITION SUMMARY
The Highland Early Learning Center (HELC), a program of the Bethlehem Center, is seeking an experienced, nurturing, and highly motivated Lead 4K Teacher to provide high-quality early childhood education within our South Carolina First Steps 4K classroom.
The Lead 4K Teacher is responsible for creating a safe, engaging, developmentally appropriate learning environment that prepares children for successful entry into kindergarten. The teacher will plan and implement curriculum, assess children's developmental and academic progress, build strong relationships with families, maintain required documentation, and ensure compliance with South Carolina First Steps 4K, South Carolina DSS, and HELC standards and policies.
The ideal candidate understands that school readiness extends beyond academics and includes children's social-emotional development, confidence, independence, communication, relationships, and overall well-being.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Teaching & Curriculum
- Plan and implement developmentally appropriate daily and weekly lesson plans aligned with the approved First Steps 4K curriculum and program requirements.
- Create an engaging classroom environment that promotes language and literacy, early mathematics, science, social-emotional development, creativity, physical development, and problem-solving.
- Provide intentional, child-centered instruction through whole-group, small-group, individualized, and play-based learning experiences.
- Establish consistent classroom routines, expectations, and positive behavior supports.
- Differentiate instruction based on individual children's strengths, developmental levels, interests, and identified needs.
- Prepare children academically, socially, emotionally, and developmentally for a successful transition to kindergarten.
Assessment & Documentation
- Conduct and maintain required developmental screenings, observations, assessments, and progress documentation.
- Use assessment information to inform lesson planning and individualized instruction.
- Maintain accurate student records, portfolios, attendance information, lesson plans, family communication, and other required documentation.
- Monitor children's progress toward school-readiness expectations and communicate concerns promptly to appropriate leadership and families.
- Participate in First Steps 4K monitoring, coaching, classroom observations, and continuous quality-improvement activities.
Family Engagement
- Develop respectful and supportive relationships with parents and caregivers.
- Communicate regularly with families regarding children's learning, development, accomplishments, and areas needing additional support.
- Conduct or participate in parent-teacher conferences and family engagement activities.
- Encourage families to actively participate in their child's learning and school-readiness development.
- Connect families with appropriate HELC, Bethlehem Center, and community resources when needs are identified.
Classroom Leadership
- Provide day-to-day leadership within the 4K classroom.
- Work collaboratively with and provide appropriate direction to the 4K Instructional Assistant.
- Model professional, respectful, and child-centered practices.
- Maintain an organized, welcoming, sanitary, and safe classroom.
- Ensure appropriate supervision of children at all times.
- Follow all applicable health, safety, emergency, sanitation, and child-protection requirements.
- Communicate classroom needs, concerns, staffing issues, and student matters promptly to the HELC Coordinator/Director.
FIRST STEPS 4K EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Candidates must meet current South Carolina First Steps 4K Lead Teacher qualification requirements.
At minimum, the Lead Teacher must possess:
- An Associate/two-year degree in Early Childhood Education or an approved related field; and
- If qualifying with a two-year degree, be enrolled in and demonstrate progress toward completion of an appropriate four-year teacher-education program as required by First Steps 4K.
Preferred:
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Early Childhood Education or an approved related field.
- South Carolina teaching credentials/certification applicable to early childhood education.
- Previous experience as a Lead Teacher in a 4K, preschool, CERDEP, First Steps 4K, Head Start, or comparable early childhood setting.
- Experience implementing developmentally appropriate and play-based curriculum.
- Experience with child assessment, data collection, and individualized instructional planning.
Final determination of credential eligibility is subject to current South Carolina First Steps 4K requirements.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
The successful candidate must:
- Meet all applicable South Carolina DSS child-care employment requirements.
- Successfully complete required background and child abuse/neglect registry checks.
- Maintain required annual professional-development and continuing-education hours.
- Complete all required First Steps 4K and SC DSS training.
- Maintain current CPR and First Aid certification, or obtain certification within the timeframe required by HELC/DSS.
- Demonstrate proficiency using computers and technology for lesson planning, assessment, communication, documentation, and reporting.
- Maintain confidentiality regarding children and families.
- Demonstrate dependable attendance and punctuality.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
The successful candidate should demonstrate:
- Strong knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate practice.
- Effective classroom-management and positive-guidance skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication.
- Ability to organize and process multiple sources of student and program information.
- Ability to document children's progress accurately and consistently.
- Ability to build trusting relationships with children and families.
- Patience, flexibility, creativity, initiative, and professionalism.
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Cultural awareness and respect for children and families from diverse backgrounds.
- Commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.
WORK SCHEDULE
This is a full-time position aligned with the operational schedule of the Highland Early Learning Center and the requirements of the South Carolina First Steps 4K program.
The Lead Teacher must maintain regular and dependable attendance and participate in required professional development, staff meetings, family engagement activities, conferences, and First Steps 4K training.
OUR MISSION
The Bethlehem Center's mission is:
To support, strengthen, and inspire individuals and families by facilitating opportunities for personal and community advancement.
At the Highland Early Learning Center, that mission begins with our youngest learners. We believe high-quality early education creates a foundation for school success while strengthening the entire family.
TO APPLY
Qualified applicants should submit:
- Current résumé
- Cover letter expressing interest in the Lead 4K Teacher position
- Copies or documentation of applicable degrees, transcripts, certifications, and early childhood credentials
- Professional references
Position will remain open until filled.
The Bethlehem Center/Highland Early Learning Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
One operational point -two-year degree alone is not the end of the requirement—the teacher must also demonstrate progress toward the four-year education program.
Pay: $18.00 - $24.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
