Lead Teacher – Rockville

Circle of Friends | Fairfield, CA
Full-Time | Monday–Friday

Circle of Friends is looking for an experienced, dependable, and nurturing Lead Teacher to join our Rockville team. If you are passionate about early childhood education, enjoy creating engaging classroom experiences, and want to work with a team committed to high-quality care, we’d love to hear from you.

? Minimum Qualifications

Please review these requirements before applying:

• Minimum 12 Early Childhood Education (ECE)/Child Development units, including required core courses
• Prefer 3 units in Infant/Toddler Development
• Minimum 1 year of experience working in a licensed child care center
• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must have availability to work scheduled shifts Monday–Friday between 6:45 AM and 5:45 PM
• Must be able to pass required criminal background clearances
• CPR/First Aid certification or ability to obtain required certification
• Must be able to communicate clearly and professionally with children, families, and team members, both verbally and in writing

Who We're Looking For

Beyond your education and experience, we are looking for someone who genuinely wants to make a difference in the lives of children and families.

Our ideal Lead Teacher is:

• Loving, patient, positive, and nurturing with children
• Dependable and ready to be an active member of the team
• Professional and respectful when communicating with families and coworkers
• Comfortable taking leadership and ownership of the classroom
• Organized and able to maintain required classroom documentation
• Passionate about creating a safe, welcoming, and engaging learning environment
• Familiar with quality early childhood education practices and licensing requirements

What You'll Do

As a Lead Teacher, you will help create a classroom where children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn. 

Responsibilities include:

• Plan and support developmentally appropriate learning experiences
• Maintain a welcoming, engaging, and organized classroom environment
• Build positive relationships with children and families
• Support children with meals, diapering, toileting, transitions, rest periods, and daily routines
• Maintain required classroom logs, documentation, and records
• Maintain a clean and safe classroom
• Follow Circle of Friends policies and Community Care Licensing requirements
• Work collaboratively with classroom teachers and site leadership
• Model professionalism and high-quality care for other classroom team members

Physical Requirements

Early childhood education is an active, hands-on role. 

Teachers must be able to:

• Stand and walk for extended periods
• Frequently sit and engage with children on the floor
• Get up and down from the floor safely and quickly
• Bend, reach, move classroom materials, and actively participate in children's play
• Lift up to approximately 40 lbs. when necessary, including assisting a child during an emergency

Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

Full-Time Employee Benefits

We value the people who care for our children and families. 

Eligible full-time employees receive:

• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Dental and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Professional development assistance
• Your birthday off!

Our FRIENDS Core Values

At Circle of Friends, our values guide how we care for children, support families, and work together as a team.

F – Friendly and Fun Environment
R – Respectful and Responsive Environment
I – Integrity in everything we do
E – Environments that are welcoming, beautiful, and engaging
N – Nurturing care that builds trust and security
D – Dedicated to providing high-quality care and education
S – Service: Every child and family deserves excellence

Come Grow With Us!

We are a close-knit team of early childhood professionals who believe that excellent child care begins with excellent teachers. We are looking for someone who brings the right combination of education, experience, professionalism, positivity, and heart to the classroom.

If that sounds like you, we encourage you to apply!

Circle of Friends is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have:

• A minimum of 12 ECE/Child Development units, including required core courses
• A minimum of of 1 year of experience working in a licensed child care center
• A positive, professional, and nurturing approach with children
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• CPR/First Aid certification or ability to obtain certification
• Ability to pass required criminal background clearances
• Ability to maintain a safe, clean, organized, and licensing-compliant classroom
• Ability to support daily classroom routines including meals, diapering/toileting, transitions, documentation, and active play
• Ability to perform the physical requirements of an active childcare environment, including sitting on the floor, standing for extended periods, and lifting up to 40 lbs. when necessary

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who genuinely wants to make a difference in the lives of children and families and bring positive energy to our team.