School Age Lead Teacher

Qualifications • Must meet New York State OCFS qualifications for a Lead Teacher in a licensed School Age Child Care (SACC) program.

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.

• Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Child Development, Recreation, or a related field preferred.

• Previous experience working with school-age children in an after-school program, childcare center, daycare, summer camp, youth program, or elementary school setting required.

• Previous leadership experience in a classroom or youth program preferred.

• Strong knowledge of child development, classroom management, and age-appropriate programming for school-age children.

• Excellent communication, teamwork, and organizational skills.

• Ability to actively engage with children throughout the day, including standing, walking, bending, lifting up to 40 pounds, and participating in indoor and outdoor activities.

• Must be available to work Monday through Friday from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all required New York State background clearances and regulatory requirements, including fingerprinting, criminal history review, and Statewide Central Register (SCR) clearance. Candidates must also meet all applicable health, immunization, and training requirements in accordance with New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) regulations.

Why Join Magical Beginnings? At Magical Beginnings, you'll join a team that values collaboration, compassion, professional growth, and high-quality early education. We invest in our teachers because we know that exceptional educators create exceptional experiences for children and families every day.

With care, we care—and it starts with our team.

What You'll Do • Plan and lead engaging after-school activities that promote creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, and confidence for school-age children.

• Create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where children feel supported, respected, and encouraged to learn through play and exploration.

• Supervise and actively engage children during homework time, STEM activities, arts and crafts, outdoor play, group games, and enrichment experiences.

• Develop and implement age-appropriate lesson plans and weekly activity schedules that support children's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.

• Maintain active supervision at all times while ensuring compliance with New York State OCFS teacher-to-child ratios and health and safety regulations.

• Build positive relationships with children and families through open communication, daily updates, and a welcoming classroom environment.

• Lead and support Assistant Teachers by modeling best practices, encouraging teamwork, and maintaining a positive program culture.

• Observe children's interests, strengths, and developmental progress to help create meaningful learning experiences.

• Prepare and maintain classroom materials, activity spaces, and documentation while ensuring the program remains clean, organized, and engaging.

• Complete attendance records, incident reports, and other required documentation accurately and in a timely manner.

• Ensure compliance with all New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) licensing requirements, company policies, and quality standards.

• Serve as a positive role model by demonstrating professionalism, compassion, reliability, and a commitment to providing exceptional care for every child.