
Childcare Lead Teacher (Full-Time)
Ames, IAFull-time$17/hrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Job overview
ChildServe seeks a Childcare Lead Teacher for its Ames childcare program, serving children from 6 weeks to 6 years old. The teacher plans activities and creates a safe, age-appropriate environment while guiding classroom staff. The role is scheduled for 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, between 8 AM and 5 PM, with a starting wage of $17.00 per hour that increases with experience and education.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Childcare Lead Teacher (Full-Time)
Daytime Services (Childcare, Autism & Medical Day Programs) Ames, Iowa
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Description
Join Child Serve as a Childcare Lead Teacher , where you will contribute to the lives of children between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 years old. Y ou will plan activities an d create an environment designed to promote safety and age-appropriate development for the children in our childcare program. You will also provide leadership and guidance for classroom staff as part of the Childcare Leadership Team.
Schedule and Compensation
40 hours per week, Monday - Friday between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM.
Starting wage for this role is $ 17.00 /hour and increases with years of experience and education.
How You’ll Make an Impact
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Build positive, trust-based relationships with children and families through consistent, respectful communication and supportive interactions.
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Supervise children in indoor and outdoor settings while maintaining required classroom ratios and ensuring a safe, engaging environment.
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Support a consistent classroom environment that encourages exploration, purposeful play, and social-emotional development.
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Assist with curriculum implementation and lesson planning, including GOLD objectives, and contribute to ongoing curriculum development.
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Accurately document observations, significant events, and services provided while demonstrating strong teamwork, conflict resolution, and professional communication skills.
What You’ll Need :
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Associate degree preferred ; candidates with a high school diploma and additional relevant childcare experience will be considered.
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Minimum of two years of experience working in a childcare setting.
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Current CPR, First Aid, Mandatory Reporting, Universal Precautions, and Medication Administration certifications preferred.
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Ability to meet physical requirements, including passing required physical examinations, lifting up to 35 lbs , and maintaining active mobility throughout the workday.
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Strong ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
Not sure if y ou hit 100% of the position expectations? Let's talk! Reach out to our Talent Acquisition team by emailing [email protected] .
Benefits
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Medical, dental, and vision insurance
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Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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403(b) retirement plan with company match
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Life and disability insurance
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Paid Time Off (PTO)
Make a Difference Every Day at Child Serve
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Child Serve partners with families to help children with special healthcare needs live a great life.
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Child Serve is a leading pediatric healthcare provider with Iowa’s only children's specialty hospital, offering a variety of services and programs to meet each child’s unique needs.
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Child Serve ’s four key specialty areas include: complex medical care, pediatric rehabilitation, autism and behavioral health, and community-based services. With a coordinated approach to care delivery, services are interwoven and streamlined, so families can address their child’s needs in one location.
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Established in 1928, Child Serve proudly provides more than 30 pediatric specialty services to nearly 6,000 children in Iowa each year.
Child Serve is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email [email protected] . Child Serve is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
How this job compares
Set against the 1,209 open Lead Teacher jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 6, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$17/hr
- US median$18–20/hr581 hourly ranges
This rate, $17/hr, is 12% below the US median midpoint ($19/hr) — in the lowest quarter of Lead Teacher hourly ranges across the US.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 15 open Lead Teacher jobs in Iowa and 1,209 across the US. None of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most across the US
- Learning Care Group810 open
- BrightPath Early Learning & Child Care122 open
- Cadence Education104 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience; Lead Teacher postings that state a minimum ask for 1 year at the median (178 postings).
- Education
- 42 of the 1,209 open Lead Teacher jobs (3%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 6, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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