Young Wonders – YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County
Schedule: 20+ Hours per Week | Benefits Eligible | In-Person | M - F 1:30pm to 5:30pm with opportunities for additional hours | Pay range: $19.00 - $20.42

Help Create a Place Where Kids Feel Safe, Connected, and Empowered

Do you enjoy working with school-age children and creating experiences that help them learn, connect, and grow? Young Wonders, the child care program of the YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County, is seeking an enthusiastic, dependable, and compassionate School Age Teacher to lead our After School Program for children ages 5–12.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys combining creativity, leadership, and relationship-building while making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families.

The YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County strives to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

The Young Wonders mission is to empower young minds to cultivate relationships in a consistently responsive and emotionally safe environment.

About the Role

The School Age Teacher is responsible for creating a warm, nurturing, safe, and engaging environment where children can build relationships, develop independence, collaborate with others, explore their interests, and feel respected for who they are.

In addition to working directly with children, the School Age Teacher takes a leadership role in planning programming, guiding classroom staff, communicating with families, and ensuring that the program meets Young Wonders and New York State Office of Children and Family Services standards.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Plan and provide programming that meets the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social needs of individual children and the group.

• Build positive relationships with children and actively encourage their participation in activities and learning experiences.

• Create and maintain a warm, safe, orderly, stimulating, challenging, clean, and appealing program environment.

• Develop weekly written lesson plans and plan engaging activities and field trips for children ages 5–12.

• Provide assistants, aides, substitutes, and other classroom staff with opportunities to contribute to program planning while appropriately delegating responsibilities to ensure successful program implementation.

• Establish and maintain positive communication with parents and guardians through regular informal communication and formal documentation when requested or needed.

• Assist with the training, supervision, and evaluation of support staff.

• Meet and maintain satisfactory standards under the School Age Environment Rating Scale.

• Recognize behavioral challenges that may arise with school-age children and collaborate with program administration to develop appropriate behavioral guidance plans.

• Effectively manage multiple responsibilities in a busy, fast-paced environment.

• Maintain all health and safety requirements established by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), our licensing and governing agency.

• Maintain necessary program records, documentation, and files.

• Develop meaningful relationships with children from diverse backgrounds, treating every child with dignity and respect while considering each child within the context of their cultural and socioeconomic background.

• Participate in staff meetings, in-service training, conferences, and other professional development opportunities as required.

• Assist children with toileting needs, including diaper changing when necessary.

• Serve as the Director’s designee when assigned.

• Perform other responsibilities related to the position and needs of the program.

Qualifications

Candidates must meet one of the following education and experience pathways:

• An Associate’s degree in Child Development, Elementary Education, Physical Education, Recreation, or a related field; OR

• A School-Age Child Care Credential or other OCFS-recognized credential specific to the school-age developmental period and at least one year of experience working with children under age 13; OR

• A high school diploma or equivalent and at least two years of direct experience working with children under age 13.

We are looking for someone who also:

• Relates to children and parents/guardians with warmth, patience, sensitivity, and enthusiasm.

• Demonstrates emotional maturity, stability, and sound judgment.

• Can appropriately respond to challenging or crisis situations and use supervision and feedback constructively.

• Has the ability to lead and supervise aides and other support personnel.

• Is organized and able to maintain appropriate records and documentation.

• Has the physical stamina necessary to work actively with school-age children.

• Is able to lift and carry a child weighing up to 40 pounds.

• Possesses, or is willing to obtain, certification in Pediatric First Aid, Personal Safety, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use.

Reporting Relationships

The School Age Teacher:

• Reports to the Director or Assistant Director of Young Wonders regarding matters involving staff, children, parents/guardians, curriculum, or program operations.

• May bring matters requiring further attention to the Executive Director when appropriate and after following established supervisory channels.

Why Join Young Wonders?

At Young Wonders, you will do more than supervise an after-school program. You will help create a community where children feel safe, respected, challenged, supported, and encouraged to become more confident and independent.

You will also be part of a mission-driven organization committed to equity, dignity, empowerment, and creating stronger communities.

If you are creative, dependable, comfortable taking the lead, and passionate about helping children thrive, we encourage you to apply and become part of the Young Wonders team.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or familial status, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, genetic characteristics, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

We strongly encourage individuals of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and lived experiences to apply.