South Shore Regional Centre for Education
The South Shore Regional Centre for Education (SSRCE) practices the culturally responsive pedagogy approach in providing an inclusive, diverse, equitable, safe and healthy education that supports learning and success both personally and academically to the 59,000 residents of Lunenburg and Queens Counties, an area of 5,250 square kilometres and a total of 23 schools.
Regional Centres for Education have Employment Equity Policies and/or processes and we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups, particularly people of African Nova Scotian, African Canadian and African ancestry and Mi’kmaw/Indigenous ancestry. Please ensure that you complete the self-identification portion on the position application.
Position:
Lead - Early Childhood Educator
Location:
Bluenose Academy
Reports to:
School Principal & Pre-Primary Facilitator
Employee Group:
NSGEU
Job Status:
Term - 7 Hours Per Day
Start Date:
Effective August 18, 2025 to June 30, 2026
Application Deadline:
August 21, 2025 at 11:59pm
Scope of Responsibilities
Working with the Support Early Childhood Educator (SECE), the Pre-primary Facilitator and the Principal, the Lead Early Childhood Educator (LECE) will bring a leadership role to the Pre-primary Program Team. The LECE will work cooperatively with all ECE staff, family members, community-based professionals and service providers, such as Developmental Intervention to introduce children into the culture of school ensuring a supportive and secure learning environment for young children who attend the Pre-primary Program.
The LECE, along with the Support Early Childhood Educator (SECE), will be responsible to create and maintain an engaging learning environment based on the children’s knowledge and interests. The environment will be one in which children are encouraged to explore and create new knowledge through their experiences and social interactions with others. The LECE will use evidenced-based practices and professional judgement to ensure the learning environment is focused on the holistic development and overall well-being of the child/ren. The LECE will be responsible for implementing the Pre-primary Program using the Nova Scotia Early Learning Curriculum Framework, all other policies and best practices as determined by EECD including the Continuous Quality Improvement process.
The LECE will be an active member of the school team reporting to the School Principal and the Pre-primary Facilitator and will work collaboratively with the Support ECE to ensure the development, assessment and consistent delivery of a high quality early learning experience for children attending the Pre-primary Program.
Qualifications
A minimum ECE Level 3 (Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from a recognized post-secondary institution) with a minimum of 3 years of recent experience working with young children (birth to six); OR ECE Level 2 (2-year Early Childhood Education Diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution) with five years’ experience;
Valid standard First Aid training;
Satisfactory Criminal Record and Child Abuse Registry Checks.
Experience:
Experience in a leadership role in early childhood development is an asset;
Experience working with children and families with diverse cultural backgrounds, experiences, and developmental needs;
Experience with developmentally appropriate observation, documentation and authentic assessment strategies.
Competencies Required
Possess an in-depth understanding of child growth and development and demonstrated knowledge and experience using a play-based pedagogy and child-centered, developmentally appropriate practices;
Ability to translate theory and best practices into action in early childhood settings;
Ability to create inclusive and responsive early learning environments that support the diverse and special needs of all children;
Demonstrated competency with distributed leadership and shared responsibility (e.g. Parents, community-based professionals, School Principal and teachers);
Strong interpersonal skills to initiate and maintain contact with many educational partners;
Ability to apply computer skills suitable to report writing and internet research/communications;
An awareness of developmentally appropriate practices, child-centered and emergent curriculum;
Ability to translate best practice into new situations;
Ability to work with a diversity of developmental needs;
Ability to articulate and create an inclusive, individually appropriate environment;
Ability to apply understanding of and experience with developmental observation and assessment;
Ability to work & communicate effectively within the South Shore Regional Centre for Education, with students, parents, community members and external groups such as government agencies;
Ability to apply knowledge, experience and commitment in the areas of race relations, cross cultural understanding, human rights and diversity;
Ability to maintain and promote confidentiality as the norm;
Ability to engage in continuing education and professional development.
Task Dimensions:
The Lead Early Childhood Educator shall perform tasks as are assigned by the School Principal and the Pre-primary Facilitator. These tasks may vary, from time to time, with the evolution of the program and may include but not be limited to the following:
Collaborating with the SECE to provide direction, clarify job functions, classroom management and procedures that will set the stage for a positive environment;
Creating an inviting, active and dynamic learning environment that supports and includes all children;
Delivering developmentally appropriate and engaging programming that is responsive to the interests and cultural needs of the children and community;
Observing, assessing and documenting children’s developmental progress;
Acting as the primary point of contact with families and facilitates family, caregiver and community involvement in program;
Welcoming and have open communication with families and caregivers regarding their children’s experiences and the program offered;
Reflecting children’s lives in ongoing displays and celebrations throughout the year;
Providing timely identification of and responses to children and families in need of additional supports and services and partners with community-based providers to ensure that children’s individual developmental needs are addressed within the context of the Pre-primary program;
Writing, with guidance and input from the Facilitator, transition plans for children requiring additional supports in preparation for entry into primary;
Supporting children’s development with materials and resources that focus on emergent literacy and numeracy skills, in particular - play based skills, social emotional skills and gross and fine motor development;
Demonstrating an understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs, and of the multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning, when they are in the presence of a welcoming, inclusive early learning program;
Demonstrating an understanding of appropriate behavior guidance strategies for young children and implements them while in consideration of Regional and EECD policies and procedures;
Working with the Pre-primary Facilitator and Principal to ensure the pre-primary students are welcomed and a part of the school community;
Providing nutritious snacks, using knowledge of the food and nutrition guidelines;
Leading the day to day management of the classroom including organizing all daily programming supports for students, organizing special events and extra-curricular activities;
Participating in a comprehensive, ongoing evaluation of the Pre-primary Program via the Continuous Quality Improvement process;
Complying with OH&S regulations;
Other duties as assigned.
BACKGROUND/SECURITY CHECKS:
The South Shore Regional Centre for Education requires all newly hired employees to provide a satisfactory Criminal Record / Vulnerable Sector Check and a Nova Scotia Child Abuse Register Check. We will accept checks completed within the last 3 months.
Thank you for your interest in the South Shore Regional Centre for Education, however, only those shortlisted for an interview will be contacted.
