Floater Teacher

Position Summary

The Sunnyside Academy is seeking a dependable, adaptable, and motivated individual to join our team as a Full-Time Floater Teacher.

The Floater Teacher provides essential support throughout the center by assisting classrooms, providing scheduled employee break coverage, maintaining required staff to child ratios, supporting classroom routines, and responding to staffing needs throughout the day.

Unlike an educator assigned primarily to one classroom, the Floater Teacher follows an established daily routine that moves between multiple classrooms and age groups. This position requires an individual who can transition comfortably between classroom environments, become familiar with the daily schedule and expectations of each classroom, adapt to the developmental needs of different age groups, and provide consistent care regardless of assignment.

The Floater Teacher is expected to understand what should be occurring in each classroom at the time coverage is provided and to step into the established routine with minimal disruption. Successful floaters become familiar with the children, educators, schedules, routines, and expectations throughout the center, allowing them to provide consistent and meaningful support wherever they are assigned.

Previous childcare experience and Early Childhood Education coursework are preferred but are not required. The Sunnyside Academy is willing to train candidates who demonstrate strong reliability, work ethic, professionalism, patience, adaptability, and a commitment to continued professional growth.

Employment Status & Scheduling

Employment Status: Full Time
Position: Floater Teacher

Full-time employees are generally scheduled for approximately eight-hour shifts within The Sunnyside Academy's operating hours.

The Floater Teacher will generally have an established work schedule and routine coverage responsibilities. This position should not be interpreted as an on-call position or one in which an employee's scheduled shift routinely changes from day to day.

Scheduled hours may be adjusted periodically throughout the year based on enrollment, children's attendance schedules, classroom staffing, program changes, and the operational needs of the center. When ongoing scheduling changes are necessary, employees will be provided notice whenever reasonably possible.

While the employee's work schedule is generally consistent, the nature of the Floater position requires flexibility throughout the workday. Classroom coverage may occasionally need to be adjusted due to employee absences, meetings, meetings, training, enrollment changes, or other staffing needs.

Because the Floater Teacher is specifically responsible for supporting staffing and ratio needs throughout the center, flexibility and dependable attendance are particularly important in this position.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Classroom Coverage & Center Support

The primary responsibility of the Floater Teacher is to provide consistent classroom and staffing support throughout the center.

The Floater Teacher will generally follow an established daily coverage routine, moving between classrooms to provide scheduled breaks and other support. Employees in this position are expected to learn the schedules, routines, expectations, and basic needs of the classrooms they regularly support.

When entering a classroom for coverage, the Floater Teacher should be prepared to continue the classroom's established routine. Depending on the time of day, this may include facilitating an activity, supervising outdoor play, assisting with toileting or diapering, preparing for a meal, supporting a transition, supervising rest, cleaning, or completing another responsibility normally occurring during that portion of the classroom's schedule.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing coverage for employee breaks, lunches, planning time, meetings, training, and other approved absences.
• Learning and following the daily schedules of classrooms throughout the center.
• Understanding the responsibilities that should be occurring during regularly scheduled classroom coverage periods.
• Maintaining consistency with established classroom routines while permanent classroom staff members are away.
• Providing coverage necessary to maintain required staff to child ratios.
• Transitioning efficiently between classrooms and assignments throughout the workday.
• Becoming familiar with children, classroom expectations, routines, and relevant care information.
• Receiving and following information from classroom teachers before assuming responsibility for children when applicable.
• Assisting classrooms when additional support is needed.
• Supporting classroom opening, closing, transitions, meals, rest periods, outdoor activities, and other daily routines as assigned.
• Adjusting routine coverage when necessary to respond to unexpected staffing or center needs.
• Providing additional support during periods of increased classroom need.
• Completing reasonable center support responsibilities when classroom coverage is not immediately required, including but not limited to office tasks, cleaning, organizing, preparing or gathering supplies, and other operational support.

Although the Floater Teacher will generally follow an established daily routine, the position requires the ability to adapt when center needs temporarily require a change in classroom assignment or responsibility.

Active Supervision & Child Safety

When assigned to a classroom, the Floater Teacher assumes responsibility for the children in their care and must provide the same level of active supervision expected of permanently assigned classroom educators.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining active supervision of children at all times.
• Knowing the number of children assigned to their care.
• Maintaining applicable staff to child ratios.
• Remaining aware of children's locations and activities.
• Positioning themselves appropriately throughout indoor and outdoor environments to maintain effective supervision.
• Providing attentive supervision during meals, toileting, rest periods, transitions, classroom activities, and outdoor play.
• Responding promptly to children's physical, emotional, and developmental needs.
• Following classroom specific safety information, including applicable allergy, medical, dietary, or individual care requirements.
• Following all applicable licensing, health, safety, and supervision requirements.
• Promptly reporting injuries, incidents, safety concerns, or concerns regarding a child according to center procedures.

Working With Multiple Age Groups

Floater Teachers may be assigned to classrooms serving children at different developmental stages.

Depending on assignment, responsibilities may include working with infants, toddlers, two-year-olds, preschool or PreK children, and other age groups served by the center.

Employees must be willing to learn and follow developmentally appropriate practices for each age group.

Responsibilities may include:

• Feeding and caring for infants.
• Holding, comforting, and interacting appropriately with infants and young children.
• Changing diapers and assisting with personal care.
• Supporting toilet learning and responding to toileting accidents.
• Assisting children with handwashing and hygiene.
• Supporting toddlers and young children through transitions and daily routines.
• Participating in preschool and PreK classroom activities.
• Supporting children's increasing independence.
• Assisting with age-appropriate learning experiences.
• Supervising indoor and outdoor activities.
• Supporting children during meals and snacks.
• Assisting with rest and nap routines when applicable.

An employee's personal preference for a particular age group does not guarantee assignment to that age group.

Diapering, Toileting & Personal Care

Personal care is a routine component of early childhood education and may be required when assigned to applicable classrooms.

Floater Teachers must be willing to:

• Change diapers and pull ups.
• Assist with toilet learning.
• Respond appropriately to toileting accidents.
• Assist children with wet or soiled clothing.
• Support proper handwashing and hygiene.
• Follow required diapering, toileting, sanitation, and infection control procedures.
• Safely assist or steady children during personal care routines when necessary.
• Maintain children's privacy and dignity.
• Provide personal care without punishment, embarrassment, or shame.

Floater Teachers may not decline an otherwise appropriate classroom assignment solely because the classroom includes diapering, toilet learning, or other routine personal care responsibilities.

Learning & Classroom Participation

Floater Teachers are expected to actively participate in the classroom environment rather than simply observe children while providing coverage.

Depending on the classroom and assignment, responsibilities may include:

• Implementing or assisting with activities prepared by the classroom teacher.
• Reading and communicating with children.
• Participating in music, movement, art, sensory activities, and other learning experiences.
• Supporting language, social emotional, fine motor, and gross motor development.
• Assisting children with classroom routines and transitions.
• Supporting age-appropriate independence.
• Preparing or organizing classroom materials.
• Helping maintain classroom learning areas.
• Following instructions or information provided by the Lead Teacher or other classroom staff.
• Maintaining consistency with established classroom expectations whenever possible.

Positive Guidance & Social Emotional Support

Floater Teachers are expected to follow The Sunnyside Academy's positive guidance practices in every classroom.

Employees must:

• Respond calmly and appropriately to challenging behaviors.
• Support children experiencing strong emotions, frustration, or separation difficulties.
• Use developmentally appropriate redirection and positive guidance.
• Model appropriate communication and interactions.
• Follow established classroom behavior support practices.
• Seek assistance when additional support is needed.

Yelling, threatening, humiliating, frightening, shaming, or inappropriate physical discipline is prohibited.

Meals, Snacks & Rest Periods

Depending on classroom assignment, Floater Teachers may be responsible for:

• Preparing classroom areas for meals and snacks.
• Serving food according to established procedures.
• Actively supervising children while eating.
• Following applicable allergy and dietary information.
• Encouraging developmentally appropriate self-feeding and mealtime routines.
• Cleaning and sanitizing tables and eating areas.
• Assisting with meal and snack cleanup.
• Preparing children and classroom areas for rest periods.
• Supervising children during rest or nap periods according to applicable requirements.
• Assisting children as they transition into and out of rest periods.

Cleaning, Sanitation & Classroom Organization

Cleaning and sanitation are shared responsibilities of classroom staff, including employees providing temporary classroom coverage.

Floater Teachers may be expected to:

• Clean and sanitize tables and classroom surfaces.
• Clean toys and classroom materials.
• Respond to spills and classroom messes.
• Clean following meals and snacks.
• Clean and sanitize following toileting accidents.
• Maintain changing and restroom areas.
• Sweep or complete other routine classroom cleanup when necessary.
• Organize classroom materials and supplies.
• Assist with opening, closing, or end of day classroom responsibilities.
• Follow applicable sanitation and infection control procedures.

Floater Teachers are expected to participate in the responsibilities of the classroom to which they are assigned rather than leaving routine care or cleaning duties solely to permanently assigned classroom staff.

Attendance, Reliability & Flexibility

Regular, dependable, and punctual attendance is an essential function of this position.

The Floater Teacher plays an important role in maintaining required staffing levels and providing scheduled coverage to other employees. Absences and tardiness can directly affect staff to child ratios, employee breaks, classroom operations, and the responsibilities placed on other team members.

The Sunnyside Academy recognizes that illness, emergencies, and unexpected circumstances occur. Employees are nevertheless expected to maintain consistent attendance, report to work as scheduled, arrive prepared to begin responsibilities on time, and follow established notification procedures when an absence or delay is unavoidable.

Flexibility within the workday is an essential component of this position. While the Floater Teacher generally follows an established schedule and coverage routine, assignments may occasionally be adjusted to address staffing and operational needs.

Personal Devices

Active supervision requires employees to remain attentive and available to the children in their care.

Personal cell phones, smart devices, and other personal electronics may not be used while an employee is responsible for supervising children or counted within required staff to child ratios, except when specifically authorized for an emergency or legitimate work-related purpose.

Education, Professional Development & Growth

The Sunnyside Academy considers continued professional development an important part of employment in an educator position. Professional growth is facilitated, supported, and encouraged.

Employees have opportunities to strengthen their knowledge of child development, gain experience across multiple age groups, pursue Early Childhood Education credentials, and develop professionally within the program. The Floater Teacher position can provide particularly valuable experience because employees gain exposure to different classrooms, teaching approaches, developmental stages, and daily routines throughout the center.

Employees who do not already meet applicable Early Childhood Education requirements will be expected to begin an appropriate education pathway following employment. Depending upon available programs and the employee's existing education, this may include enrollment in the next available approved accelerated or bootcamp style program or enrollment in at least one applicable Early Childhood Education course during the first available academic semester following hire.

The Sunnyside Academy will provide employees with information and assistance regarding appropriate education pathways and available scholarship opportunities.

Early Childhood Education Scholarships

New Mexico provides scholarship opportunities for eligible early childhood professionals pursuing qualifying credentials and degrees. Qualifying employees may have the opportunity to complete applicable coursework at no personal tuition cost through available scholarship programs.

Scholarship eligibility and funding are determined by the applicable program. Employees are responsible for completing required applications, enrollment processes, documentation, deadlines, and other requirements necessary to obtain and maintain scholarship funding.

New Mexico Pay Parity Opportunities

Depending upon classroom assignment, education, credentials, and applicable program requirements, qualified educators may be eligible for additional compensation through pay parity programs administered or supported by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD).

Eligibility, program requirements, and compensation amounts are established by the applicable ECECD program and are not determined or guaranteed by The Sunnyside Academy.

Candidates with existing Early Childhood Education credentials, college coursework, associate or bachelor's degrees, or other qualifying education are encouraged to review current ECECD pay parity programs and eligibility requirements.

Current program information, eligibility requirements, and applicable compensation amounts are available through the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department.

Employment & Regulatory Requirements

Employment is contingent upon meeting all requirements applicable to employment within a New Mexico licensed childcare facility.

Employees must:

• Meet applicable New Mexico ECECD requirements for employment in a licensed childcare facility.
• Successfully complete and maintain required comprehensive background clearance.
• Complete fingerprinting and required background check procedures.
• Maintain required background clearance throughout employment.
• Establish and maintain a Professional Development Information System (PDIS) profile when required.
• Complete required orientation, health, safety, and professional development training.
• Complete continuing professional development required for the position.
• Obtain and maintain CPR and First Aid certification as required.
• Maintain required employment and regulatory documentation.
• Comply with applicable New Mexico childcare licensing requirements.
• Comply with The Sunnyside Academy's policies, procedures, confidentiality requirements, and professional standards.

Current CPR and First Aid certification is preferred but is not required at the time of application. The Sunnyside Academy coordinates required CPR and First Aid training for employees who are not currently certified.

Physical Requirements

The Floater Teacher position requires regular physical activity throughout the workday and the ability to work in environments designed for children of varying ages.

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with reasonable accommodation when applicable, including:

• Standing and walking for extended periods.
• Frequently bending, kneeling, crouching, and reaching.
• Sitting at child level and on the floor.
• Repeatedly transitioning between standing and floor level.
• Moving throughout indoor and outdoor environments while actively supervising children.
• Safely assisting or steadying children during personal care and daily routines.
• Responding promptly when necessary to protect a child's health or safety.
• Participating in indoor and outdoor classroom activities.
• Handling routine classroom materials, equipment, meals, and supplies.

Professional Expectations

Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate:

• Dependability and punctuality.
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Professional conduct and communication.
• Patience and appropriate interactions with children of varying ages.
• A strong work ethic.
• Ability to learn and follow the schedules and routines of multiple classrooms.
• Ability to transition between classrooms and responsibilities without disrupting established routines.
• Ability to recognize and carry out the responsibilities appropriate to the classroom and time of day during scheduled coverage.
• Ability to follow the direction of different Lead Teachers and administrators.
• Willingness to participate fully in diapering, toileting, cleaning, meals, supervision, and other routine classroom responsibilities.
• Ability to accept constructive feedback.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a center wide team.
• Appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Commitment to continued professional education and development.
• Commitment to providing children with safe, respectful, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate care.

Apply

Candidates interested in the Full-Time Floater Teacher position are encouraged to submit an application for consideration.

The Sunnyside Academy is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants in accordance with applicable federal and state employment laws.