Work With Us!
Help children grow. Build your skills. Be part of a dependable team.
At Stepping Stones Childcare Center in Mountain Home, Idaho, we care for children ages 6 weeks through 5 years, with limited after-school care.
We’re looking for people who enjoy working with children and understand the responsibility that comes with caring for them. Whether you’re new to childcare or bringing experience, we value patience, dependable attendance, teamwork, and a willingness to learn.
We accept applications year-round. Available positions and start dates depend on the center’s needs.
Positions and Opportunities
Assistant Teacher
Support teachers with supervision, daily routines, activities, cleaning, sanitation, and organization. No previous childcare experience is required. We’re willing to train someone who is dependable, engaged, and ready to learn.
Teacher
Provide attentive daily care, guide learning activities, support positive behavior, and communicate respectfully with families and coworkers. Teachers are expected to learn our procedures and handle their assigned responsibilities with increasing independence. They must be willing and able to train for work in any classroom as needed.
Lead Teacher
Take primary responsibility for an assigned classroom and serve as a consistent point of contact for its families and staff. Lead Teachers guide daily routines, activities, organization, and teamwork while helping maintain a safe, welcoming learning environment. They set the example, support other teachers in the room, and follow through on classroom needs in coordination with leadership.
Center Lead
Help lead daily operations across the center and serve as a dependable resource for staff and families. Center Leads assign tasks, direct staff, coordinate classroom support, and follow through on center expectations. They handle routine decisions independently and provide day-to-day direction when the Center Manager is away. When a situation is unclear or requires approval, they seek guidance from the Center Manager or Director. Through clear communication and hands-on support, they help keep the team organized and the quality of care consistent.
Teachers, Lead Teachers, and Center Leads must be willing and able to complete training for placement in any classroom. Assignments depend on completed training, demonstrated readiness, and the center’s needs. Lead Teachers generally have a primary classroom but may support other rooms when needed. All staff may be assigned other duties appropriate to their role and training.
Pay and Benefits
Starting pay: $13–$14 per hour
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Assistant Teacher — $13 per hour: No previous childcare experience required. Training is provided.
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Teacher — $14 per hour: Relevant childcare experience and a hiring assessment that demonstrates readiness for Teacher responsibilities.
Advancement Opportunities: Lead Teacher & Center Lead
Opportunities include Lead Teacher and Center Lead roles, with pay ranging from $15–$16 per hour, based on responsibilities, demonstrated performance, and length of service.
Advancement depends on classroom skills, reliability, teamwork, and the center’s needs. It may be considered as early as one month when you demonstrate readiness for the role, but a promotion or pay increase is not automatic. Pay is reviewed as responsibilities increase.
Free childcare while you work
Free childcare during your scheduled work hours is a valuable part of our total compensation for employees who use it. Depending on your work schedule, this can provide up to $800 in monthly childcare savings, in addition to hourly wages. Limitations apply.
Support and professional growth
Build your skills through hands-on experience, guidance from our leadership team, and professional development opportunities through IdahoSTARS. We support employees who want to keep learning and take on greater responsibility.
Schedules and Availability
Business hours are Monday–Friday, 6:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Our primary schedules are:
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Full-time: Monday–Friday, 8 hours per day.
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Part-time: Monday–Friday, 5 hours per day.
Shifts are scheduled within business hours. Once trained, employees should be willing to help with opening or closing shifts as needed.
Please provide accurate availability when applying. Other availability may be considered, but our primary need is for employees who can consistently work one of the schedules above.
How We Support Our Team
We want every team member to feel supported, understand what is expected, and build the confidence to handle their responsibilities independently. That starts with clear direction, hands-on training, and people you can turn to for help.
Feedback is part of how we grow. When something needs to be corrected or improved, we address it directly and respectfully. We explain what needs to change, provide guidance, and follow up. In return, we expect team members to listen with an open mind, ask questions when needed, and put that guidance into practice.
Listening and learning go both ways. Our Director, Center Manager, Center Leads and Lead Teachers welcome questions, concerns, and suggestions. Your perspective matters, and we want you to speak up when you need support or see an opportunity to improve.
Our goal is a team that can count on one another, where people take ownership of their work, communicate respectfully, and keep learning together. That is how we create a better workplace and consistent, high-quality care for children.
Before You Apply
Please take a moment to consider whether this work is a good fit for you.
Working with children is meaningful and rewarding. It also includes crying, spills, busy classrooms, repeated directions, and moments that test your patience. Children need attentive, caring adults through all of it.
You do not need to know everything on your first day. You do need to be willing to learn, accept guidance, and take your responsibilities seriously.
Are you ready to stay actively involved with children?
This means playing, reading, guiding activities, helping with routines, and paying attention to what is happening around you. Children need consistent supervision and interaction throughout the day.
Can you stay patient during challenging moments?
Young children are learning to communicate, follow directions, and manage their feelings. They need calm, respectful guidance, even when you are frustrated.
Can you dependably work the schedule you accept?
Your presence matters to the children and your coworkers. We expect punctuality, advance requests for planned time off, and prompt communication when unexpected circumstances affect attendance.
Are you comfortable putting your personal phone away?
Personal texting, scrolling, and calls must not distract from supervising children. Personal phone use belongs on breaks away from supervision duties, with emergency and approved exceptions addressed in our policy.
Are you willing to do all parts of the job?
Childcare includes cleaning, sanitizing, diapering or toileting assistance, helping with meals, and keeping spaces organized. These are important parts of caring for children.
Can you accept feedback and follow through?
We need people who listen to direction, ask questions, take responsibility for mistakes, and apply what they learn. Supporting the team also means completing your responsibilities and helping where needed.
We are looking for people who want to become a dependable part of our team. Children build trust with familiar caregivers. We want staff who are interested in developing their skills and growing with us.
Background Checks, Certification, and Training
Staff must complete the required Enhanced Background Check, Pediatric CPR and First Aid certification, and IdahoSTARS training.
Employees pay the upfront costs of the Enhanced Background Check and CPR/First Aid certification obtained for this position. Eligible costs are reimbursed after 90 days of continued employment following completion. Details are provided during hiring, and your personal certifications remain yours.
The IdahoSTARS courses we require are free.
Ready to Join Our Team?
If these expectations match how you want to work, we’d love to hear from you.
Tell us about your availability, experience, and interest in childcare. We consider applicants based on job-related qualifications, readiness for the responsibilities, and the center’s staffing needs.
Applications are welcome year-round. Submitting an application does not guarantee an immediate opening or interview.