Program Leader

At Early Connections, we recognize the importance of responsible, educated and creative professionals in our classrooms in order to maintain the high-quality programs we have worked so hard to achieve. We are a value-driven organization, committed to teamwork, collaboration, accountability, excellence, integrity, and respect. We believe in outstanding customer service and continuous process improvement.

We are seeking dedicated individuals to share in our passion for children and families, values, and work ethic.

Early Connections offers additional supports for our staff you wont find in other early education organizations, including a Health & Nutrition Specialist and two Behavioral Health Specialists on staff to assist with childrens health and social emotional development. We also offer professional development opportunities and provide support for curriculum, assessment and family engagement.

A Program Leader plans and implements learning experiences that advance the development of the whole child. Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment by planning and implementing high quality learning experiences to advance the development of the whole child in partnership with families. Implement a balance of group and individualized experiences to promote the development of school readiness skills.

• Assume full responsibility for classroom and children in the Lead Teachers absence. Assists Lead Teacher with duties as delegated and accept supervision.
• Be a part of the planning and implementation of appropriate childrens learning activities to enhance skill development in all domains of learning.
• Ensure that the classroom environment (including outdoors) is clean, safe and appropriate, in accordance with CDHS Licensing, Health and Safety requirements, USDA food and sanitization requirements, and Early Connections policies and procedures.
• Request, maintain, and prepare materials so they are adequate, appropriate, and safe. Maintain the outdoor area and classroom in a safe and clean manner, and meet all heath and safety standards, including CACFP regulations.
• Demonstrate acceptance of all children (and their families) including those with special needs, behavioral challenges, diversity of culture, race, ethnicity and parental choices.
• Adhere to Early Connections policy of confidentiality.
• Engage in positive interactions with children, teachers, school personnel, Early Connections staff and families at all times.
• Present self and a professional in appearance, speech, attitude, values, and support of Early Connections mission at all times.
• Comply with all Early Connections policies and procedures, Colorado Department of Human Services licensing requirements.
• Know, articulate, and apply concepts, principles, theory, and practices of Early Childhood Development. Be able to generalize in all situations, to support positive outcomes.
• Plan and implement learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their literacy and phonemic, print, and numeric awareness, their understanding and use of language, their understanding and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their appreciation of books, and their problem-solving abilities.
• Individually document attendance and meal recording.
• Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for ethnic and economic backgrounds of families served.
• Support the development of positive relationships between children and their families, while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Communicate with appropriate staff (within all departments and community) to meet the needs of the classroom, children, families, and host schools.
• Share all information with co-workers and supervisors as appropriate and communicate openly and honestly.
• Use discretion and maintain confidentiality with matters of children, families, staff and program as appropriate.

Qualifications

• Must meet Colorado Rules and Regulations for Program Lead. Must be Early Childhood Teacher qualified.
• Documented experience teaching in the Early Childhood Education field working with children (6-12 years).

Reading Ability to read moderately difficult books, manuals, handbooks, emails, policies, procedures, reports, calendars, letters, schedules, etc. written in the English language.

Writing Using the English language to write simple, compound, and complex sentences with proper formation, punctuation, syntax, spelling and grammar using all parts of speech.

Speaking Speak clearly and distinctly with poise using correct English.

Reasoning Apply principles of rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variable situations.

Mathematical Add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure. Perform arithmetic operations involving all American monetary units.

Position requires physical mobility, with or without reasonable accommodation if requested, to perform essential functions of the job.Job involves sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, reaching grasping, bending, stooping, crouching, pushing and/or pulling.

Exerting 20 to 40 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects including the human body.

The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.

The ability to endure physically and emotionally working with school age children for long periods of time.

The ability to see objects or movement of objects to ones side when the eyes are focused forward.

The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to see details at a distance.

The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

Background Check Requirements:

• Criminal Check
• Employment Verification
• Education Check
• Pre-employment drug test
• Colorado Department of Human Services for fingerprints and background inquiry
• By position, Motor Vehicle Record

Early Connections is an equal opportunity employer.