Assistant Teacher – Preschool

Have a passion for working with children? Join our Early Head Start/Head Start team, providing early childhood education services. Penquis, a social services agency serving Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Knox counties for over 50 years, is currently seeking a full-time (40 hours per week; 52 weeks per year, benefits eligible) Assistant Teacher. As the Assistant Teacher, you assist with the daily operation of the early education classroom and activities. Develop and administer an appropriate daily activity program to assure that the needs of the group and the individual children are met. This position is located in Rockland.

Location: Rockland, Maine

Assistant Teacher Responsibilities:

• Assist in developing/conducting a daily program of activities that is developmentally appropriate for the group of children including prescriptive programs for children with special needs.
• Assure that appropriate care and supervision is provided at all times.
• Maintain a clean, healthy, safe environment for the children.
• Observe children, identify individual needs, and arrange appropriate services, either through direct service or referral.
• Assisting with classroom and playground supervision, and other daily activities related to the operation of the classroom, including light cleaning duties.
• Maintain the confidentiality of client files and information.

Assistant Teacher Requirements:

• Head Start/Preschool Classroom: Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field or enrollment in a program leading to an AS degree to be completed within two years of hire. Additionally, if the position is in conjunction with a public school PreK partnership you must be eligible for an Education Technician II Certification through the Department of Education.
• Early Head Start Classroom: Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with Infant/Toddler coursework.
• 1-2 years paid experience working with children.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Characteristics demonstrating flexibility and empathy.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Upon hire and periodically thereafter, must comply with Penquis background check requirements with satisfactory results as outlined in current contract provisions.

Penquis Child Development will pay for newly hired staff to obtain appropriate credentials or continued educational opportunities.

Excellent Benefits Package: (benefit eligible)

• 14 Paid Holidays (Including your Birthday!)
• Paid Time off-3 Days upon hire
• Paid training for all required certifications
• Dental/Health/Vision
• Retirement Plans
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Wellness Incentives

The starting rate of pay for the Assistant Teacher position is $17.07 per hour and additional compensation may be given consideration with relevant experience.

Eligible upon hire, new employees in our Early Childhood programs who work 24-40 hours per week, will receive a monthly stipend which is based on your lattice through MRTQ (Maine Roads to Quality).

Please submit application materials, including relevant educational course work and transcripts.

Penquis offers an excellent benefits package and competitive wages. Apply on line at www.penquis.org or contact us at 973-3500 (TDD: 973:3520) or by email at employment@penquis.org to request an application and job description.

In accordance with federal regulations, Penquis does not discriminate. Reasonable accommodation will be made for otherwise qualified persons with disabilities. Penquis is a smoke-free workplace.