Head Start Teacher

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Head Start / Preschool Teacher plans and implements a program of educational activities that foster the growth of healthy preschool children that encourages age (3 - 5 years old) appropriate growth and development in a variety of areas.  Promotes a cooperative, constructive relationship with families to ensure the child's growth/development meets full potential.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Associate’s degree in early childhood/child development required.
• Bachelor’s or Master's degree in early childhood education/child development or a child-related preferred. 
• Previous professional experience working with infants and toddlers preferred.

COMPTENCIES AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to develop and implement classroom curriculum that encourages language, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of infants and toddlers.
• Must have current first aide and infant/child/adult CPR training. 
• Ability to interact with children in a warm, nurturing manner.
• Ability to work with children with developmental delays or disabilities.
• Knowledge of or ability to learn to conduct developmental screenings and assessments of children.
• Working knowledge of child development, age appropriate behaviors, common childhood behavior challenges and appropriate interventions.
• Knowledge of the practices of early childhood teaching.
• Knowledge of the Infant/Toddler program quality assessment tool (PQA).
• Ability to intervene with children's behaviors in a non-punitive and supportive manner.
• Ability to communicate effectively with young children and their families.
• Ability to implement individual education plans (IEP) and individual family service plans (IFSP) for children with disabilities. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for ensuring that daily activities and interactions reflect the mission and goals of the program.
• Attend trainings, workshops, and any other professional development opportunities to ensure the most current, quality practices and care are being utilized with infants and toddlers.
• Implement curriculum activities, strategies, learning environment, and interactions in accordance to the PQA.
• Meet with Mentor Coach on a regular basis and implement strategies as identified on the coaching plan.
• Work together with the co-teacher as a team, in assisting with planning and implementing daily programming for pre-school children utilizing the HighScope curriculum and COR (Child Observation Record).
• Plan and document Child Outcome activities, support strategies, and interactions according to daily child anecdotal information/COR data and gains.
• Plan and implement a program of educational activities for infants and toddlers, including writing a weekly lesson plan that specifies a daily schedule, toward the achievement of specific curriculum goals as written in education component plan.
• Create a clean, safe classroom environment that is conducive to learning, promoting social relationships.
• Evaluate the accomplishments of the children on a regular basis and reports progress to parents/guardians.
• Develop curriculum activities that reflect the ethnic/multi-cultural makeup of the community.
• Maintain compliance with child-care licensing and HHS regulations.
• Assists in ensuring that all health and developmental screenings are up-to-date and complete.
• Assist in training, modeling, and coaching volunteers in the classroom to ensure practices are streamlined among all adults interacting with infants and toddlers.
• Promotes parent-child bonding and nurtures parent-child relationships. Assist in facilitating parent education workshops as assigned.
• Provide, document and report all program activities and interactions as required by contract, licensing, and programmatic goals.
• Implement classroom health, dental, and nutrition performance standards and document in weekly lesson plans.
• Coordinate mealtime service, including interacting with children and accurate CACFP recordkeeping.
• Provide activities that foster development of a positive self-image; address physical and mental health needs of children and document in daily lesson plans.
• Observe children on a regular basis for signs of possible disabling conditions and seek the assistance of specialists as needed.

LICENSING AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid driver’s license and / or reliable transportation.

• Must be COVID-19 vaccinated, or partially, with the ability to complete within 30-days of employment. Circumstances preventing vaccination, and corresponding accommodations will be reviewed and considered

Starfish Family Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer  

EOE/M/F/D/V

Salary : $15 - $27