The Head Start Area Manager is responsible for providing operational management, in a designated service area, for Head Start and other pre-school programs funded through NEMCSA. Position provides direct supervision and training support to assigned staff. The Head Start manager is responsible for full implementation of the Head Start program in compliance with HS Program Performance Standards and State and Federal mandates.
Leadership/Program Management:
- Provide operational management of assigned early childhood programs;
- Follow and implement all agency policies and procedures as well as federal mandates related to the HS Program Performance Standards;
- Cooperate and coordinate efforts with other management team members within HS/EHS and other NEMCSA divisions;
- Responsible for building effective local work teams;
- Recruit and select area staff and provide new hire training and mentoring ;
- Coordinate recruitment activities and assist in the assignment of families to each classroom or Home Visitor maintaining full enrollment at all times;
- Complete required documentation of relevant activities and submit records and reports in a timely and accurate manner;
- Communicate consistently with the Head Start Regional Manager ;
- Provide direct supervision to Family Service Coordinators, Teachers, Home Visitors, Bus Drivers and Cooks responsible for performance and accountability, work activity, leave time and professional development.
Staff/Professional Development:
- Conduct an annual performance review for assigned staff and develop goals for continued improvement;
- Facilitate the development of professional development plans for assigned staff;
- Plan and conduct monthly staff meetings/TLCs to address program needs as well as identified training needs;
- Support intra-staff mentoring;
- Pursue goals through an individual professional development plan to enhance knowledge base and skills with respect to child development, family services, and management;
- Complete additional training as required by continuing education plan. Maintain annual CLASS reliability;
- Maintain confidentiality and code of ethics at all times.
Family Relationships/Engagement:
- Oversee the development and implementation of family partnership plans designed to meet the individual needs of families;
- Develop strategies for parent engagement that promotes parents as decision makers in governing and advisory bodies such as Policy Council, parent officers, health advisory and other community early childhood committees;
- Work with FSC staff to ensure the occurrence of parent committee meetings including sharing the parent curriculum and other education opportunities. Assure parent/community participation in order to reach the program’s non-federal share target.
Monitoring:
- Oversee health services systems with regard to children’s health and nutritional status, including physical, dental, mental health and follow-up;
- Conduct monitoring activities per schedule;
- Conduct regular resource staffing meetings to ensure the needs of children and families are being met;
- Monitor to ensure strict adherence to the child supervision policy;
- Oversee the implementation of outcome-based activities in cognitive, social-emotional, physical domains with an emphasis in language, literacy, math, and science; ensure a learning environment that supports positive growth and development in the center or home setting, including provision for children with special needs;
- Conduct CLASS assessment and utilize results to guide staff toward continued improvement in the areas of emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support emphasizing teacher-child interactions;
- Provide written feedback regarding daily classroom operations based on on-site observations and record monitoring.
Community Advocacy/Partnerships:
- Promote Head Start to the public and recruit families through a variety of community and media activities;
- Exhibit willingness to promote and enhance programming in local area, i.e. grant writing, community collaborations, local work groups;
- Provide for inter-agency coordination through committee membership and/or written agreements with child welfare agencies, and health, mental health, and education systems;
- Ensure successful transitions to or from Head Start by fostering collaboration with program staff and members of the community to plan and implement strategies to meet transition goals.
Resource Management / Technology:
- Maintain knowledge and proficiency in current database systems such as CHILDPLUS and My TS;
- Develop technology skills and use software programs, as requested, for monitoring child and family data and/or outcomes;
- Provide oversight to local program budgets including ordering supplies, staff training and parent activity expenditures;
- Ensure staff are tracking inventory in the data base.
School Readiness/and Curriculum Support:
- Monitor progress toward school readiness goals for assigned area;
- Ensure that all staff are aware of and plan for school readiness goals;
- Ensure curriculum is implemented to fidelity;
- Ensure that classrooms and program activities as well as materials reflect children’s/family’s cultures and communities;
- Insure implementation of a curriculum that is responsive to each child’s individual learning style and temperament, through monitoring of ongoing observation and assessment of children;
- Build trusting, supportive relationships with classroom staff.
- Disability Coordination
- Coordinate child disability services to meet Subpart F of the Head Start Program Performance Standards;
- Secure inter-agency agreements and work collaboratively with LEA’s to provide service delivery and coordination of services to eligible children;
- Attend IEP meetings when available and/or necessary;
- Collect Disability in-kind from LEA’s.
