Summary of Duties:
This position provides assistance to the Area Manager, Teacher, students and parents within the Head Start/GSRP Program and provides for the creation and delivery of developmentally appropriate educational activities to child and parent. Duties include assistance in creating and implementing educational, developmentally appropriate curriculum; achieving progress toward school readiness goals; classroom management; parent interaction; maintenance of records and self-development through an individualized professional development plan.
Child Growth and Development:
Promote the child’s development in the cognitive, social-emotional, and physical domains with an emphasis in language, social competence, ethnic and disability awareness, as well as health, safety, and nutrition. Utilize and model positive behavior management techniques, support a consistent routine, and implement activities that support social emotional development; with particular focus on socio-emotional skills at program start-up. Support and enhance children’s growth and development through continuous improvement based on information derived from CLASS in the areas of emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support emphasizing teacher-child interactions. Support programs to ensure children are making progress toward achieving School Readiness Goals;
Learning Environment and Curriculum:
As assigned, assist in the design, preparation, and implementation of curriculum and developmentally appropriate, outcome-based activities in all areas of development for children; assist in the selection and arrangement of materials for the learning environment. As assigned, Develop lesson plans allowing input from program team and parents. As assigned, implement lesson plans which enhance the child’s cognitive, social-emotional, and physical domains with an emphasis in language, literacy, math, and science, including individualized skills for children. Help develop, maintain, and enhance a positive, healthy, and low stress environment in the classrooms. Assist in building children’s pride in their cultures, families, and communities by ensuring that classroom learning centers and materials reflect children’s cultures and communities. Assist teachers in ensuring the curriculum is implemented to fidelity.
Child Observation, Record-Keeping and Assessment:
Maintain all required child records and program paperwork as assigned by the supervisor. Demonstrate ability to utilize data gained from assessment tools, observation, and TS Gold reports to plan skill building and individualization. Conduct on-going observation and assessment of all children; assist with entering progress notes into the approved assessment tool. Document case notes and other required information in ChildPlus as needed.
Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition:
Assist in the initial and daily management and maintenance of the physical classroom, building and grounds to ensure a safe, orderly, and clean environment.
Share in the overall management and programming of sites which may include mentor a new teacher as necessary. In the absence of the teacher, assume all management responsibilities in accordance with licensing requirement
Assist in proper use and ongoing maintenance of the equipment and program site.
Build children’s awareness of and ability to follow basic health and safety rules by providing opportunities for learning about health and safety, positively redirecting them from potentially harmful activities. SUPERVISE CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES ensuring no child is left unattended.
Promote an awareness and development of healthy lifestyles in children and families through physical activity, healthy food choices and positive eating habits.
Family and Community Relationships:
Assist parents in planning and implementing home activities appropriate for the individual child’s specific developmental needs as reflecting in TS Gold reports, as assigned;
Assist in completing home visits and parent teacher conferences as assigned;
Assist teachers in assuring parent/community participation in an effort to obtain and document in-kind to reach non- federal share target;
Support and encourage parents’ involvement in all program activities through attendance at center meetings, conferences/home visits, participation in program activities and in learning activities designed for use with children;
Act as a program/child advocate by maintaining a positive image of Head Start/GSRP at all times and places;
Seek out and use all opportunities to promote Head Start/GSRP in the local community;
Work in cooperation with parents and other program staff to meet all program requirements;
Maintain ongoing cooperation with agencies and local school districts providing services to Head Start/GSRP families;
Promote Head Start/GSRP by participating with other team members in program and community activities;
Assist in facilitating transitions to or from Head Start/GSRP by engaging families, program staff, and members of the community in planning and implementing strategies that ensure successful transitions, including the transfer of child records;
When requested, actively participate in Resource Staffing, reflective/case consultations; completing necessary referrals and team assignments to ensure services to all families.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
This position has no supervisory authority.
Education and Experience:
Associate degree (AA) in early childhood education or child development or equivalent; or a valid classroom CDA credential.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
Employees in this position must possess reliable transportation and a valid Michigan driver license. Complete TS GOLD Inter-rater Reliability within one year of hire and renew every three years thereafter.
Language Skills:
Ability to read, analyze and interpret (reports, regulations, periodicals). Write (reports, business correspondence and manuals). Present information and respond to questions.
Mathematical Skills:
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
Security/Privacy Access:
This position has limited access to view, alter, retrieve or store individually identifiable health or other sensitive information, pertinent to accomplishing assigned tasks, and must maintain confidentiality in accordance with the NEMCSA Privacy Policy.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral and diagram form involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
