Job Description
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
The Preschool Teacher is responsible to promote school readiness by preparing children and families for school success and life success as it relates to this position. To provide high quality developmentally appropriate care and education for children age 3-5 in a center based classroom in the CPLC ECD Program. Work as part of a center based inter-disciplinary team to support the child in all areas of development while providing education, disabilities, health and social service support to families. Abide by all state and federal regulations that apply to care and education of young children including the revised Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), Head Start Act, Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Child Care Licensing, Office of Head Start Initiatives and ECD Content Area Plans and Procedures. Actively supervise children by sight and sound at all times and in all environments. Maintain all health and safety regulations to create an optimum learning environment. Facilitate health practices to keep children safe in the school bus, outdoor and indoor environments.
SPECIALIZATIONS
Initial employment physical and TB test or Chest x-ray, Tdap and a valid Arizona Driver's License and vehicle insurance are required. Must pass a criminal background check to include a Child Abuse and Neglect register check, sex offender registry check, and obtain a Level One Fingerprint Clearance card. According to the new HSPPS an applicant must be First Aid and CPR certified or must obtain certification within the first 6 months of employment. Applicant must obtain Food Handlers card upon hire. Obtain certification as inter-rater reliable in My Teaching Strategies assessment tool within 4 months.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum qualifications for the Preschool Teacher position are as follows:
Applicant must have basic keyboard skills and be able to use computer, computer software programs (e.g. Microsoft Office, Adobe) and web based systems.
Minimum education qualifications (one of the listed below):
- An Associates degree in Early Childhood Education
- A Bachelors degree in Child Development or Early Childhood Education (ECE) or coursework equivalent to a major relating to Early Childhood Education in a related field
Minimum experience:
Six-month experience in teaching preschool aged children
Preferred qualifications:
- Baccalaureate or advanced major in ECE or a related degree to early childhood education and experience teaching preschool age children.
- Internal Candidate with AA in ECE or a related degree to early childhood education and experience teaching preschool age children.
- Bilingual Spanish/English
- Experience working with culturally diverse and low-income families
NOTE: Education obtained outside of the United States of America (USA) and from another country must be evaluated from an accredited organization to determine equivalency to USA education standards.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMPETENCIES
Center-based teachers, teacher assistants and family child care providers are expected to demonstrate competency to provide effective nurturing teacher-child interactions, plan and implement learning experiences that ensure effective curriculum implementation and use of assessment and promote childrens progress across the standards described in the Head Start Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five and applicable state early learning and development standards, including for children with disabilities and dual language learners.
Program Management: Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to cultural issues and community practices of low income and at risk families, including dual language speakers. Implement Office of Head Start initiatives. Provide task based training mentoring/modeling to teacher assistants, new co-teachers, substitutes and volunteers. Attend designated program and center meetings. Assist and participate in parent involvement activities. Perform other duties as requested by immediate supervisor necessary to fulfill the goals and objectives of CPLC ECD. Maintain and keep current all necessary and required certifications.
Safety: Supervise children by sight and sound at all times in all environments. Maintain all safety regulations to create an optimum learning environment. Facilitate health practices in all indoor and outdoor learning environments. Establish and maintain a safe, supportive environment in the classroom and the playground. Increase vigilance while walking children to and from various site locations during transitions. Create and implement a safety plan for classroom and play areas. Safety practice to include daily are: zoning, verbal hand off of safety monitoring, counting children at every classroom transition, before and after going to the playground, bus and leaving the classroom. Incorporate Office of Head Start (OHS) safety guidance and protocols including but not limited to OHS health & safety screener and Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS) classroom arrangement and daily practices.
Assess Development and Learning: Using designated research based assessment tools to administer, record, analyze and assess child development and learning information in accordance with assessment guidance directions provided by authors of the tools used. Implement assessment system such as My Teaching Strategies (MTS). Maintain daily documentation and assessment results, input assessment data into designated electronic record-keeping systems. Conduct Parent/Teacher conferences and Home Visits. Administer developmental screening assessment used by the program and enter data into designated electronic records.
Ongoing Social, Emotional and Physical Care: Develop and nurture trust based partnership relationships with parent and children regarding supporting the developing children in your care. Respond quickly to childs needs. Immediately care for childs personal hygiene needs such as; toileting support,
cleaning, feeding, and changing soiled or wet clothing/diapers. Engage children in vocabulary building conversation during routine care. Assist in Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) duties such as implementing CACFP Family style meal service during daily meals, sit and eat provided CACFP meals with children and engage in vocabulary building conversation with children. Log temperatures and document Point of Meal Service. Develop and implement classroom nutrition activities. Implement I am Moving, I am Learning (IMIL) activities in the classroom daily.
School Readiness Development: Engage in high quality teacher-child interactions as measured by Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). Implement designated curriculum within a dual language environment. Implement designated curricula as outlined by authors and according to trainings provided. Engage in weekly intentional planning for creation of weekly lesson plans; engage in multiple daily learning interactions and conversations with children to vocabulary, concept knowledge in support of school readiness of children. Develop and implement daily/weekly education plans to support Individual Education Plan (IEP), weekly calendar breakdown activities as outlined in curricula and Education Content Area Plan and procedures. Conduct Parent Teacher Conferences and Transition Home Visit to develop transition plans with parents.
Home School Connections: Develop and implement Weekly Home School Connection activities. Provide parent with information and resources to assist them in supporting program school readiness goals, child development goal and curricula learning experiences for the child and parent.
Ongoing Monitoring: Engage in ongoing monitoring per program procedures. Ongoing Monitoring is inclusive of all aspects of program service delivery. Analyze all data from program systems to support high quality delivery program educational services. Engage in program case management: communicate, plan, and participate in center based case management. Communicate concerns to Center Service Manager. Monitor and analyze child development and school readiness progress, use data to inform planning and service delivery. Ensure quality of data is secure and entered on applicable forms and/or computer databases (spreadsheets, etc.) for tracking/monitoring data.
Professional Development: Attend designated trainings and conferences. Engage in and apply Practice Based Coaching experiences and guidance received individually or in small groups facilitated by designated site staff, Education Specialists and designated coach. Implement suggestions, guidance, and assignments received from coaches. Engage in use of technology to support coaching dialogue and service delivery: video and photos are used to support staff professional development.
JOB DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands along with fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, bending at the waist crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
Must be able to travel (in state/out of state) as needed. Applicant must demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing.
CONTINUOUS EDUCATION
Employee will be expected to participate in continuous learning, competency building and maintenance of competency skills. Ongoing professional development as identified in Head Start Act and Head Start Performance Standards and Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Child Care Licensing is required.
TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is performed in structured environments. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Reports to and is supervised directly by the Center Service Manager. Employee is also accountable for understanding and complying with CPLC policies and procedures, Office of Head Start Initiatives, Program School Readiness Goals and Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Child Care Licensing.