Early Head Start Teacher

ABOUT COMMUNITY PROGRESS COUNCIL:

Community Progress Council invites you to be part of its team of dedicated professionals who work to help low income individuals and families reach self-sufficiency. Our workforce of 240 employees is mission-driven to provide client-centered, coordinated services by building trusting relationships with those in need.

As the community action agency of York County, CPC offers services in more than 20 locations throughout the county. We provide our neighbors with opportunities in early childhood education, nutrition counseling, workforce development, housing and financial education and our Self-Sufficiency Program, all which support low-income individuals toward their goal of achieving financial stability.

ABOUT CPC'S EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM:

CPC's Early Childhood Education programs provide high-quality, comprehensive school readiness services to families with children from birth to 5 years old. Our early childhood education services strive to meet preschoolers' needs for intellectual, physical, social and emotional growth. This work prepares York County's young children to enter kindergarten prepared to learn.

SUMMARY: To provide a successful, safe and supervised educational setting for children while they are in the Head Start environment (classroom, outdoors and field trips); To promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of Head Start children; To develop individual goals for children, provide on-going assessment on progress and facilitate transition from Early Head Start into Head Start, other community preschool, or home and from Head Start into kindergarten; To mentor the assistant teacher; To encourage and engage parent involvement and program volunteers in all aspects of the program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Be committed to the vision and mission of Community Progress Council and Early Head Start/Head Start of York County;
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with diverse individuals, including children, families, co-workers, and staff in related agencies and the general public;
• Demonstrate knowledge of Early Childhood theory, child development, developmentally appropriate practices and behavior management, and responsive care giving,
• Develop and maintain a clean, safe and positive classroom environment that facilitates respect, active learning, group management, self-expression, cultural responsibility, child-initiated learning and responsive caregiving, provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement and parent child bonding and attachment;
• In collaboration with parents and other teaching staff, plan and prepare for developmentally appropriate learning experiences and routines for children, in accordance with the program curriculum, designed to stimulate problem-solving, language acquisition, experimentation, social development, group cooperation, self-esteem, cultural pride, independence, intellectual and physical development, aesthetic and sensory awareness, and awareness of feelings;
• Follow a consistent schedule, providing planned experiences that include small and large group experiences, choice time, music, and movement, large and small motor activities, outdoor experiences, skill development, meals, toileting/diapering routines and effective transitions between activities; provide daily classroom activities which facilitate children's interactions with materials, with other children and with adults;
• Prepare classroom materials prior to the children's arrival to support developmentally appropriate experiences within written lesson plans; adapt and change learning centers, including rotating materials, to address and meet individual and group needs, special needs, specific interests, strengths, and concerns;
• Conduct parent conferences and home visits to share and gain information on children's progress (assessment), needs, and interests; with parents, utilize assessment information to design and implement an individualized plan for education for each child that includes educational goals with strategies for school and for home; facilitate parent understanding and skills in working with their child;
• Assess physical, social, emotional and cognitive development and learning readiness of children using assigned tools, sharing results with parents; collaborate with parents, other program staff, and community agencies to plan and implement an individual plan for each child to meet child's special needs at school and at home;
• Prepare and maintain required paperwork: lesson plans, daily observations of children (anecdotal records), children's education records, attendance reports, medication log, meal counts, toileting/diapering, health checks, contact sheets and other documents and records; update and maintain files and records; review paperwork, files and records completed by Assistant Teachers for completion, accuracy and for meeting deadlines;
• Interpret program philosophy and goals and integrate health services, nutrition, social services, and parent involvement component goals into the planned activities for children and families;
• Seek out and utilize community resources to enhance the program operation for children and families; promote the benefit of Head Start and early education to community organizations, including school districts and business leaders;
• Conduct regular health observations to ensure children are well and have no contagious diseases and to check for signs of abuse or neglect; report suspicions of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse or neglect;
• Maintain confidentiality of information regarding children and families; review and uphold Confidentiality Policy with the assistant teacher, parent volunteers, community volunteers, and staff from outside agencies;
• Effectively train, direct and support assistant teachers in planning and delivering developmentally appropriate learning experiences for children, mastering daily responsibilities, completing all required paperwork accurately and performing job duties in accordance with program curriculum, Head Start Performance Standards, and agency policy and procedures; serve as a role model and mentor for the Assistant Teacher, offering guidance and encouragement in the Assistant Teacher's professional development;
• Work collaboratively with other program staff to develop and conduct parent education activities, family activities, and parent meetings; encourage parents to attend planned activities and meetings;
• Participate in the training and mentoring of parents and volunteers, communicating the basic principles of the program curriculum and adhering to the program policies and procedures.
• Actively participate in agency task forces and work groups, as assigned by supervisor/management, to assist in developing, implementing and fulfilling goals and action plans of the Head Start vision and mission;
• Actively participate in developing and implementing an individualized continuing education plan to remain current in the field of early childhood and child development and to grow professionally; pursue learning opportunities offered inside the agency and in the community; attend required training's offered by Head Start and Community Progress Council including cross-training in order to perform a number of processes within the program;
• May need to vary work schedule (outside of regularly scheduled work hours) to attend program functions and to accommodate parents' schedules for home visits;

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE: Bachelor's degree (B. A.) in Early Childhood, Child and Family Studies plus one year related work experience with pregnant women, infants, and toddlers; May consider Associate's degree (A.A.) in the same fields with two years related experience with pregnant women, infants and toddlers.