ASSISTANT TEACHER

Description

The Assistant Teacher works collaboratively with other site and classroom staff to provide educational experiences appropriate to the growth and development of each of the three to five-year-old children assigned to his/her care, while supporting the individual goals of the children and the overall goal of promoting social competency, and providing consistency in activities at the center and on the Head Start bus.

Requirements

RECORDKEEPING 

• Complete all required paperwork according to program policies and procedures: weekly attendance records, USDA reports (daily meal counts), Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting form, monthly volunteer records, and all other records as required. Complete Classroom daytime family engagement reports, which include any activities or events that parents are invited to attend.
• Conduct and document observations/screenings as assigned. 

CURRUCULUM AND ASSESSMENT

• Work collaboratively with agency staff assigned to the classroom to prepare and conduct daily, individualized programming, for children and families according to team-developed lesson plans based on developmentally appropriate and best practices.
• Use the Positive Guidance policy and personal safety guidance with classes including any program approved curriculum. Provide behavior management for individual children, including consulting with the Mental Health Consultant who will assist with further screening and ISP development as beneficial.
• Follow all conduct and safety policies and procedures to ensure the children’s safety at all times including ensuring children are within sight and sound of RWCFS staff at all times. 
• Participate in the IEP, IFSP process for serving children with special needs and implementation of appropriate support plan. 

FAMILY PARTNERSHIP BUILDING 

• Advise mothers, fathers and guardians of classroom and Head Start activities, events, meetings and program initiatives, such as Family Literacy, Parent Center Meetings, Family Nights, Fatherhood Friday and other appropriate workshops, trainings or other opportunities for family engagement. 
• Assist and participate in planning, set up, conducting and clean-up of Family Nights.
• Assist the lead teacher in making a minimum of three required home visits to each child’s home and two parent/teacher conferences held in the family’s home or at the center. These home visits will be used to provide orientation to the program, solicit parental input for their child’s curriculum, and support effective transitions to the next appropriate educational setting, to share child’s progress and to maintain a close partnership with parents.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT 

• Communicate with parents through a variety of mediums to provide program orientation, involve them in their child’s education, discuss their child’s progress, suggest activities that can be continued in the home, and develop individualized programing.
• Assist families with transition planning for children into and out of Head Start, and to the next appropriate setting.

TRANSPORTATION

• Follow all procedures and policies in regards to Transportation
• Provide bus monitor services as determined by classroom need, including but not limited to: providing supervision of children during the bus ride, child boarding and exiting, securing children in appropriate safety restraint systems, oversight of child pick up and release, responding to emergencies, assist with conducting/participating in monthly bus evacuation drills.
• Implement activities on the bus as outlined in lesson plans.

COMMUNICATION

• Maintain documentation of parent contact regarding child behavior and adjustment to school, home visits, health and nutritional needs, educational curriculum, goals and progress, family emergency contact information changes, and all other information pertinent to the child’s health, safety, well-being and educational progress.
• Maintain communication with the Family Service Coordinator regarding parent concerns, parent living conditions or requests for assistance. 
• Maintain established work schedule, punctual, accountable; and willing to adapt schedule to meet unexpected needs and changes of the agency.
• Follow and comply with all safety and work rules and regulations. 
• Maintain open and positive communication and create a supportive/encouraging atmosphere for children, families and co-workers. 

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate and work as a team with the families, Early Head Start/Head Start program   staff, child care collaborators, students and volunteers.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or state-awarded certificate that meets or exceeds the requirements for a CDA credential, are enrolled in a program that will lead to an associate or baccalaureate degree or, are enrolled in a CDA credential program to be completed within two years of the time of hire. Transcripts are required to validate educational requirements.

Employee must be 18 years of age or older.

• Must have or be able to obtain CPR and First Aid certificates.
• Requires excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to maintain good attendance.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate degree in Early Childhood Education (Pre-K) 
• Ability to operate a variety of office machines, such as computer, keyboard, copier, FAX machine, computer printer, etc.
• It is desirable for the employee to be fluent in English and Spanish. 

BENEFITS

Rock Walworth CFS offers a generous benefit package to regular employees that work 30 hours or more per week. The benefit package includes the option to enroll in health insurance, dental insurance , and vision insurance. Rock Walworth CFS has a 401 K contribution to employees after 1 year of employment and they have worked 1,000 hours. Other perks include: vacation, sick and personal time accruals, worker’s compensation insurance, short term disability and life insurance at no charge. Part Year employees have built in vacations which include 2 weeks in winter, spring break (part year staff follow the school district calendar in which their program is located) and summers off.