PRESCHOOL CLASSROOOM ASSISTANT TEACHER

The Assistant Teacher works under the direction of the Lead Teacher or Assistant Lead Teacher and is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, care and well-being of Center children, implementing the curriculum, maintaining the classroom and joint-use space, and supporting the Lead Teacher/Assistant Lead Teacher in parent communications.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Assist in supervising the children as directed by the Lead Teacher/Assistant Lead Teacher in accordance with Center policies and procedures.
• Interacts with children during free play, group activities, and routine times (diapering, toileting, mealtime, transitions).
• Completes daily paperwork as requested to maintain licensing, Child Care food Program, and YMCA requirements including attendance, meal counts, accident and incident reports, permission slips.
• Performs other job-related duties as requested and necessary.
• Promotes a safe environment to prevent and reduce injuries.
• Sets up classroom in advance of children’s arrival and cleans up throughout the day and after the children’s departure:
• Supports other classrooms including substituting as needed.  
• Builds relationships with parents, children, and co-workers; encourages families to build relationships and to understand the YMCA mission.
• Greets children and families upon arrival and departure and completes a visual health check for each child.
• Promotes good health and nutrition and provides an environment that contributes to the prevention of illness.
• Understands and utilizes positive guidance discipline techniques with children during all activities; complies with Center discipline policy, child abuse policy and code of conduct.
• Registers with PINJ (Professional Impact New Jersey) within one week of employment and attends center and licensing mandated trainings (minimum of 20 hours per year):
  • Attends trainings, seminars, and conferences as required
  • Attends and contributes to staff meetings as required.
  • Together with lead teacher set professional development objectives and actively pursues them.

Assistant Teacher, Substitute:

The Assistant Teacher may function in a substitute role.  The Assistant Teacher, Substitute is expected to:

• Check in with Lead Teacher or assigned classroom supervisor.
• Defer to assigned classroom staff on appropriate information to communicate to parent regarding child.
• Make effort to proactively engage with assigned classroom staff.
• Accept assignment when needed in a positive and open manner.
• Take initiative to learn policies and procedures specific to assigned classroom. 

Supervision of Youth:

• Adhere to policies related to boundaries with youth.
• Attend required abuse risk management training.
• Adhere to procedures related to managing high-risk activities and supervising youth.
• Report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
• Follow mandated abuse reporting requirements. 
• Adhere to employees and volunteers screening requirements and use screening instruments to screen for abuse risk.