Classroom Aide/Bus 90 day Temp - College Place

About the Role

This position assists the bus driver in providing safe bus transportation services to children. The role involves escorting children to and from the vehicle, maintaining constant supervision, and supporting teachers and kitchen staff with various duties. Inspire Development Centers provides Early Childhood Education (ECE) and social services to over 4,000 children across more than 27 centers in Washington State, serving programs such as Regional Head Start (RHS), Migrant Seasonal Head Start (MSHS), Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), and Early Head Start (EHS).

Responsibilities

• Accompany the driver on assigned routes to pick up and drop off children.
• Conduct daily health checks on children before boarding the bus to comply with center health policies.
• Perform pre-trip and post-trip inspections to ensure children are safely secured and no children or items are left on the bus.
• Escort and assist children, especially those with disabilities, during boarding and departing the bus.
• Ensure all children are buckled with safety restraints and infants/toddlers are properly secured in car seats.
• Remain seated with a fastened seat belt when the vehicle is in motion, whenever possible.
• Assist parents in completing forms for medication administration and ensure secure transport of medication and breast milk.
• Serve as a liaison between parents and staff, disseminating and requesting information as needed.
• Immediately report incidents, accidents, or unusual situations that could place a child at risk and document such incidents in writing.
• Monitor and verify the attendance and presence of children on the bus during AM and PM routes.
• Maintain the chain of custody for children, ensuring they are released only to authorized individuals.
• Participate in monthly emergency bus evacuations and safety drills, and be knowledgeable about emergency equipment on the bus.
• Assist the driver in maintaining the bus in a clean and sanitary condition.
• In case of a driver medical emergency, stop and secure the vehicle.
• Assist educational staff with visual supervision of children and outdoor interaction.
• Perform laundry duties, including washing, drying, and distributing laundry to classrooms and kitchen.
• Clean classrooms after meals and prepare for naptime by placing cots.
• Provide staff with scheduled breaks.
• Assist kitchen staff in preparing, delivering, and retrieving food carts for meals, snacks, and field trips.
• Attend staff meetings, workshops, trainings, and seminars to further professional growth.
• Maintain confidentiality of program and client-related information at all times.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
• Enjoys working with young children and demonstrates patience.
• Able to communicate in English and/or Spanish (read, write, speak).
• Flexible to work different schedules, including split shifts and various bus routes.
• Knowledge and understanding of child development.
• Experience in bus and safety risk management.
• Experience with policy and procedure processes.
• Experience working in a group setting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Understanding of the interrelationships between services and systems.
• Ability to learn new tasks quickly and efficiently.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Strong data gathering and report-writing skills.
• Strong customer service focus.
• Ability to work with a culturally diverse population.
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Accurate data documentation and recordkeeping skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• English/Spanish bilingual fluency.
• Willingness to develop instructional skills in the field of child development.

Position Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must pass initial and periodic criminal and background checks.
• Must pass initial and periodic Department of Early Learning (DEL) background check.
• Must pass initial and periodic employee health clearance (within 45 days of employment).
• Current Food Handler card (obtain within 30 days of employment).
• Current First Aid/CPR cards (obtain within 30 days of employment).
• Subject to initial and periodic TB screen.
• Complete Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS) training (within 30 days of employment).
• Complete Blood Borne Pathogen training (within 30 days of employment).
• Subject to random drug screening.
• Must sign a Confidentiality Agreement.
• Must complete and sign a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement annually.

Benefits

A summary of benefits associated with this position can be found at https://inspirecenters.org/careers/. For more information, watch this video: https://youtu.be/MnlRqkvydRw.