Early Head Start Teacher

Position Summary

Casa Central’s Early Learning Academy provides high quality, comprehensive early childhood education services for young children, ages birth to five, and their families. The Early Head Start Teacher provides effective instructional strategies, classroom management, learning, assessment, evaluation and related research for children 2-year-old children. The Early Head Start Teacher is responsible for providing developmentally appropriate learning experiences, supervision of children assigned in the classroom, and providing a supportive and positive classroom climate, while ensuring the individual needs of the children are met as mandated by Early/Head Start, COA, federal, state and local standards. The Early Head Start Teacher works in collaboration with parents/families and other professionals to ensure that children are ready for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitate the creation and implementation of group lesson plans with the classroom teaching team.
• Utilize data from child outcomes, screenings, and IFSPs/IEPs to guide lesson planning for individual children and for the group.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation in databases (Teaching Strategies GOLD), child education files and child portfolios.
• Implement screenings and assessments and report outcomes for children.
• Communicate with parents/families and report child progress through scheduled parent-teacher conferences and home visits.
• Support agency’s School Readiness goals and track progress towards goals.
• Serve as co-leader for the classroom team and provide guidance to children, families, teaching team, volunteers, and other visitors.
• Ensure the implementation of developmentally appropriate practice within the classroom, including utilizing materials and studies from the Creative Curriculum.
• Facilitate the creation of an inclusive environment where children can learn in collaboration with the teaching team.
• Support social emotional development through the use of positive classroom management approaches, including Conscious Discipline approaches.
• Maintain care of classroom equipment and supplies, control inventory, and report all repairs needed.
• Promote an atmosphere of teamwork where staff, parents and children interact positively with each other.
• Initiate referrals for children who might benefit from further evaluation.
• Participate in the referral process by documenting observations and interventions attempted in the classroom.
• Participate in Individual Education Program (IEP) and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meetings and evaluations.
• Work closely with consultants and other Casa Central personnel.
• Ensure reports are submitted in a timely manner, including but not limited to timesheets, classroom attendance records, records of home visits and parent conferences, lesson plans, etc.
• Nurture positive and collaborative working relationships with other agency staff and outside stakeholders and partners.
• Implement the agency mission, philosophy, and core values to direct daily work and decision-making; adhere to agency policy.
• Cultivate a professional and respectful work environment.
• Be actively involved with, and knowledgeable about, the agency’s Performance Quality Improvement (PQI) structure and process.
• Ensure compliance with all Early/Head Start Program Performance Standards, including as interpreted by Start Early, as well as with relevant federal, state, city, and accrediting/licensing body regulations and requirements.
• Engage in Active Supervision strategies to support the safety, wellbeing, and appropriate supervision/oversight of children at all times.
• Act in accordance with the program’s Standards of Conduct, building respectful relationships with families, honoring parents/caregivers as their children’s first and most important teachers, and maintaining strict child, family and staff confidentiality at all times.
• Participate in all required and recommended meetings.
• Participate in all required and recommended trainings, including Teaching Strategies GOLD, Creative Curriculum, and CLASS trainings.
• Participate in Coaching to Fidelity and individual job-embedded professional development through coaching with the Education Coordinator.
• Complete an ongoing professional development plan.
• Actively and enthusiastically support recruitment efforts to ensure that the program is fully enrolled year-round.

Education/Experience

• Infant/Toddler CDA or minimum of AA in ECE with infant/toddler coursework required.
• Teacher 1: Infant/Toddler CDA; an A.A. degree with Gateways Level 3 Infant/Toddler Credential will be required by 08/2024
• Teacher 2: A.A. degree with Gateways Level 3 Infant/Toddler Credential.
• Teacher 3: A.A. degree with Gateways Level 4 Infant/Toddler Credential.
• Teacher 4: B.A. degree (or higher) with Gateways Level 4 Infant/Toddler Credential.
• Teacher 5: B.A. degree (or higher) with Gateways Level 5 Infant/Toddler Credential.

Language Skills

Bilingual Spanish preferred.

Computer Literacy & Knowledge Skills

• Must be computer literate and be able to use Microsoft applications.
• Experienced with web-based and other automated management information systems.
• Basic mathematical skills are required.

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.