Early Head Start Teacher

Academic Req: High School degree or GED, and CDA (Child Development Associate) certification.

Certifications

• Obtain and maintain First Aid and CPR certifications.

Responsibilities

• Attend all required training, including online training sessions, workshops, and staff meetings.
• Remain up to date on information pertaining to the needs of children in the program, including Head Start Performance Standards, Head Start Act, DFPS Child Care licensing regulations, and other applicable regulations and practices including IDEA & Part C/Early On.
• Work as a team member with all education staff, parents, and Parent Committee members to implement curriculum that meets the individual goals of each child and program needs.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding Early Head Start children, families, and staff in accordance with established policies, procedures, and legal requirements (e.g., FERPA & HIPAA).
• Keep up to date on Developmentally Appropriate Practices and knowledge of developmentally appropriate social-emotional development of infants & toddlers.
• Collaborate with parents in identifying opportunities to learn about the growth and development of their children.
• Promote positive attachment between caregivers, children, and families.
• Model appropriate communication skills, guidance techniques, and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Continue professional growth by participating in training sessions, ECE classes, etc.
• Remain familiar with environmental rating scales and implement appropriate assessment screenings.
• Develop knowledge of screenings, assessment, and evaluation instruments.
• Supervise all classroom and outdoor activities.
• Plan and implement developmentally and linguistically appropriate curriculum (Frog Street Infants & Toddlers) for the ages, languages, and cultures of children served.
• Document and provide Part C Service Coordination for children with special needs; communicate efforts with Director of Family Engagement and Managers.
• Plan and implement learning experiences that strengthen intellectual and physical competencies, supporting school readiness through literacy, phonemic print, and numeracy awareness.
• Use enriched language to further understanding of complex and varied vocabulary.
• Expose children to various books, demonstrate developmentally appropriate book handling skills, and support emerging problem-solving abilities.
• Implement education lesson plans and individualization for infants & toddlers based on observation and recording of their interests and developmental progress.
• Support social and emotional development and provide positive guidance and discipline.
• Maintain a commitment to professionalism and continue personal professional development.
• Participate in family-style mealtimes with children to model good nutrition and proper social skills.
• Ensure a purposeful program responsive to children’s needs.
• In cooperation with parents, observe, screen, assess, evaluate, monitor, and document infants' and toddlers' development, health, dental, and social-emotional health using appropriate tools, adhering to timelines outlined in regulations.
• Refer families to local service agencies when additional support is needed.
• Document and report suspected instances of child abuse as required by law.
• Develop knowledge of, and participate in, the eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance processes.
• Accurately submit paperwork and progress reports to the supervisor as required.
• Maintain a complete record-keeping system on each child’s developmental progress, behavior, health, parental concerns, referrals, and contacts for special needs.
• Gather and maintain individual, family, and classroom data for documentation, ongoing assessment, evaluation, and record-keeping for program planning.
• Understand, generate, and document In-Kind and other allowable costs applied toward non-federal share requirements.
• Maintain an individual system to ensure program needs for parent involvement in each classroom are met.
• Establish positive and productive relationships with families, focusing on trust and rapport.
• Participate in the orientation of parents to Early Head Start throughout the year.
• Facilitate, provide childcare, and support monthly Parent Committee meetings at the center.
• Schedule and arrange meetings, document parent-teacher conferences, and conduct home visits as required.
• Involve parents in educational activities to emphasize their role as primary caregivers and support their knowledge and skills in child development.
• Identify and arrange for parents to participate as volunteers in the classroom, work as substitutes, and engage in other volunteer activities.
• Collect monthly In-Kind records from parents and submit reports to the supervisor.
• Positively promote Early Head Start in the community.
• Supervise classroom volunteers, including parents as assigned.
• Work closely with community agencies for shared activities, recruitment, and transition.

Requirements

• Ability to work in diverse environments.
• Extensive knowledge and skills in early childhood development.
• Extensive computer knowledge of Word & Excel; ability to access email and willingness to learn new programs.
• Ability to supervise classroom staff and volunteers.
• Knowledge of state and federal regulations pertaining to child abuse and neglect, and DFPS Child Care licensing requirements.
• Knowledge of local resources and families’ cultures.
• Ability to be responsive to the needs of children and work well with staff, children, and parents/families.
• Ability to plan, organize, and implement classroom activities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to maintain accurate records reflecting program requirements and children’s progress.
• Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and positive attitude in early childhood education.
• Ability to exhibit patience and tact when communicating with children, families, staff, management, and the public.
• Ability to project professionalism in daily activities.
• Ability to read and follow Performance Standards, Program Policies & Procedures, DFPS Child Care Licensing regulations, and emails daily.
• Knowledge of basic food preparation, serving, and sanitation procedures.
• Knowledge of current car seat safety regulations and laws for transporting children and families in approved agency vehicles.
• Ability to lift 60 pounds.
• Ability to stand, sit on the floor, bend, squat, kneel, lift children, and engage in physical play in various learning environments.
• Understanding that this position may be exposed to communicable diseases, hazards such as cigarette smoke, pets, and at-risk neighborhoods.
• Ability to handle moderate to loud noise levels in the work environment.
• Ability and consent for up to 50% travel by car, bus, airplane, or train to attend conferences, meetings, and other duties, including overnight travel.
• Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends for events such as home visits, parent-teacher conferences, parent committee meetings, community events, and field trips.
• Possess a valid driver’s license.
• Complete and pass a health examination.
• Confirm work eligibility status.
• Successfully pass a driving history check.
• Clear criminal background check.

Work Experience: Prefer 2 years of related experience in the Early Head Start preschool classroom setting. Current or former Head Start employees, students, and parents will receive hiring preference if qualified. Prefer bilingual (Spanish).