Early Head Start Teachers

About the Role

This position ensures our youngest children have a solid foundation for life by encouraging the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children, attending to their safety and welfare, and promoting family engagement. The role meets requirements of Federal Head Start Performance Standards and adheres to agency policies, including the Sunflower County Head Start code of conduct and Ethics Statement.

Requirements

• Child Development Associate (CDA) credential; Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education preferred.
• Minimum one year experience working with children.
• Flexible schedule to accommodate occasional evening or weekend hours.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; bilingual English/Spanish skills highly desirable.
• Valid Mississippi Driver's License, proof of insurance, and ability to provide own vehicle for home visits.
• Must pass Mississippi State requirements for early child educators: Letter of Suitability, Health Screening, and DHA-required background check.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, including internet and email.
• Ability to work as a team member collaborating with staff, families, and community resources.
• Ability to supervise and monitor children at all times to ensure a safe environment, including physical ability to respond quickly, restrain or redirect children, and lift occasionally.
• Ability to respond appropriately to emergencies or crisis situations.
• Regular kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor to attend to children's needs.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and monitor children at all times, responding appropriately to crisis or emergency situations.
• Establish a positive classroom climate and guide children’s behavior in effective ways.
• Follow a consistent daily schedule including small/large group activities, choice time, music, movement, motor activities, skill development, meals, and transitions.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem-solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice-making through open-ended and follow-up questions.
• Implement agency-adopted curricula using effective strategies to guide learning.
• Prepare the classroom environment and materials to support developmentally appropriate curriculum plans.
• Coordinate with support staff to develop a collaborative approach benefiting all children in the classroom.
• Adapt curriculum to meet individual goals for children as identified in their Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP).
• Participate in integrated service meetings to plan and deliver collaborative services across all components.
• Utilize agency-adopted tools for ongoing assessment and documentation.
• Monitor and report child abuse.
• Attend and participate in training and professional development activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Team Member Competencies

• Resourcefulness: Using drive, decision-making, perseverance, resilience, and energy to overcome barriers and accomplish goals.
• Individual Accountability: Managing time and resources efficiently to complete work.
• Focus on Results: Considering all aspects of the job, no matter how small, to ensure accurate and thorough task completion.
• Builds Trust: Interacting with others in ways that foster confidence in personal and organizational intentions.
• Applied Learning: Assimilating and applying new job-related information in a timely manner.
• Basic Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas both orally and in writing.
• Basic Technology Usage: Demonstrating efficient and correct use of technology and systems related to the position.