Floating Educator

Juniata County Early Childhood Services is seeking a part-time Floating Educator. Required clearances must be uploaded via Applitrack: Act 24 Arrest and Conviction Report, Act 34 Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance, Act 151 Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance, and Act 114 Federal Criminal History Clearance. Links to these clearances can be found at https://www.tiu11.org/human-resources/.

About the Role

This position supports education work in both center-based and home-based services by implementing and supervising classroom and home visit activities. The Floating Educator works with typically developing children and children with disabilities, ensuring regular education staff remain informed about the needs of children and families. The role also promotes parent involvement and models school readiness skills. The Floating Educator collaborates with the broader program team and may be assigned to various classrooms or home visits as needed.

Responsibilities

• Program Development
  • Attend required training and workshops to stay current on Head Start Program Performance Standards, Head Start Act, OCDEL regulations, and other applicable practices.
  • Collaborate with education staff and parents to develop meaningful, school-readiness-focused curriculum.
  • Implement and update daily lesson plans and home visit plans, including family/child information and upcoming events.
  • Follow individual plans for each child, including identified needs and objectives to meet established goals.
  • Schedule and document home visits, parent-teacher conferences, and other required events.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality regarding enrolled children, families, and staff.
  • Prepare a safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate learning environment.
• Preschool Program Implementation
  • Supervise classroom/home visit activities, field trips, and outdoor activities.
  • Plan and provide developmentally and linguistically appropriate curriculum and experiences.
  • Direct special needs or concerns to the appropriate manager, specialist, or supervisor.
  • Implement learning experiences that advance intellectual and physical competence, including literacy, numeracy, language development, and problem-solving skills.
  • Align lesson plans and daily activities with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and PA Early Learning Standards.
  • Support social and emotional development and provide positive guidance and discipline.
  • Maintain professionalism and pursue ongoing professional development.
  • Supervise and model nutritious meals and proper social skills during mealtimes.
  • Ensure a stable, purposeful, and responsive classroom/home visit routine and environment.
  • Screen, observe, and document children’s progress as required.
  • Adhere to regulations for occupational disease and injury prevention, including universal precautions.
• Recordkeeping
  • Submit daily attendance and weekly home visit records to the main office.
  • Gather and maintain individual, family, and classroom data for documentation, assessment, and program planning.
  • Document in-kind and other allowable costs for the non-federal share requirement.
• Parent and Community Engagement
  • Establish positive, trusting relationships with families.
  • Participate in parent orientation to Head Start/Early Head Start as needed.
  • Schedule and document parent-teacher conferences and home visits.
  • Involve parents in educational activities, emphasizing their role as primary influencers in their child’s development.
  • Encourage parents to volunteer in classrooms, serve as substitutes, and participate in other activities.
  • Collect and submit monthly in-kind records from parents.
  • Promote Head Start/Early Head Start/PAT in the community.
• Supervision
  • Direct the work of Assistant Teachers and Program Aides, including daily job assignments and instruction.
  • Provide daily supervision of classroom staff and volunteers, monitoring performance and activities.
  • Make appropriate personnel decisions as necessary during classroom or home visit activities.
  • Determine personal training needs to meet program goals and objectives.
• Training
  • Participate in all required training and professional development activities under Head Start Program Performance Standards, the Head Start Act, OCDEL, and program-planned initiatives.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge and skills in early childhood development.
• Understanding of Head Start Program Performance Standards, Head Start Act, OCDEL Early Learning Standards, and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework.
• Knowledge of community service resources and state/federal regulations pertaining to child abuse, neglect, and childcare licensing.
• Basic knowledge of supervision principles.
• Ability to organize and direct classroom and home visit activities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and accurate records reflecting children’s needs and progress.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and a positive attitude in early childhood education.

Skills

• Language Skills
  • Ability to communicate ideas and instructions orally and in writing.
  • Proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English to be understood by others.
  • Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
  • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret educational journals.
  • Ability to speak before groups of individuals.
  • Bilingual skills (English/Spanish) are helpful.
• Mathematical Skills
  • Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as percentages and overtime.
• Reasoning Skills
  • Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
  • Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and summarize conclusions.
  • Ability to develop implementation strategies while maintaining strict confidentiality.
• Other Skills
  • Ability to exhibit patience and tact when communicating with children, families, staff, and the public.
  • Ability to project professionalism in daily activities.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field preferred. A related field includes 6 courses in early childhood plus six months of experience working with preschool children.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
• Previous supervision experience preferred.
• Must be willing and able to obtain and maintain Basic First Aid and CPR Certification.

The program will verify references, complete a sex offender registry check, and require an initial health exam with acceptable tuberculosis screening results, clear criminal records, FBI, and Child Abuse clearances post-job offer and prior to employment. Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Occasional need to provide gentle physical restraint to children.
• May be required to lift up to 30 pounds.
• Some exposure to communicable diseases.
• Moderate to loud noise levels in the work environment.
• Travel by car, bus, airplane, or train may be required for conferences, meetings, or other duties, including occasional overnight travel.
• Work is typically performed in a classroom setting, with some office work required.
• Some evenings and weekend work may occasionally be required for home visits, parent-teacher conferences, Parent Committee meetings, and community events.