Head Start Child Development Specialist - ELC East

Position Summary

The HS Child Development Specialist (190 day classified teacher) delivers instruction that includes all elements of standards based instruction across all developmental domains; assesses student progress and adjusts instruction according to student's needs; and provides a well-organized, smoothly functioning classroom environment in which students are achieving.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development or equivalent coursework. Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education preferred.
• Certification/License: Criminal Justice Fingerprint, Background Clearance, Sex Offender Registry Check, Child Abuse Registry Check; Valid Georgia driver's license and reliable transportation; Pre-Employment Health Examination. Bilingual and bi-literate in English and Spanish preferred.
• Work Experience: Experience working with children under age five and their families.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Skills-based Competencies: Preparing and maintaining accurate records; using pertinent software applications; and organizational skills.
• Knowledge-based Competencies: Stages of child development; age appropriate activities; lesson plan requirements; methods of motivating and controlling responding to the individual needs of children; and awareness of codes, regulations, and laws related to counseling students.
• Ability-based Competencies: Providing direction and leadership; communicating with persons of varied backgrounds; maintaining confidentiality; establishing and maintaining constructive relationships; and adapting to changing priorities.

Essential Duties

• Implements instructional programming and adapts classroom work to provide students with instructional materials that address individualized learning needs within established lesson plans.
• Advises parents and/or legal guardians of student progress (parent-teacher meetings, home visits, etc.) to communicate expectations, student's achievements, develop methods for improvement, and/or reinforce classroom goals in the home environment.
• Collects and analyzes data (screening, formative and summative assessment, etc.) to adjust instructional strategies; attends meetings and in-service presentations to acquire knowledge and/or convey information relative to job functions; communicates with a variety of individuals and groups (parents, guardians, appropriate district personnel, etc.) to convey and/or receive information required to perform job functions.
• Develops weekly standards based lesson plans to implement designated curriculum, meeting federal, state, and local requirements to facilitate student learning and achieving success in academic, interpersonal, and daily living skills.
• Implements security measures and wellness protocols (active supervision, daily sanitizing of touched surfaces, handwashing, safety drills, care plans, etc.) to present and/or reinforce learning concepts and safe and healthy practices; responds to emergency situations (security problems, emergency health issues, weather-related actions, etc.) to resolve immediate safety concerns and/or direct to appropriate personnel for resolution.
• Maintains learning and play spaces (classroom and playground safety checks, etc.) to create a comfortable, supportive, safe environment; ensures family-style meal service for compliance with federal regulations; manages assigned projects and activities (reports, goals, etc.) to meet established timelines and objectives.
• Organizes age appropriate indoor and outdoor activities to ensure student participation in learning activities; prepares/composes a variety of written documents and/or materials (materials for substitute teachers, written documents for parents or guardians, Child Plus, Teaching Strategies, ASQ, and Infinite Campus data entry, etc.) to document activities, provide written reference, and/or convey information.
• Provides ongoing feedback (adjustments based upon formative assessment, etc.) to inform supervisor, teacher, and parents or guardians of students' progress.
• Establishes positive individual relationships (working with parents and their children together, etc.) to build trusting relationships and parental confidence by providing opportunities for children and families to participate fully in interactive Parent And Child Together (PACT) activities; to take home PACT activities; to make progress on family goals; to engage in parent-teacher conferences four times a year (2 at the school and 2 in the home of the child), to improve school attendance; and to attend to family engagement activities and additional conferences as needed.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.

Physical Abilities and Working Conditions

• Vision: Ability to read small print and view a computer screen for prolonged periods.
• Hearing: Ability to tolerate exposure to noisy conditions.
• Speech: Ability to be understood in face-to-face communications, to speak with a level of proficiency and volume to be understood over a telephone or computer.
• Upper Body Mobility: Ability to use hands to grasp and manipulate small objects; manipulate fingers, twist and bend at wrist and elbow; extend arms to reach outward and upward; use hands and arms to lift objects; turn, raise, and lower head.
• Strength: Ability to lift, push, pull and/or carry objects which weigh as much as 5 or more pounds on a frequent basis. Ability to physically restrain parties involved in a conflict.
• Environmental Requirements: Ability to encounter constant work interruptions; work cooperatively with others; work independently; work indoors.
• Mental Requirements: Ability to read, write, understand, interpret and apply information at a moderately complex level essential for successful job performance; math skills at a high school proficiency level; judgement and the ability to process information quickly; learn quickly and follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instruction; rank tasks in order of importance; copy, compare, compile and coordinate information and records. Understand how to manage stress.
• Remote Work Requirements: Ability to be flexible and adapt as needed between various in-person working environments.
• Additional Work Conditions & Physical Abilities: Occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; frequent stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; significant fine finger dexterity. Generally the job requires 10% sitting, 40% walking, and 50% standing.

This response is AI-generated, for reference only.