Head Start Teacher Assistant

Mission CCSCT empowers vulnerable families and individuals in greater South Central Texas to achieve self-sufficiency by eliminating barriers through innovative programs and strong community partnerships.

About the role

The Head Start Teacher Assistant I-IV assists the Head Start Teacher in implementing the program in an assigned classroom, ensuring compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, TDFPS Minimum Standards, and all state and local regulations. This role provides care and education for children and their families in a childcare setting, fostering a supportive, safe, and stimulating learning environment.

Responsibilities

• Assists the Teacher in maintaining a calm, safe classroom and playground that incorporates developmental appropriateness; helps create an atmosphere where children feel comfortable and secure, reflecting the cultures of all enrolled children.
• Ensures the safety of children through constant supervision, effective arrangement of space, proper maintenance of equipment, and regular practice of fire drills and other emergency procedures.
• Works closely with the Teacher to develop lesson plans that meet the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs of each child, accounting for variations in ability levels and individual interests.
• Assists the Teacher in incorporating developmentally appropriate practices according to Head Start Performance Standards.
• Supports continuity of curriculum and high standards of equality in the classroom; works individually with children who experience difficulty in group activities.
• Consistently implements center routines, including hand washing, tooth brushing, eating, napping, and transitioning between activities.
• Operates the classroom in compliance with all childcare-licensing standards, ensuring no form of physical punishment is used.
• Assists the Teacher in ensuring the classroom provides a stimulating, clean, and safe learning environment.
• Ensures proper documentation in children's files across all content areas.
• Assists the Teacher in completing Individual Education Plans for each enrolled child and maintains ongoing assessment records.
• Provides a variety of materials and planned activities to encourage individual and group play, including language stimulation activities.
• Offers experiences that promote self-expression in conversation, imaginative play, and creativity, and provides positive guidance to build self-esteem.
• Provides activities that develop thinking skills such as generalizing, classifying, sorting, and problem-solving.
• Creates opportunities for children to develop appropriate relationships with others.
• Increases the complexity and challenge of activities as children develop.
• Observes, records, and reports children's behavior, sharing information appropriately with other staff members.
• Demonstrates personal development and growth by remaining relaxed, using a calm and quiet voice, being pleasant and enthusiastic about the children, and exercising self-control in challenging situations.
• Assists with transition activities for Head Start children and families, including entry into the program, during the year, and transition to kindergarten.
• Assists children during snack, breakfast, and lunchtime, ensuring the Head Start philosophy of family-style meals is maintained. Both the Teacher Assistant and Teacher will sit at the table with the children during mealtimes.
• Encourages family involvement in the Head Start program and supports the development of relationships between children and their families.
• Reports all suspected child abuse to the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or to an immediate supervisor.
• Follows CCSCT Policies and Procedures and maintains confidentiality in all phases of agency operations.
• Familiarizes self with the agency's Strategic Plan and understands how the position contributes to its goals.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings, conferences, workshops, and trainings to increase professional knowledge; serves on committees as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or required.

Requirements

• Child Development Associate (CDA) credential required. Individuals without a CDA must be enrolled in a program to obtain an Associate's or Bachelor's degree or a CDA Program to be completed within two (2) years of hire.
• Prior experience working with children ages birth to five in a licensed childcare facility or other childcare setting preferred.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.
• Must successfully complete a pre-employment criminal background check, initial health screening, TB test, drug test, and motor vehicle records check.
• Must pass regular criminal background checks and submit to TB tests as required.
• Must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid Class 'C' Texas Driver's License with an acceptable driving record, and have access to a reliable vehicle with current liability insurance.
• Must be willing to travel within the service area.
• Must maintain CPR and First Aid certifications.

Skills

• Knowledge of federally funded Child Care programs serving low-income clients (e.g., Child Care Services, Head Start) preferred.
• Knowledge of Texas Minimum Standards for licensing, Head Start Act, and Head Start Program Performance Standards preferred.
• Working knowledge of computers and basic to intermediate skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); ability to operate office machines such as fax, scanner, printer, copier, and telephone.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, with persons from varied ethnic, socioeconomic, educational, and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to analyze classroom operations and choose effective courses of action for the Head Start Program.
• Ability to provide guidance to classroom staff, maintain records, and prepare reports.
• Ability to resolve problems, handle conflict, and make effective decisions under pressure.
• Ability to read, comprehend, and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work well in a team environment, collaborating with others to accomplish objectives.
• Ability to use sound judgment and make timely decisions based on careful, objective review and analysis.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, management, program participants, and others encountered in the course of work.
• Ability to adapt to frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events in the workplace.

Schedule

Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM. Schedules may vary based on business needs.

Travel

Occasional travel within the CCSCT service area may be required for meetings, in-service training, or pre-service training. Occasional out-of-state and overnight travel may be required for conferences.

Physical Demands

• Regularly interacts with children at their level (e.g., on the floor).
• Frequently required to sit, stand, bend, walk, stoop, kneel, talk, hear, see, use hands to handle objects or tools, and reach with hands and arms.
• Requires close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Must have manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment and tools.
• Must be able to react quickly (e.g., run after a child or respond to an accident).
• Must be able to lift and/or carry up to 40 lbs.

Working Conditions

• Work is generally performed in a childcare or classroom setting with moderate exposure to unpleasant and/or hazardous conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.
• Must be able to function in an environment with constant interruptions.