Head Start Teacher-Clackamas Community College

Supporting the growth of healthy children and families, positive parenting, and school readiness.

About the role

Provide and coordinate education services to selected low-income and special needs children. Responsibilities include developing classroom curriculum, scheduling and carrying out home visits, and assisting the Education Manager in ensuring all Performance Standards within the Education Component are met while following Clackamas County Children’s Commission’s policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for assigned classes of children and designated number of home visits and parent conferences per child, per year.
• Plan and evaluate daily classroom activities that are developmentally appropriate, respond to the goals set for individual children, and reflect the diversity and culture of the class.
• Ensure classroom and curriculum meet Program Education Component Performance Standards.
• Conduct assessment and any necessary referral of all children in assigned class, including:
  • Developmental Screenings/Assessments.
  • Referral of children with suspected disabilities or other special needs, as appropriate.
  • Individual Goal Plan (IGP forms) in partnership with parents.
  • Attendance and participation in IFSP and CRM meetings as scheduled.
  • Assessments three times per year.
• Consult with Advocate and Education Manager and make referrals as needed.
• Work collaboratively with Specialists and Parents to ensure children with disabilities and special needs receive all recommended services.
• Work cooperatively with Specialists in the classroom; assist in coordinating classroom activities with the Specialist’s requirements.
• Ensure a safe environment for children and provide continuous supervision.
• Create a developmentally appropriate environment within the classroom in collaboration with other site Education staff.
• Consistently follow all aspects of the Procedures for Bus Safety Protocols.
• Maintain neat and clutter-free classrooms, storage areas, and office space.
• Ensure the class is supplied with all needed materials and supplies.
• Maintain CLASS scores at or above the expected thresholds.
• Achieve and maintain TS Gold Reliability.
• Utilize PBIS in classroom practices.
• Accurately enter child behavior observations into an electronic database for individualization and online assessment completions.
• Maintain complete and accurate child files, forms, and reports within allotted timelines to document and track the needs of children and services provided.
• Include the Assistant Teacher, Classroom Aide, and parent volunteers in the classroom planning process.
• Demonstrate effective ways to guide young children through modeling in the classroom.
• Take a lead role in planning content development of monthly family nights.
• Attend and participate with other center staff during monthly family nights.
• Complete a monthly newsletter for families.
• Facilitate parents as primary teachers of their own children.
• Partner with parents in scheduling and conducting the required number of home visits and parent conferences per child, per year.
• Provide parenting skills and child development information to parents.
• Guide parents in choosing developmentally appropriate activities for children and model age-appropriate, constructive, positive ways to work with young children.
• Partner with parents in setting educational goals for each child.
• Plan and carry out individual goals in coordination with classroom curriculum and assist parents in doing this during and between home visits.
• Bring information regarding classroom curriculum to parents’ attention when planning home visit activities.
• Coordinate and refer with the Advocate when family issues arise.
• Responsible for day-to-day direction of Assistant Teacher and Classroom Aide.
• Assess performance and deliver evaluations for Assistant Teacher and Classroom Aide.
• Arrive to work on time; punctually attend and actively participate in all required activities, meetings, and trainings.
• Be a respectful, cooperative, and reliable team member and participant in program activities.
• Project a professional work image, both in dress and manner.
• Be familiar with, and adhere to, position-related policies and procedures as well as the program’s overarching objectives.
• Perform all work in compliance with the Clackamas County Children’s Commission Code of Conduct.
• Respect and maintain confidentiality of information regarding enrolled children and families, personnel issues, and other program operations as appropriate.
• In consultation with supervisor, develop professional work goals and training plan. Participate in training as requested.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree (bachelor’s degree preferred) in early childhood education (ECE) or Associate’s degree (bachelor’s degree preferred) in any field plus both:
  • 15 or more credits of college coursework relating to early childhood education.
  • At least 6 months of experience teaching preschool-age children.
• Knowledge of Head Start preferred.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to positively interact with families of various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to use a positive approach in directing and redirecting child behavior.
• Ability to take a leadership role in the classroom.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a member of a team.
• Good computer and data entry skills.
• Ability to possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and insured vehicle available for use on the job (or have alternative transportation).
• Ability to possess and maintain compliance with State of Oregon Criminal Background Registry.
• Ability to possess and maintain current First Aid/CPR certification.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an Oregon Food Handler’s Card.

Working Conditions

• Work with physically active three- to five-year-old children for one class period (3.5-7.5 hours).
• Extensive standing and walking.
• Moderate sitting, kneeling, bending.