HS Assistant Teacher

About the role

Neighborhood House is a non-profit agency providing social services for children, families, seniors, and people experiencing food and housing insecurity. We have been engaged in anti-poverty work for 120 years, offering a safety net to ensure our community has the support they need to thrive.

Head Start Assistant Teacher - Preschool Classroom

Position Summary: Neighborhood House’s Head Start program provides an opportunity for participants to learn, grow, and thrive in an environment that emphasizes families as the child’s primary teachers in a cooperative environment between families, teachers, family advocates, home visitors, and other staff, with connection to community resources, and learning through child-led play. Our program is designed to meet the needs of, and to provide school readiness skills to, all eligible children, including those with special needs and disabilities, so our community’s children and families are stronger for life.

• Assist the lead teacher in establishing and upholding a positive classroom climate utilizing the PBIS framework.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of children while maintaining an environment conducive to learning.
• Supervise all students actively to ensure their mental, physical, and emotional safety.
• Take necessary precautions to safeguard students, staff, and facilities both indoors and outdoors.
• Absorb classroom supplies and learning materials for accessibility and engagement.
• Affirmative implementation of a consistent routine comprising various activities to promote holistic child development.
• Foster exploration, problem-solving, and positive socialization through thoughtful engagement.
• Engage actively in child-led play and meaningful conversations to support individual development.
• Leverage mealtimes and outdoor activities to reinforce positive social skills and healthy habits.
• Tend to daily tasks such as setup, cleanup, diaper changes, and potty training according to protocols.
• Adhere to positive behavior management and safety procedures.

Education Services Development, Implementation, and Assessment

• Collaborate with the lead teacher in developing and executing developmentally appropriate lesson plans aligned with program goals.
• Affirmative implementation of individualized learning goals within the lesson plan through thoughtful engagement.
• Support developmental screenings and assessments as needed by the teacher.
• Collaborate with families to ensure continuity between home and classroom learning experiences.
• Affirmative participation in parent-teacher conferences and home visits as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position will not supervise.

Required Skills, Abilities, Competencies, and Qualifications

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and Outlook Mail.
• Familiarity with research-based child assessment tools preferred.
• Experience working directly with parents preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse communities and handle sensitive information.
• Capacity to work independently and within a team, demonstrating problem-solving skills.
• Physical ability to meet the demands of the role, including lifting up to 50 pounds.

Required Education and Experience

• Knowledge of early childhood development and general principles of early childhood education and developmentally appropriate, child-led, multi-cultural, anti-bias curriculum children under the age of 5, is required.
• A minimum of a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) Preschool or Infant/Toddler is required and two years of experience or equivalent qualifications placing the candidate at a step 7 or higher on the Oregon Registry Online (ORO) and three years of experience working with children 0-5.
• An associates in Early Childhood Education preferred or equivalent qualifications placing the candidate at a step 9 or higher on the Oregon Registry Online (ORO) and one year of experience working with children 0-5.

Required Certificates, Licenses, Credentials, and/or Registrations

• Central Background Registry Number: Successful registration with the Oregon Central Background Registry is mandatory prior to commencing employment.
• First Aid/CPR Certification: Possession of valid First Aid and CPR certification is mandatory. If not already certified, candidates must obtain certification within 30 days from the date of hire to ensure readiness to respond to emergency situations effectively.
• Food Handler's Card: Acquisition of a Food Handler's card is required within 30 days from the date of hire, demonstrating compliance with food safety regulations and protocols.

Physical Requirements

• Communication Skills: Ability to effectively communicate with colleagues, children, and families.
• Extended Periods of Sitting/Standing: The employee will frequently sit or stand for extended periods while utilizing a computer monitor and keyboard.
• Manual Dexterity: Ability to handle or feel objects and equipment is essential for carrying out various tasks.
• Range of Motion: The employee may be required to reach with hands and arms, kneel, or crouch as part of daily duties.
• Lifting and Moving: Occasional to frequent lifting and/or moving of up to 50 pounds may be necessary to handle equipment or assist children as needed.
• Visual Acuity: Specific vision abilities, including close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus, are required to perform tasks accurately.

Environmental Working Conditions

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to high noise levels typical of a classroom environment.

Benefits

Neighborhood House offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 26 days of PTO (increases with tenure) per year
• 12 paid holidays per year
• Kaiser health, vision, and dental insurance with low employee premiums
• 403b retirement plan
• Company-paid life insurance.
• Voluntary life, long-term disability, accident, and critical illness insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free counseling.