(Part-Time) Assistant Preschool Teacher - PM Shift (Union-AFSCME)

Starting salary is dependent on qualifications, but in most cases is no higher than the midpoint for the range.

Pay

$19.02 - $24.36/hour

Schedule

Monday – Friday (PM SHIFT 12:45 pm-6:00 pm)

About the role

Under the direction of the Early Childhood Education Operations Supervisor and/or their designee, this position is responsible for providing a safe and developmentally appropriate preschool program in accordance with all policies and procedures. The Assistant Preschool Teacher will assist in planning and implementing a program to teach young children, ensuring their development and safety. The role requires respect for children, parents, and co-workers, and maintaining clean, safe, and well-maintained equipment and facilities. Failure to provide adequate services may place children at risk.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development and implementation of a developmentally appropriate preschool program for young children.
• Assist in planning and implementation of educational activities to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs of children.
• Supervise and conduct group activities and participants in the temporary absence of the Lead Teacher as needed.
• Attend to the needs of the children in the program.
• Supervise the use of equipment and activities.
• Ensure equipment and the facility are clean, well maintained, and safe at all times.
• Provide weekly and monthly schedules of activities.
• Ensure culturally appropriate programs and activities are held in accordance with policy and procedure.
• Assist in facilitating activities that introduce math and literacy concepts.
• Enforce policies and procedures, including acceptable disciplinary policies.
• Be familiar with emergency procedures.
• Assist in meal service.
• Supervise children in the preschool:
  • Ensure children are supervised at all times.
  • Ensure teacher/student ratios are always appropriate.
  • Provide various experiences and activities for children, including songs, games, and small group activities.
  • Build children's esteem in an appropriate manner.
  • Comfort children in an appropriate manner.
  • Establish routines and provide positive guidance to the children.
  • Report any accidents/injury or safety concerns immediately to the direct supervisor.
  • Provide a safe and secure environment for children to feel comfortable.
  • Implement positive discipline when required.
  • Clearly and effectively communicate in a manner that children understand.
  • Observe children and make notes of progress.
  • Integrate special needs children in a positive and respectful manner.
• Assist in and lead indoor and outdoor recreational and educational activities.
• Possess good judgment, emotional maturity, decision-making skills, and willingness to accept responsibilities.
• Provide personal care or support in personal care/diapering to participants enrolled in programs.
• Communicate with parents and members of the community:
  • Discuss children's development with parents or guardians.
  • Discuss identified problems and needs with professionals as appropriate.
  • Participate in community activities.
  • Promote literacy and early education with parents and guardians.
  • Keep parents informed of program expectations, program activities, and their child's progress.
  • Greet the public/families in a courteous manner and engage in good communication skills.
• Maintain program administration:
  • Assist in the development and maintenance of current, accurate, and confidential client files.
  • Complete student observations by the appropriate deadline as directed by your supervisor.
  • Keep supervisor informed of material and supplies necessary to conduct programs.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, coworkers, and the public.
  • Attend staff meetings, training sessions, and workshops when directed.
  • Comply with Gateways continuing education requirements.
• Perform other related duties as required.
• Assist in the maintenance of records and the completion of reports.
• Conduct regular safety checks and report any problems immediately to your supervisor.
• Assist with setting up and cleanup of program rooms (moving tables, chairs, equipment, and supplies).

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Experience in Child Care / Child Development / Education monitoring children ages 2-5 years preferred.
• Minimum 3 months of experience in childcare within a group/classroom setting, overseeing/supporting children preferred.
• CPR, AED, and First Aid certification or obtain within six months of employment.
• Possess or be willing and able to obtain ECE Level 1 within six months of employment.

Skills

• Knowledge of computer programs, including Word, Excel, and Internet.
• Ability to read staff manuals, memoranda, and attendance sheets.
• Ability to complete attendance sheets, accident reports, incident reports, and behavior reports using prescribed format and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, and style.
• Ability to give verbal direction to subordinates, communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, citizens, and the public, as well as other employees; speaking extemporaneously.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, co-workers, and the public, to greet the public in a courteous manner, and good communication skills.
• Ability to attend staff meetings, training sessions, and workshops when requested.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work primarily indoors and occasionally outdoors, subject to environmental conditions (e.g., hot in summer, cool/cold in fall and spring).
• Ability to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
• Ability to lift, reach, handle, finger, kneel, bend, stand for long periods, talk, hear, feel, smell, climb, maintain balance, stoop, crouch, crawl, and see.
• Occasional heavy lifting of program equipment may be necessary (ability to lift a child up to 50 lbs when necessary).
• Prolonged standing while conducting programs.
• Environmental conditions include recreation centers, gymnasiums, multipurpose rooms, kitchens, swimming pools, athletic fields, parks, playgrounds, office space, conference rooms, beaches, and field trip sites.
• Classroom includes a variety of animals which must be maintained as part of each classroom science area.
• Subject to inside environmental conditions approximately 75% of the time and outside work 25% of the time.

Supervision

Work is performed under the general direction/supervision of the Recreation Program Coordinator/Preschool Director and/or their designee (Lead Teacher and Lead Supervisor). Assignments may vary from season to season and day to day and can be either verbal or written. The employee determines proper procedure and work methods and is responsible for completing the work according to City work rules and safety regulations. Work is reviewed through ongoing observation, written and verbal communication, meetings, and feedback from supervisors and other department employees. Guidance is provided through rules, regulations, policies and procedures, Unified Work Rules, Union Contract, Personnel Rules, and OSHA. Work is evaluated at least annually for safe and skilled operation of equipment, quality of tasks, adherence to work rules, and performance in accordance with this classification standard.

Public Contact

The employee will have contact with the general public in city-owned buildings, responding to questions and complaints, and providing general direction. The employee will also have regular contact with other City employees to share information and complete work assignments.