Preschool Assistant Teacher - York YMCA

About the role

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Provides direction for the children in the classroom, and implements program curriculum. Provides a quality experience to children and parents that focuses on building achievement and belonging in youth and relationships among youth and within families.

Responsibilities

• Implements purposeful programming and curriculum within the established guidelines and is prepared in advance of each lesson/activity.
• Supervises the children, classroom, and all activities including ADA accommodations where appropriate. Follows all procedures and standards.
• Actively guides children in developmentally appropriate appropriate play and routines.
• Makes ongoing, systematic observations and evaluations of each child to provide feedback and create purposeful activities to meet the needs of the individual and group.
• Provides positive descriptive feedback to prevent and redirect challenging behaviors.
• Cultivates positive relationships, conducts parent conferences, and maintains effective communication with parents. Engages parents as volunteers and connects them to the YMCA.
• Maintains program site and equipment in accordance with program standards.
• Ensures a safe, healthy environment and is knowledgeable on effectively enacting safety/emergency procedures. Practices infection control procedures and proper hand washing.
• Maintains required program records.
• Accurately maintains required trainings to comply with licensing, program standards and YMCA policies.
• Attends and participates in family nights, program activities, staff meetings, and staff training as required.
• Effectively communicates with supervisor and co-workers to provide feedback for program improvement, concerns, etc.
• Reports suspected abuse in accordance with the PA Child Protective Services Law and YMCA policy.

Qualifications

• As per Department of Human Services, an Assistant Group Supervisor shall have attained one of the following qualifications:
• - A high school diploma or a general educational development certificate and 30 credit hours from an accredited college or university in early childhood education, child development, special education or the human services field.
• - A high school diploma or a general educational development certificate, including 600 or more hours of secondary training described in section 3270.31(c) (relating to age and training).
• - A high school or general educational development certificate, 15 credit hours from an accredited college or university in early childhood education, child development, special education or the human services field and 1 year of documented experience with children.
• - A high school diploma or a general educational development certificate and completion of a post-secondary training curriculum described in section 3270.31 (c).
• - A high school diploma or general educational development certificate and 2 years documented experience with children.
• And,
• Obtain a State Police, Child Abuse, NSOR and FBI certifications in addition to a negative Mantoux TB test and a physical.
• Obtain Mandated Reporter training certification.
• Must have or obtain Pediatric First Aide/CPR and AED certification.

Physical Demands

• Physical Requirements - Light – exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.
• Body Position and Movement (Seldom-1-10%, Occasionally-10-30%, Frequently 30-60%, Continuously 60-100% of the time)
• | o Stationary Position – Seldom | o Reaching - Occasionally |
• | o Move/Traverse – Frequently | o Pulling/Pushing - Occasionally |
• | o Position self to move about with agility (upright or lowered to the floor) - Occasionally | o Lifting – Frequently o Ascend/Descend - Occasionally |
• Visual Requirements- Requires good color, depth and field of vision (with or without correction) to distinguish like objects from one another, detect and visually follow moving objects
• Auditory (Hearing) Requirements- Ability to hear voices, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds to communicate, answer phones and respond to alarms/emergencies
• Hazardous Conditions/Materials Exposure- Frequent exposure to outdoor elements
• Potential to come into contact with bodily fluids/blood