TITLE: Early Head Start Lead Teacher 1, 2, 3, CDA
Reports to: Site Supervisor
Job Summary
Contribute to the mission and vision of MICA by creating a positive, respectful, and safe environment when working with children, families and agency and community partners. Must be able to present MICA in a positive manner and maintain positive interaction with families and staff. Work and promote a team environment. Provide a successful, safe and supervised educational setting for children. Promote the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children. Encourage parent engagement in all aspects of the program. Supports MICA’s mission, vision, values, Ways of Working, and Whole Family Approach. This position may perform regular duties at alternative sites with approval of the Program Director.
Essential Job Functions
Build and maintain positive, professional relationships with vendors, families, program staff, and agency and community partners as needed to provide excellent services. General philosophical agreement with the agency mission, commit to the concept of diversity and inherent worth of every individual. The following list is representative of the type of tasks to be completed, and is not to be considered a complete list of expected job duties. Supervisor will provide guidance about specific tasks required of this position for completion on daily, monthly or quarterly cycles.
Contribute to and participate in an effective classroom teaching team
- Demonstrate competency to play and implement learning experiences that ensure effective implementation of the curriculum and promote children’s progress across the standards described in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five and the Iowa Early Learning Standards to meet each child’s individual needs, interests, learning styles and individual goals that are compatible with the child’s family culture.
o Ensure the assigned curriculum is implemented with fidelity and support skills development in the areas of Approaches to Learning, Social and Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, Cognition, and Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development
o Develop and implement weekly lesson plans
o Develop positive and nurturing relationships with children
o Interact and engage with children through conversations and facilitating activities in English
o Engage in responsive caregiving routines
o Screen each child’s developmental, behavior, motor, language, social, cognitive, and emotional skills as required
o Meet with consultants to discuss child’s needs; implement plans as advised
- Maintain a socially and emotionally safe and supportive climate in the classroom using Conscious Discipline practices and PBIS supports. Use Safety First strategies when appropriate
- Maintain the safety and welfare of children at all times
o Must be able to identify and recognize children and to observe them in their daily environments in order to assure their safety at all times
o Maintain and arrange the equipment and materials in an appropriate, safe, healthy and orderly fashion in the classroom, on the playground and on field trips
o Must be able to assist all children in all emergency and disaster drills and situations
o Must be able to push and control an occupied wheelchair
o Must maintain strict confidentiality of information about children and families at all times
o Must obtain and maintain First Aid and CPR certifications, bi-annually thereafter
o This position is a Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter
- Must take on the role of lead teacher in their absence
- Assist in meal preparation as needed and clean-up before and after meals
- Supervise and assist children during meals and eats with children as requested
- Ensure portion specifications and manage diet modifications including food allergies
- Conduct home visits and parent/teacher conferences with all families as required by program
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Partner with parents to individualize the program for their child by the establishment of written child goals and implementation of action steps to accomplish them
- Attend and assist with events for families and other county team activities as determined by county team
- Assist in working with volunteers and other adults in the classroom
Compliance
- Conduct child observations and enter into child assessment system
- Complete and submit all required documentation in an accurate and timely manner, and according to agency standards
- Ensure that the classroom is in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and other program requirements
- Maintain the program’s CLASS minimum thresholds in all domains
Develop skills and knowledge related to the position
- Must be able to learn and adhere to extensive number of Head Start Performance Standards, Department of Human Services child care licensing regulations, CACFP Requirements, QRS Standards and, as appropriate, NAEYC standards
- Negotiate PDP with supervisor
o Implement action plans to meet compliance, program practices, and professional development expectations
- Attend all trainings and meetings as required
- Complete and maintain certifications as required
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Proficient in reading, writing and speaking the English language
- Strong commitment to achieving results
- Knowledge of early childhood development
- Excellent child observation and assessment skills
- Commit to continued learning
- Committed to the inherent worth of every individual
- Strong teamwork skills. Able to collaborate in a positive and respectful way with families, agency co-workers and community partners
- Strong leadership skills. Ability to build an effective team using communication, delegation and organization
- Intermediate computer skills and effective use and able to learn a variety of computing software, electronic devices, databases and strong knowledge of Microsoft Office
Working Conditions (Essential physical, mental and emotional demands)
The demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- This is a full-time non-exempt position typically a 36-hour week. Must be able to work assigned schedule. Occasional overtime required
- Must be able to navigate stairs to access some classrooms and family homes
- Must be able to maintain a calm, composed demeanor in a highly active physical, social and emotional environment
- Must be able to move about in indoor and outdoor environments to appropriately monitor and interact with the children
- Must understand and appreciate the development of young children and be able to use appropriate guidance techniques at all times
- The person in this position frequently communicates with children, parents and colleagues, both one-on-one and in larger groups. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
- The person in this position occasionally lifts, carries or otherwise moves and positions objects weighing up to 40 pounds when stocking supplies or setting up equipment
- Frequently operates a computer and other office productivity machinery and devices, such as a copy machine, a computer printer, and an IPad or tablet
- Must have a pre-employment physical examination, and every three years thereafter, to prove ability to perform work duties
o The physical exam must include any necessary testing for communicable diseases, including a TB assessment as required by the Iowa Department of Human Services Child Care Licensure standards
- Staff who work in centers that serve infants will be required to have a Tdap immunization per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations
Education and Experience
Required
- Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development (classified as EHS Lead Teacher 3.) Preference given to candidates with infant or toddler teaching experience
OR
- Bachelor’s Degree in Education with an Early Childhood Education Endorsement (classified as EHS Lead Teacher 3 Preference given to candidates with infant or toddler teaching experience
OR
- Bachelor's or advanced degree and coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education (such as the Child, Adult and Family Services Degree with Child Option at Iowa State University) with infant, toddler, or pre-school teaching experience (classified as EHS Lead Teacher 2). Preference given to candidates with infant or toddler teaching experience
Will consider
- Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development (classified as EHS Lead Teacher 1) and infant, toddler, or pre-school teaching experience. Preference given to candidates with infant or toddler teaching experience
- Current Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and infant or toddler experience (classified as EHS Lead Teacher CDA).
Candidates offered the position must meet the following criteria
- Must have and maintain reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license and proof of automobile insurance
- Minimum age requirement of 18 per NAEYC and/or DHS licensing standards
- Successful completion of all background checks at hire and thereafter according to agency and program standards
Other Duties
Please note, this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Additional information
EHS Non-Supervising Lead Teacher 1, 2, 3, CDA
C - EHS Non-Supervising Lead Teacher 2,3
C - EHS Non-Supervising Lead Teacher 1, CDA
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development.
OR
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Bachelor’s Degree in Education with an Early Childhood Education Endorsement
OR
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Bachelor's or advanced degree and coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education (such as the Child, Adult and Family Services Degree with Child Option at Iowa State University) with infant, toddler, or pre-school teaching experience.
Will consider
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Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development, and infant, toddler, or pre-school teaching experience.
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Current Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and infant or toddler experience.
Preference given to candidates with infant or toddler teaching experience
If you love interacting with infants, this may be a position for you! With a student to teacher ratio of 4 to 1 you can have a real impact on children ages 6 weeks to 18 months. Help children gain the skills and confidence they need to succeed at home, school and the community. You will lead the classroom team and promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of children, also while encouraging parent involvement in all aspects of the program. Full-time, 36 hours per week, 11 month position. Excellent benefit package and ongoing professional development.
