Help shape young minds and support children during one of the most important stages of their development. Working under the direction of the Community Kids Collaboration Coordinator, the Preschool Assistant Teacher partners with the P4J (Preschool 4 Janesville) Lead Teacher to plan, organize, and implement a high-quality preschool program that meets P4J and state requirements. This role helps create a positive, engaging learning environment that fosters children's academic growth and development while supporting the planning and implementation of P4J events and family engagement activities throughout the school year.
-
Assist in providing a healthy and safe environment that is conducive to positive learning, playing, and growing.
-
Implement the P4J curriculum and provide learning materials that are developmentally appropriate with assistance from the P4J Lead Teacher.
-
Plan, develop, and supervise individual children and group activities to stimulate growth in cognitive, language, social, emotional, and physical growth.
-
Provide direct care and assistance to children with their basic needs including eating, dressing, and hand washing.
-
Maintain standards of safety in all aspects of the program, understand and follow all emergency procedures.
-
Interact with children frequently while showing interest and modeling respect and affection regardless of race, gender, background, ability, culture, etc. of children or family members.
-
Implement the positive guidance policy within the classroom.
-
Encourage independence in children while teaching and modeling positive approaches to behaving constructively.
-
Assist children in dealing with emotions, positive and negative, while expecting them to behave in developmentally appropriate ways.
-
Promote healthy snack times as pleasant and social learning experiences.
-
Responsible for assisting the P4J Lead Teacher in completing child assessments and preparing parent/teacher conferences for all children to allow for regular and effective communication with families.
-
Successfully complete 15 annual hours for continuing education.
-
Understand and follow policies, procedures, and philosophies of Community Action, Community Kids, and state licensing rules for childcare centers.
-
Assist or supervise in other classrooms or child care sites as required.
-
Complete related work as assigned within the scope of responsibility and skill required for the job.
-
Create and maintain working relationships with SDJ/P4J.
-
Create and maintain working relationships with families.
-
Create and maintain working relationships with the Lead P4J Teacher.
-
Create and maintain working relationships with supervisor and other team members.
-
Monitor classroom activities and environment to ensure licensing compliance.
-
Plan and implement weekly lesson plans and highlights according to P4J requirements through the school year and then YoungStar requirements through the summer for the review of the Program Manager, in absence of the P4J lead Teacher.
-
Ensure that all the children’s individual needs are met and all behavior plans, IFSP, and IEPS are followed as closely as possible.
-
Assist in planning and supporting family involvement through regular communication and events.
-
Demonstrate competency in ECERS.
-
Demonstrate competency in utilizing the (WMELS) Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards in developing curriculum.
-
Participate in designated trainings, meetings, field trips and additional center /P4J events as required
-
Assist P4J Lead Teacher in identifying and recommending children with developmental delays and/or behavior concerns to the School District of Janesville.
-
Assist teachers with Class Dojo by uploading photos, creating posts, and sending messages to parents.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
-
Keep up to date with developments in subject area, teaching resources and methods and make relevant changes to instructional plans and activities.
-
Assist in kitchen and/or office as needed.
-
Assist in overall building cleanliness, organization, and stocking of materials.
-
Assist with transportation of children as needed.
-
Complete related work as assigned within the scope of responsibility and skill required for the job.
The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the major functions of this position and are not intended to be a detailed description of all the work/functions that may be required.
-
Responsible for the supervision of the children under his/her care and any helpers/volunteers in the classroom.
QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
-
Must be 18 years of age with a High School Diploma/GED.
-
At minimum, meets teacher qualifications as approved by the Wisconsin Registry.
-
Minimum one year experience in childcare, strongly preferred.
-
Must annually complete the required 15 hours of approved continuing education.
-
Must have good communication skills, including the ability to effectively present information in oneonone and small group situations to children, families and staff.
-
Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred.
-
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide with whole numbers, fractions and percentages.
-
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out written or oral instructions.
-
Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
-
Must be able to conduct smooth and unregimented transitions, be flexible and handle routine tasks in a relaxed and individualized manner.
-
Teaching staff authorized to drive the childcare van and/or bus must meet the driving standards in the Travel/Vehicle Usage Policy and maintain their passenger CDL.
-
Within 3 months after beginning work with children, shall obtain and maintain a current certification for infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator use from the agency approved by DCF.
-
Certificate of DCF approved training in shaken baby syndrome and SIDS.
-
Mandated Reporter training completed within the last two years or DCF approved equivalent.
-
Must be extremely reliable and dependable.
-
Must have knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices and environmental ratings.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical 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.
-
Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
-
Frequently is required to stand, walk, sit and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
-
Occasionally required to climb or balance and taste or smell.
-
Frequently lift a minimum of 20 pounds, ranging up to 50 pounds, depending on age of children.
-
Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
-
Ability to be mobile on a variety of surfaces such as tile, carpet, wood chips, pea gravel, cement, etc.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
-
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and occasionally loud.
-
The duties are usually performed within a classroom environment with daily time (if appropriate) outside in varied weather conditions, including heat, wind and cold.
-
The employee may be exposed to childhood illnesses.
This job description does not constitute an employment contract between Community Action and the employee and is subject to change by Community Action as the needs of the department and the requirements of the job change.
Community Action, Inc. [CAI] is an equal opportunity employer. Community Action, Inc. does not discriminate on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service. I understand that neither the completion of this application nor any other part of my consideration for employment establishes any obligation for Community Action Inc., to hire me. If I am hired, I understand that either Community Action, Inc. or I can terminate my employment at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and without prior notice. I understand that no representative of Community Action, Inc., has the authority to make any assurance to the contrary. I attest by submitting my application that I have given Community Action, Inc. true and complete information on this application. No requested information has been concealed. If any information I have provided is untrue, or if I have concealed material information, I understand that this will constitute cause for the denial of employment or immediate dismissal.
Community Action, Inc. (CAI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing poverty in Rock and Walworth counties, Wisconsin. Founded in 1965 as part of the War on Poverty, CAI delivers locally tailored services including childcare, education, affordable housing, youth programs, weatherization, community development, a homeless shelter, and health education. As part of the national Community Action Agency network, CAI partners with United Way organizations and local service providers to lead collaborative efforts and expand its impact across the community.
