Position Type:
Early Childhood/Preschool Program
Date Posted:
7/8/2026
Location:
Proegler Early Childhood Education Program
Date Available:
08/03/2026
Position Title:
Early Childhood Wellness & School Readiness Specialist
Payroll/Personnel Type:
10 Months
Reports to:
Director of Early Childhood or Designee
Shift Length:
7.25 Hours Day
Union Eligibility:
Not Eligible
JOB GOALS
To ensure children enter school feeling safe, connected, confident, socially-emotionally prepared, and ready to learn while supporting families and staff through consultation, coaching, intervention, wellness-focused services, and school readiness initiatives.
POSITION PURPOSE
The Early Childhood Wellness & School Readiness Specialist promotes the healthy development, social-emotional well-being, school readiness, family engagement, and overall success of young children enrolled in Head Start, Preschool for All (PFA), and Preschool for All Expansion (PFAE). The specialist collaborates with children, families, staff, and community partners to support positive learning environments, strengthen family partnerships, and ensure children are prepared for success in school and life.
PRIORITY AREAS
- School Readiness Leadership
- Social-Emotional Development
- Family Engagement & Family Wellness
- Attendance & Student Engagement
- Sunshine Circle Implementation
- Positive Behavior Supports
- Pyramid Model Implementation
- Inclusion & Disabilities Support
- Staff Coaching & Professional Development
- Staff Wellness
- Continuous Quality Improvement
- Multilingual Learner Support
- Community Partnerships
- Kindergarten Transition
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Child Development, Screening & Referral
- Conduct developmental, behavioral, and social-emotional screenings.
- Review screening data and assist in identifying support needs.
- Gather and analyze child outcome data from DRDP, Brigance, ASQ, ASQ-SE, and other assessment tools.
- Coordinate referrals and follow-up services for children and families.
- Assist with individualized support planning.
- Monitor social-emotional, behavioral, and school readiness indicators.
Classroom Consultation & School Readiness Support
- Conduct classroom observations and provide strengths-based feedback.
- Support implementation of developmentally appropriate practices.
- Assist teachers in creating positive, language-rich learning environments.
- Promote strategies that strengthen school readiness skills.
- Support implementation of Pyramid Model practices and universal supports.
- Assist classroom teams in developing action plans based on student data.
Sunshine Circle & Social-Emotional Learning
- Coordinate and support Sunshine Circle implementation across all classrooms.
- Model social-emotional learning activities.
- Promote emotional regulation, problem-solving, friendship skills, and classroom belonging.
- Support children in developing self-confidence, persistence, resilience, and self-regulation.
- Sunshine Circle topics include:
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Greetings and relationship building
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Feelings and emotions
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Positive affirmations
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Problem-solving
-
Character development
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Conflict resolution
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Classroom belonging
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Celebrating student success
Child-Centered Support & Intervention
- Observe and support children demonstrating behavioral or social-emotional concerns.
- Develop individualized support plans with teachers and families.
- Assist with de-escalation strategies and positive behavior interventions.
- Support student success through tiered interventions and classroom-based supports.
- Participate in student support meetings and problem-solving discussions.
Family Engagement & Wellness
- Meet with families to discuss child development and school readiness.
- Facilitate parent workshops and family education opportunities.
- Connect families to community resources and support services.
- Promote family well-being and positive parent-child relationships.
- Support family engagement activities and program events.
Family Partnership & Goal Setting
- Collaborate with Family Support Specialists regarding Family Partnership Agreements and family goals.
- Assist families in identifying strengths, needs, and desired outcomes.
- Participate in family conferences and support meetings.
- Promote family leadership and advocacy opportunities.
School Readiness Leadership
- Participate as a member of the School Readiness Team.
- Assist with development and monitoring of School Readiness Goals.
- Analyze child outcome data related to social-emotional development and approaches to learning.
- Participate in data review meetings.
- Support kindergarten transition planning and activities.
Attendance & Student Engagement
- Collaborate with Family Support Specialists regarding attendance concerns.
- Identify barriers impacting attendance and participation.
- Support attendance improvement efforts and family outreach.
- Promote consistent student participation and engagement.
Inclusion & Disabilities Support
- Collaborate with Early Childhood Special Education staff and related service providers.
- Support inclusive classroom practices.
- Assist teachers in implementing accommodations and modifications.
- Participate in transition meetings and support planning.
- Promote equitable access to learning opportunities.
Kindergarten Transition Support
- Assist with preschool-to-kindergarten transition activities.
- Collaborate with receiving schools and kindergarten staff.
- Support families during transition planning.
- Provide recommendations and supports for students requiring additional transition assistance.
Staff Coaching & Professional Development
- Provide coaching and consultation to staff.
- Facilitate professional learning related to:
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Child Development
-
School Readiness
-
Social-Emotional Learning
-
Family Engagement
-
Positive Behavior Supports
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Trauma-Informed Practices
-
Staff Wellness
-
Pyramid Model Implementation
Staff Wellness & Support
- Promote staff wellness initiatives and self-care practices.
- Facilitate reflective conversations and problem-solving discussions.
- Support a positive and supportive program culture.
Continuous Quality Improvement •
Participate in CQIP activities.
- Support program self-assessments and monitoring reviews.
- Analyze trends related to attendance, behavior, family engagement, and student outcomes.
- Make recommendations for program improvement.
Multilingual Learner Support
- Collaborate with multilingual staff and teachers.
- Promote culturally responsive and inclusive practices.
- Support equitable access to services and family engagement opportunities.
Crisis Prevention, Intervention & Safety
- Assist staff with crisis prevention and intervention planning.
- Support students and families during times of crisis or significant life changes.
- Collaborate with administration regarding safety planning when needed.
- Promote trauma-informed responses and practices.
Recruitment, Enrollment & Community Outreach
- Participate in recruitment and enrollment events.
- Promote Early Childhood services throughout Kankakee County.
- Support family engagement and outreach efforts.
- Assist in increasing awareness of program services.
Community Partnerships
- Build relationships with community agencies and service providers.
- Coordinate referrals and follow-up services.
- Participate in community collaboration efforts as assigned.
Program Leadership & Grant Support
- Participate in federal, state, and local monitoring activities.
- Assist administration with grant reporting and compliance requirements.
- Support annual self-assessment activities.
- Provide documentation requested during audits, reviews, and monitoring visits.
- Assist in implementation of program goals and objectives.
Supervisory Responsibilities
This position does not directly supervise staff; however, the Early Childhood Wellness & School Readiness Specialist provides coaching, consultation, training, and support to program personnel.
Knowledge & Skills
- Strong knowledge of Early Childhood Education and child development.
- Understanding of Head Start Performance Standards and ISBE PFA/PFAE requirements.
- Knowledge of MTSS, Pyramid Model, Conscious Discipline, CKH, and social-emotional learning frameworks.
- Knowledge of trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices.
- Ability to analyze child outcome data and use findings to guide decisions.
- Strong communication, coaching, and facilitation skills.
- Ability to build positive relationships with children, families, staff, and community partners.
- Strong organizational and documentation skills.
Core Beliefs
- Every child can learn, grow, and succeed.
- Families are children's first and most important teachers.
- Relationships are the foundation of learning.
- Social-emotional development and academic success are interconnected.
- Every interaction is an opportunity to positively impact a child.
- Early intervention changes trajectories and strengthens outcomes.
- Strong partnerships between home, school, and community lead to student success.
- Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, connected, and supported.
Success Measures
The Early Childhood Wellness & School Readiness Specialist will contribute to:
- Increased student social-emotional growth and development.
- Improved school readiness outcomes.
- Increased family engagement and participation.
- Successful implementation of Sunshine Circle.
- Reduced behavioral referrals.
- Increased staff capacity related to social-emotional learning and behavior support.
- Improved attendance and student engagement.
- Successful kindergarten transitions.
- Increased access to community resources and family supports.
- Compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and ISBE requirements.
Additional Expectations
- Maintain active supervision practices when supporting classrooms.
- Attend required meetings, trainings, and professional development opportunities.
- Travel between sites and community locations as needed.
- Participate in family engagement activities and program events.
- Maintain confidentiality and professional ethics.
- Support children, families, and staff across all Early Childhood programs.
- Perform all other duties as assigned.
Positional Philosophy
The Early Childhood Wellness & School Readiness Specialist recognizes that school readiness begins with healthy relationships, strong family partnerships, social-emotional well-being, and developmentally appropriate learning experiences. Through consultation, coaching, family engagement, community collaboration, and intentional support, the specialist helps create environments where children, families, and educators thrive.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
- Master's Degree in Counseling, Social Work, Clinical Psychology, School Counseling, Human Development, Family Services, Psychology, or related field.
- Professional licensure preferred (LCSW, LCPC, LPC, School Social Worker, School Counselor, or equivalent).
- Minimum of three (3) years of experience working with young children and families.
- Minimum of two (2) years of experience in Early Childhood Education, Head Start, Preschool for All, Preschool for All Expansion, Early Childhood Special Education, or related programs.
- Demonstrated knowledge of child development, social-emotional learning, family engagement, trauma-informed practices, and school readiness.
- Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
- CLASS Reliable Certification preferred.
- ECERS-3 experience preferred.
- Pyramid Model Training preferred.
- ASQ and ASQ-SE experience preferred.
- CPI Certification preferred.
- Experience facilitating professional development and parent education workshops.
- Experience working in Head Start, Preschool for All, Preschool for All Expansion, or Early Childhood Special Education.
REPORTS TO:
Director of Early Childhood or Designee
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.
In connection with hiring for this position, the district shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or national origin.
