Job Summary:
Responsible for working directly in the classroom with a direct focus on children 3 to 5 years of age, including working collaboratively with the assistant teacher to ensure the successful operation of a school readiness classroom with a total of 15-20 children, working with his/her team members to plan, monitor and implement content areas and with family members to implement the curriculum to achieve outcomes for children of all abilities within the Head Start Program.
Essential Functions:
The Teacher/PIC will ultimately be evaluated on a combination of skills, dispositions and behaviors, some of which are related to the specific service area of this position and others that represent general expectations of all our agency employees.
The Teacher/PIC responsibilities chiefly fall within the following essential functions, although s/he may perform other tasks and/or duties as assigned. The Teacher/PIC will demonstrate competency to perform essential functions that include:
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Provides a safe environment and teaches children safe practices to prevent and reduce injuries.
- Teaches children about good nutrition and practices that promote health and wellness.
- Provides an environment that reduces the amount of behavior issues by arranging the classroom and creating a routine that keeps children's developmental and individual needs in mind.
- Responsible for organizing and using positive interactions, physical space, materials, daily schedule, and routines to create a secure, interesting, and enjoyable environment that promotes engagement, play, exploration, and learning of all children including children with disabilities and special needs.
- Implements curriculum by using a variety of developmentally appropriate equipment, learning experiences, and teaching strategies to promote curiosity, reasoning, problem-solving, physical development and other cognitive skills of all children.
- Promotes children's learning of language, literacy, mathematics, science, technology, social studies, and the arts.
- Implements curriculum and strategies that and help them children communicate their thoughts and feelings; regulate their emotions and behaviors; establish and sustain positive relationships; and participates cooperatively and constructively with peers.
- Assures dual-language learners make progress in understanding and speaking both English and their home language.
- Develops a warm, positive, supportive, and responsive relationship with each child, and helps each child learn about and take pride in his or her individual and cultural identity.
- Establishes a positive, responsive, cooperative relationship with each child's family, engages in two- way communication with families, encourages their involvement in the program, and supports the child's relationship with his or her family.
- Communicates and collaborates with staff, parents and community who represent culturally and ethnically diverse populations.
- Uses observation, documentation, and planning to support children's development and learning and to ensure individualization in planning and effective operation of the classroom or group.
- Ensuring a planned and organized program responsive to participant needs.
- Makes decisions based on knowledge of research-based early childhood practices, promotes high- quality in school readiness services, and takes advantage of opportunities to improve knowledge and competence.
- Manage, monitor and supervise to meet legal and regulatory requirements.
- Proficient in utilizing various virtual platforms to facilitate seamless communication and collaboration.
- Assists children with differing abilities in their daily routine, which may include diapering, feeding, etc.
- Incorporate IEP/IFSP goals into classroom activities.
- Maintains child/family/staff confidentiality.
- Recruit families for all PGCCS options including maintaining a waiting list.
Minimum Requirements:
- Associate degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE); or Associate degree in a related field and coursework equivalent to a major relating to ECE, with experience teaching preschoolage children; or Baccalaureate degree and has been admitted into the Teach for America Program. All education must be from an accredited institution. PGCCS retains the right to obtain a Teacher Education Waiver from the Office of Head Start as needed.
- Teacher must be at least 18 years old.
- Person in Charge (PIC) must be at least 21 years old per BCCL requirements.
- Two years of pre-school (ages 3-5) classroom teaching experience is preferred.
- Two years Head Start preschool teaching preferred.
- Two years of adult supervisory experience preferred.
- Arizona Driver's License, proof of insurance, fingerprint card, Social Security card, CPR and First Aid, food handlers, if required, and provide a vehicle for program business.
- Health Questionnaire is required at hire and will be updated every 3 years.
- Meet all agency, state and federal required immunizations or have an approved exemption on file
- Intermediate to advanced computer skills, internet, and email.
- Employee must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English.
- Bilingual English/Spanish skills highly desirable.
- Food Handler's Card or Certificate within 30 calendar days of hire.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Frequent significant decision and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to respond appropriately to an emergency or a crisis.
- Ability to supervise pre-school children in a safe environment and apply early childhood development theory in daily activities to adapt to the individual needs of children.
- Demonstrate the understanding of DCS reporting system, signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect.
- Knowledge of Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP) and implement per position. Knowledge of: Head Start Program Performance Standards
Physical Requirements:
Able to perform the following physical requirements of the position with or without reasonable accommodation: critical sensory requirements include general vision, specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Hear or listen in the normal range (corrected) and speak and give directions clearly. Able to walk, sit, stand, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects up to 40 lbs., run 50 feet, and demonstrate exercises – jumping jacks, leg lifts, etc.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed in a classroom/office setting where minimal exposure to injury exists. Hours of work will generally be during regular business hours and average at least 40 hrs. per week. There will be work variations in work hours due to employee special projects, deadlines, and other concerns. PGCCS employees have the possibility of exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials through collateral duty to their routine work assignments, such as rendering first aid if need arises, and seldom exposure to vibration, toxic conditions, odors, dust, mold and poor ventilation.
