Job Title: Teacher Assistant
Classification: Full-time, non-exempt, hourly
Salary Range: HS 01-04 ($17.44 - $18.60 - $19.68 - $20.89*) *To be eligible for HS 04 an employee must have a bachelor's degree in a field related to the position.
Hours: 40/week
Work Weeks: 41-44/year (school year)
Program: Head Start
Reports To: Teacher
Positions Supervised: None
Mission Statement
EightCAP, Inc., improves our community by collaborating with private, government, and community organizations to deliver programs that alleviate the causes of poverty and its effects, allowing individuals to become self-sufficient.
Role Overview
As a Teacher Assistant, you are responsible for
assisting the Teacher in ensuring that a safe, healthy and organized environment is created for both children and adults through planning and implementing learning experiences through effective curriculum implementation and assessment. This position involves regular communication with children, families and staff, ensuring requirements and outcomes are met. You will support the social and emotional development of children by encouraging families to be actively involved in their children’s education and recognize a child’s parents/guardians are their first and most important teachers.
Key Responsibilities
- Monitoring: Provide a safe, healthy, organized environment for children through daily monitoring of activities, maintenance of the classroom, and completion of required checklists.
- Professionalism: Comply with program confidentiality policies concerning personally identifiable information about children, families, and other staff members and must maintain professional boundaries with enrolled children and families at all times.
- Compliance: Follow regulations and requirements of the Office of Head Start, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
- Reporting: Assist in maintaining accurate records including but not limited to attendance, CACFP mealtime documentation, in-Kind, communicable disease reports, participate in planning, conducting and documenting home visits and parent teacher conferences, share child outcomes, and evaluate progress towards individual child and family goals, reporting and suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Communication: Communicate positively with children, parents/guardians, teaching team, support staff, community partners, and supervisor.
- Collaboration: Work professionally and cooperatively with staff, parents/guardians, volunteers, service providers and community partners to ensure smooth operations and address any concerns.
- Emergency Preparedness: Be familiar with emergency procedures in order to respond effectively in the case of an emergency.
- Professional Development: Actively participate in professional development and training opportunities that ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and Child Day Care Licensing Regulations.
- Perform Other Duties as Assigned.
Our CORE Values at Work
- Accountability: The Teacher Assistant
demonstrates accountability by following the classroom schedule and ensuring that transitions between activities happen smoothly. This helps maintain a structured and predictable environment, which is crucial for young children’s sense of security and learning.
- Communication: The Teacher Assistant
utilizes open, clear, and respectful communication with children, families, staff, and community partners.
- Compassion: When challenges arise, the Teacher Assistant will approach these situations with empathy, seeking to understand the root causes and working collaboratively to find solutions.
- Empowerment: The Teacher Assistant will empower families in their role as the first and most important teachers in their children’s life.
Qualifications
- Associate degree in early childhood education or child development, a Preschool or Birth to 5 Child Development Associate (CDA) or an associate degree in related field with 12 semester hours in early childhood education or child development.
- Ability to communicate effectively and positively and work collaboratively with staff, families, agency representatives, service providers, and community organizations in a respectful, professional, and non-judgmental manner.
- Understanding of mandated reporting requirements, including the ability to recognize, document, and report suspected child abuse or neglect in accordance with state law and program procedures.
- Must successfully complete all required state and federal background clearances.
Work Environment
This position operates primarily within Head Start and Early Head Start classroom settings. This role requires regular interaction with children, families, staff, and community partners in a fast-paced early childhood education environment. The employee may be exposed to noise levels typical of preschool and infant/toddler classrooms and will participate in indoor and outdoor activities in varying weather conditions as part of daily program operations.
Travel Requirements
Local travel between program sites, training locations, meetings, and community events may be required. The employee must possess a valid Michigan driver’s license, maintain an acceptable driving record, and have reliable transportation available for work-related travel.
Physical Requirements
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
The physical requirements of this position include:
- Ability to move throughout classrooms, playgrounds, and program facilities.
- Ability to supervise and actively engage with children in indoor and outdoor environments.
- Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, kneel, crouch, and reach as needed throughout the workday.
- Ability to lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds occasionally.
- Ability to respond quickly and appropriately in emergency situations.
- Ability to operate standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and printers.
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Benefits
Benefits include health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, medical flex, and a 401k with a 5% employer match on your one-year anniversary. Benefits begin on your 31st day of employment.
Staff in this position may be eligible to apply for unemployment benefits during periods of layoff, in accordance with state unemployment regulations.
Employment At-Will Statement
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employment with EightCAP, Inc. is at-will, meaning either the employee or the organization may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause, consistent with applicable law.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
EightCAP, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace.
