The Teacher Aide is a key member of the teaching team. The primary responsibility of this position is to assist the Teacher in the promotion of each child’s development within a safe and supervised educational environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The essential functions of this job include, but are not limited to:
HEALTH AND SAFETY
1. Adheres to the principles of Active Supervision to maintain the safety and security of children. Ensures that no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.
2. Participates in the creation and implementation of Emergency Preparedness Plans, such as Evacuation Plans and Lockdown/Shelter in Place Plans, as well as Active Supervision Plans. Assists with updating the Emergency Preparedness Plans annually, when there is a change in staffing, and any time when it is otherwise necessary. Reviews Active Supervision Plans at least monthly. Collaborates with the teaching team to update the Active Supervision Plan when necessary, as described in MCCC’s policies and procedures.
3. Serves family-style meals in accordance with federal, state, and organizational requirements. Assists the teacher in completing meal forms, such as Daily Meal Counts and Infant Menu Records.
4. Accommodates the dietary requirements of each student, including, but not limited to, infants, young toddlers, children with food allergy restrictions, food substitutions, and disabilities. Ensures that each child only receives food that is safe for them and meets their individual needs.
5. Follows medical protocols.
6. Ensures that the classroom and center are prepared for children before class begins each morning. This may include cleaning and setting tables, performing classroom and playground safety checks, and other duties as assigned.
7. Follows the Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Schedule to ensure the classroom is cleaned thoroughly after class each day. Initials the Cleaning Log daily for documentation of completion, and turns the completed log in at the end of each month.
CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT
8. Prepares lesson plan activities and materials as assigned. Implements lesson plan activities as assigned. Contributes to the Lesson Plan Reflection at least weekly.
9. Observes students’ progress within the developmental domains. Assists the teacher with completing documentations by entering or sharing at least the minimum number of observations determined by the Education Coordinator. Observations must be objective and relevant to the developmental domains. Entered documentations must also be set with a preliminary rating.
10. Provides a consistent, nurturing, and responsive learning environment through intentional and positive interactions with children. Responds to the physical and emotional needs of children using approved strategies. Individualizes care and learning experiences to meet each child's needs. Provides students with a variety of developmentally appropriate materials and experiences, encouraging them to experiment and explore.
11. Follows MCCC’s policies and procedures in the prevention and intervention of challenging behaviors.
12. Assists the Teacher with the completion of developmental assessments including, but not limited to, Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA).
13. Follows IEPs, IFSPs, and/or other individualized plans for children.
COLLABORATION
14. Promotes family engagement in all aspects of the program, including, but not limited to, Policy Council, Parent Committee, volunteer opportunities, family engagement events, and involvement in their child’s educational goals.
15. Establishes and maintains positive relationships with children, families, and staff.
16. Acts as an effective member of the team. Meets weekly with the teaching team to lesson plan. Addresses and resolves conflicts or problems collaboratively, constructively, and professionally. Asks for, and provides, feedback.
17. Communicates professionally and with confidentiality to families, staff, volunteers, visitors, and community partners.
18. Engages in coaching. Implements the teaching practices and strategies recommended by component coordinators, managers, and other approved specialists to increase school readiness for children and families.
OTHER
19. Provides staff coverage as needed.
20. Performs bus monitoring duties as assigned. This may include, but is not limited to, helping children board and exit the bus, supervising and engaging with children while on the bus, ensuring that children are only released to authorized individuals, ensuring that all children have exited the bus at the end of the route, and assisting the bus driver in maintaining a clean vehicle.
21. Participates in all required trainings. Regularly and consistently submits training certificates to the state’s workforce registry to ensure all annual training requirements are met.
22. Cultivates an environment where all children, families, staff, and visitors are welcome, respected, and valued.
23. Complies with all MCCC policies, procedures, State and Federal requirements.
24. Maintains consistent and reliable attendance. Begins and ends work according to their assigned schedule. Returns from breaks on time.
25. Reports all suspected child abuse and neglect as a mandatory reporter.
26. Performs all other work-related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Required
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Teacher Aides who do not have a Child Development Associate (CDA) or one-year Early Childhood Education Stackable Certificate are required to attain one of these credentials within 2 years of hire.
- Sufficient English proficiency to comprehend both oral and written direction.
Preferred
- Center-Based Infant/Toddler or Preschool Child Development Associate (CDA) or one-year Early Childhood Education (ECE) Stackable Certificate
- Valid driver’s license, proof of insurability, and cleared state driving record check.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to communicate and exchange information with others. They must be able to observe and assess their surroundings and detect any potential dangers or hazards. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high. The employee is required to operate office productivity machinery and may be required to operate a vehicle. This position requires the employee to move about both inside and outdoors and to remain in a stationary position for some time. They may need to position themselves in various postures and ascend/descend ramps, ladders and/or stairs. The employee must be able to lift and move up to 40 pounds. Below is a more detailed list of physical demands and requirements for this position. While the list below is not all inclusive, it does provide an accurate representation of what is expected in this position.
FREQUENCY
N: Never
S: Seldom/Rarely
O: Occasionally
F: Frequently
C: Continuously
Must be able to remain in a stationary position for at least 50% of the time.
The percentage of these demands must add up to 100% using the frequency scale
Must be able to move/traverse about both indoors and/or outdoors for at least 50% of the time.
Moving, Positioning:
Floor-Waist
30-40 lbs. Moving, transporting, repositioning children as needed.
Moving, Positioning:
Waist-Shoulder
30-40 lbs. Moving, transporting, repositioning children as needed.
Moving, Positioning:
Shoulder-Overhead
10 lbs. Accessing storage cupboards.
30-40 lbs. May need to transport a child to safety.
30 lbs. force. Moving food carts, arranging classroom or office furniture.
Caring for children in various scenarios and environments, ex: in/around/on top of/underneath play equipment. Cleaning classroom and equipment.
Playing with children, cleaning.
Playing with children, cleaning.
Cervical Forward Flexion (Bending Neck)
Interacting with children, classroom or office cleaning.
Controls machinery or equipment, operates a vehicle, typing, gives classroom lessons, playing with children.
Leading children’s activities, completing office tasks.
Reaching Below Waist Level
Leading children’s activities, completing office tasks.
Use of machinery or equipment.
Communication, Information Exchange
Talking with children and coworkers, listening to children and coworkers.
May need to climb playground equipment to retrieve children, may need to climb playground equipment.
Proximity to Moving Mechanical Parts
Exposure to Toxic/Caustic Chemicals
N (Never): 0% of the time
S (Seldom/Rarely): 1-10% of the time
Maximum of 1 activity or exposure per hour
O (Occasionally): 11-33% of the time
Maximum of 1 activity or exposure per 3 minutes
Maximum of 21-40 activities or exposure per hour
C (Continuously): 67%+ of the time
Maximum of 1 activity or exposure per minute
Note
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.
Equal Opportunity Employer
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
(2) fax:
