Assistant Director of Education

The Educational Alliance Inc.•New York, NY

About The Position

Educational Alliance brings together and partners with diverse communities in Lower Manhattan, offering individuals and families high-quality, multi-generational programs and services that enhance their well-being and socioeconomic opportunities. We are a place where everyone is welcome and where progress is powered one relationship at a time. We are proud of our legacy as a Jewish organization, and we provide high-quality, transformational services and programs to all New Yorkers through our network of community centers on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and East Village. As we have for 130 years, we offer best-in-class programming–now across 15 sites—focusing on a mix of education, health and wellness, arts and culture, and civic engagement. Early Childhood at Manny Cantor Center is an inspired, responsive and progressive preschool serving children ages 0-5 years old, built on the following principles: all children are competent, capable, and curious; all families have something to contribute; we are stronger together. Our pioneering blended-funding model incorporates Head Start, Early Head Start, Universal Pre-K and tuition funding to serve all families on the Lower East Side and beyond. Inspired by the schools of Reggio Emilia, our classrooms are joyful and nurturing learning environments that foster inquiry, exploration and reflection. With the support and supervision of our Associate Directors of Education, our teachers work collaboratively with children to co-construct a curriculum that draws inspiration from children’s interests and the world around us. We are seeking an experienced full-time Assistant Director of Education to advance the vision of our school, ensuring that all children are welcome and teachers feel supported to carry out their roles daily.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree and Certification in Early Childhood Education (or willing to be on a study plan for certification) required
Minimum 3 years of classroom teaching experience required
Outstanding written and oral communications skills
Organized with strong attention to detail and ability to develop efficient, internal systems and workflow
Able to work a flexible schedule as needed
Team player with a passion for building relationships and fostering partnerships, both internal and external to Manny Cantor Center
The ideal candidate will be a passionate and warm collaborator, excellent communicator with proven success connecting and relating with students, parents, staff, and the community.
Understand developmental milestones, appropriate practice and assessment for all age groups in the school.
Self-motivated, highly efficient, and able to problem solve
Demonstrated ability to handle stressful situations in a professional, warm and friendly manner

Nice To Haves

Conversational in Spanish and/or one or more Chinese dialects a plus

Responsibilities

Create the daily coverage schedule for all classrooms (absences, lateness, lunch coverage and aftercare)
Supervise all FT and PT floaters and per diem employees
Approve timecards for floaters and per diem staff
Support all classrooms by completing the required daily checks each morning and providing coverage if necessary
Be an admin presence in the parks, lobby and at opening and closing of program on a rotating basis
Sign incident reports and support the directors in assessing children who may get hurt or ill while in school
Collaborate with the operations team, specialized services and educational arms of the program
Build relationships with community members to establish Early Childhood at Manny Cantor Center as a dynamic, responsive and inclusive community
In partnership with Educational leadership team, support teacher’s professional development by planning/participating in staff meetings, dialogue groups and professional development
Observe in classrooms to provide feedback, strategies and coaching to individual teachers and teams, to help identify emerging lines of inquiry, and to support the planning and implementation of a responsive, co-constructed curriculum
Support teachers to use documentation as the basis of the reflection and planning process, and to make children’s learning visible to children, families and the community
Provide mentorship and coaching to teachers. Document professional development plans and coaching logs as required by DOE and/or Head Start
Participate in parent meetings as needed
Participate in interviewing, recruitment, training and development of teachers, assistant teachers and additional support staff. Provide orientation to welcome new staff into our approach and philosophy
Assist with the planning of Parenting Center programming
In Partnership with leadership, work collaboratively with the Early Childhood Parent Policy Council and assist with planning and delivery of family events and projects as necessary
Collaborate with other programs and departments within Educational Alliance and Manny Cantor Center as appropriate
Assist program staff, teachers, students and parents with questions, concerns, and information
Assist classrooms to maintain compliance for DOH, DOE and other regulatory requirements
Attend staff meetings and trainings as required
Perform special projects and other duties as assigned
Potentially supervise classrooms in the ITT, 3K and UPK programs
Partner with our Early Childhood Social Worker to develop a trauma-informed whole child approach to supporting children and families
Participate in interviewing, recruitment, training and development of teachers, assistant teachers and additional support staff.
Provide orientation to welcome new staff into our approach and philosophy
Any other job duties that are relevant to the role