Assistant Teacher (Conway - Southside)

Community Action Program for Central Arkansas • Conway, AR

9d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the overall supervision of the Early Childhood Director and the direct supervision of the Center Manager or Center Manager/Teacher, carries out educational duties as assigned. This role involves maintaining a professional attitude, promoting developmentally appropriate practices, and forming positive relationships with children. The Assistant Teacher will support lead teachers by observing and individualizing for each child, creating a welcoming environment, providing activities to facilitate growth and development, and ensuring the health and safety of children. They are responsible for taking safeguards to protect children, making careful decisions, and understanding the importance of their role. The position also involves encouraging family involvement, supporting child-family relationships, assisting with the orderliness and cleanliness of the center, and performing other duties as needed for efficient operation. Cooperation with other staff, promoting good eating habits, assisting in obtaining and documenting In-Kind, attending staff meetings, and participating in parent meetings are also key aspects of the role. The Assistant Teacher must be able to respond to children's needs, emergencies, and conflicts, and is responsible for data management in designated child development areas, as well as assisting in the avoidance of fraud.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED AND Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential with Preschool Endorsement required.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Three months experience working with young children (3 to 5 years of age).
• Computer literate.
• Good physical condition.
• Able to lift children and sit and stand for long periods of time.
• Participate in activities requiring bending, stooping, kneeling, and jumping.
• Occasionally stand or walk on uneven surfaces.
• Must pass tuberculosis screening assessment annually and initial health examination within 90 days of hire.
• Valid driver's license, access to transportation with liability insurance and willing to use vehicle for Agency related travel.
• Must be able to travel out of area overnight to attend training.
• Able to hear and communicate orally with children and adults.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance and peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Able to read, write and perform mathematical calculations.
• Be in sympathy with the concepts of the Head Start Program.
• Keep confidential information without inappropriately divulging it.
• Make decisions and work without continual close supervision.

Nice To Haves

• Being enrolled in a Child Development Associate credential program to be completed within 2 years of hire or enrolled in a program leading to an associate or bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education may be accepted in lieu of current CDA if deemed appropriate.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.
• Willing to participate in training to further education as required by Head Start to maintain the position.
• Able to handle stress, tension and exasperation that contact with many children and adults may bring every day.
• May be called upon to administer first aid to children or staff at any time in the program.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a professional attitude with staff, parents, volunteers, and children at all times.
• Promote developmentally appropriate practices in the center.
• Responsible for forming positive, trusting and nurturing relationships with children.
• Assist teachers by observing children regularly and individualizing for each child based on these observations.
• Create a warm and welcoming environment that supports children’s growth and development.
• Provide activities to facilitate children’s growth and development.
• Ensure the health and safety of children.
• Take every safeguard to protect children and makes careful decisions as he/she works with them daily.
• Work with children as assigned.
• Encourage the involvement of the families of the children and support the development of relationships between children and their families.
• Assist with the orderliness and cleanliness of the center.
• Perform other duties as needed and required for efficient operation of the center and needs and welfare of the children.
• Work cooperatively with other classroom/center staff.
• Promote good eating habits by sitting at the table and eating with the children when food is served, conversing with children and encouraging good table manners.
• Assist in obtaining and documenting In-Kind for parent and community activities.
• Attend and participate in center staff meetings.
• Participate in parent meetings and staffings as requested.
• Responsible for data management in designated child development areas.
• Assist in the avoidance or appearance of fraud in the center.

Benefits

• Document attendance of a minimum of 15 clock hours of approved professional development per year that is high-quality, sustained, intensive and classroom-focused.
• The incidental nature of this circumstance effectively establishes first aid as a collateral duty, rather than a primary one.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED