Curriculum Specialist

Le Jardin Community Center, Inc.•Homestead, FL

1d•$26 - $30

About The Position

Under the direction and guidance of the Education Coordinator, the Curriculum Specialist is responsible for daily educational activities at each center, ensuring teachers and other instructional staff provide high-quality early education and child development services, including for children with disabilities, to promote children’s cognitive, social, and emotional growth and later school success. The role ensures responsive and effective teacher-child interactions and implementation of a research-based curriculum and curricular enhancements. The Curriculum Specialist provides regular supervision and individualized, ongoing professional development for teaching staff. The role also ensures appropriate teacher-child ratios through classroom coverage and active supervision. Responsibilities include staff training and coaching; monitoring curriculum implementation, assessments, classroom environments, and interactions; supporting family engagement and child transitions; maintaining program documentation and confidentiality; and coordinating with community partners. The position is Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week, and is classified as exempt. Salary is listed as “See the most recent salary schedule.”

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a relevant field, with 18 Early Childhood Education credits.
45 FDCF hours, including exams required by funding streams.
Experience teaching infants and toddlers and/or preschool-age children.
Experience or education in leadership, management, or supervision.
Must obtain a Director’s/Administrator Credential within one year of starting and keep it valid and current.
Must obtain CLASS certification.
Thorough knowledge of supervisory principles and practices and the capacity to exercise good judgment.
Ability to stand and sit for extended periods.
Ability to lift 40 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge, experience, or capacity to learn HighScope and/or Creative Curriculum, Florida State Standards, and the Galileo Assessment of Learning.
Head Start and/or Early Head Start experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide training to new instructional staff in the selected curriculum, assessments, screenings, classroom practices, program goals, and philosophy; ensure seasoned staff receive additional training as needed.
Support ongoing staff professional development through local colleges, pre-service training, consultants, and other resources; record training topics in the ChildPlus database.
Ensure staff receive training in health and safety, Head Start Performance Standards, classroom environments, the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework, teaching and learning environments, teaching practices, Creative or HighScope Curriculum, individualization, CLASS, lesson planning, Galileo Classroom Observation Record, redundancy procedures, hygiene and diapering procedures, dual language learners, and prevention and reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Ensure teachers serving dual language learners use practices that support home-language development.
Assess and evaluate teaching staff through coaching and mentoring visits using a research-based coaching model; conduct coaching visits for EHS/HS teachers who are not direct reports every three to four weeks, maintain informal contact, and record visits in ChildPlus.
Supervise floaters, teachers, and assistant teachers, including conducting annual evaluations and updating professional development plans.
Monitor curriculum implementation and fidelity; provide support, feedback, and supervision for continuous improvement; review daily lesson plans, classroom arrangements, Galileo, and individualized classroom arrangements.
Ensure classrooms are organized learning environments with appropriate materials and furnishings; request supplies aligned with program and school-readiness goals; conduct ITERS/PQA at least annually.
Ensure effective teacher-child interactions and conduct CLASS observations in all classrooms using at least two cycles.
Ensure each child receives a current developmental, sensory, and social/emotional screening within 45 calendar days of starting the program.
Ensure teachers use standardized and structured assessments to evaluate children’s developmental levels and progress toward HSELOF-aligned outcomes.
Ensure teachers regularly communicate with parents about children’s routines, activities, and behavior, and conduct at least two parent-teacher conferences and two home visits per program year in coordination with Family Workers.
Monitor, collect, and review home visit requests, home visits, and parent-teacher conferences; record information in the ChildPlus database and a log.
Maintain confidentiality and respect others’ privacy in accordance with applicable Head Start Performance Standards.
Monitor staff-child ratios and group-size limits by reviewing time sheets, sign-ins, break schedules, and classroom coverage; reassign staff, request substitutes, or assign floaters as needed; and approve or deny teacher and assistant time-off requests.
Work with community partners to plan and facilitate field trips and on-site community services responsive to children’s and families’ needs, family partnership goals, and community needs and resources. For Early Head Start, plan on-site experiences instead of field trips.
Participate in transitions from home to Early Head Start, Early Head Start to Head Start, between classrooms, and to other programs serving children ages three to five.
Participate in Head Start-to-kindergarten transition meetings and local-school field trips, and assist Family Workers with school speakers.
Serve as a liaison for teaching staff and other program components.
Keep Education Binders, VPK Binders, and Meetings/Trainings binders current and readily available for monitoring.
Assist with recruitment of children for Early Childhood Programs.
Assist with maintaining staff personnel files and keeping the center license active and current.
Research, develop, and foster community partnerships to bring resources and in-kind support.
Update the Standard Operating Procedure Manual.
Perform additional duties assigned by Administration for the benefit of the organization.