Early Head Start Teacher

You Thrive Florida•Deltona, FL

1d•$19 - $21•Onsite

About The Position

The Early Head Start Teacher is responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of a classroom serving infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds. The teacher guides children’s learning by providing a developmentally appropriate environment that promotes security, trust, curiosity, initiative, problem-solving, creativity, language development, positive self-concept, and social skills. The role also builds cooperative relationships with families, encourages family involvement, and supports nurturing parent-child relationships. The teacher plans and implements individualized learning experiences; conducts developmental screenings and ongoing assessments; maintains accurate child, classroom, and program documentation; and collaborates with families, colleagues, supervisors, specialists, and community partners. The position includes caring for children’s feeding, comfort, hygiene, safety, and developmental needs, maintaining a clean and adequately supplied classroom and playground, and complying with Head Start standards and applicable regulations. The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Deltona ELP in Deltona, Florida. The listed hourly salary range is $18.50–$20.75. The role requires a National CDA with Infant/Toddler Endorsement or FCCPC, two years of relevant experience, a valid Florida driver’s license, First Aid and CPR certification, required background clearances, and a Director’s Credential within 18 months of employment. Occasional travel to other counties may be required.

Requirements

National CDA with Infant/Toddler Endorsement or FCCPC.
Two years of experience in child education, care and service, or a related field.
Valid Florida driver’s license and ability to be insured by the company’s current carrier.
Subject to required federal, state, and local legal requirements, background checks, and clearances for working with children.
First Aid and CPR certified.
Obtain a Director’s Credential within 18 months of employment and maintain it throughout employment.
Ability to carry out lesson plans and implement and coordinate activities for infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds.
Ability to work with children with special needs and knowledge of early childhood education methods, classroom management, child disability, and mental health issues.
Ability to establish effective working relationships, particularly with parents and children.
Accuracy in completing work; reliability, accountability, and ability to arrive at work daily and on time.
Ability to work with limited direction, organize work, evaluate situations, and make prompt decisions.
Effective oral and written communication skills and ability to analyze and interpret data.
Ability to use and operate a personal computer and maintain confidentiality of agency, staff, child, and parent information.
Physical ability to sit and stand for long periods; use fingers, arms, hands, legs, and voice; and perform frequent squatting, walking, handling, grasping, reaching, bending, driving, and light lifting or carrying up to 15 pounds.
Physical ability to occasionally push, pull, kneel, balance, turn, and lift or carry up to 65 pounds; participate in play activities such as hopping, skipping, jumping, dancing, and twisting; and rise from the floor or a low chair without hesitation.
Correctable eyesight and hearing.

Responsibilities

Manage the day-to-day operation of the classroom and provide a developmentally appropriate learning environment for infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds.
Build open, friendly, and cooperative relationships with children and their families, and encourage family involvement in the Early Head Start program.
Promote parent-child bonding and nurturing relationships, and support children’s feelings of security and trust.
Greet children and caregivers warmly, support children’s arrival and transitions, and respond promptly and soothingly to children’s distress and needs for food and comfort.
Talk, sing, and read with children throughout the day; organize individualized learning opportunities that foster curiosity, initiative, problem-solving, creativity, security, and belonging.
Implement individualized infant feeding plans; support toddlers and two-year-olds during family-style meals; and model manners and good nutrition.
Attend to children’s hygiene and personal care, including diaper changing, cleaning, feeding, changing soiled or wet clothes, handwashing, and toothbrushing routines.
Conduct developmental screenings and ongoing assessments of children’s motor, language, social, cognitive, perceptual, and emotional skills.
Complete accurate and timely documentation, including screenings, assessments, individualized plans, attendance, health checklists, feeding records, activity logs, home visits, inventories, menus, and required program records.
Prepare weekly written developmental plans for each child with input from parents and caregivers, and maintain each child’s Education Child Portfolio with current, complete documentation.
Maintain a safe, clean, orderly, and adequately supplied classroom and playground; report needed repairs and take appropriate action to correct unsafe conditions.
Provide direct supervision of children at all times and maintain child/staff ratios in accordance with policies and regulations.
Use developmentally appropriate discipline and protect children from physical punishment or verbal abuse; immediately report incidents and signs of illness, injury, abuse, neglect, emotional disturbance, or special needs.
Plan and implement activities for children with special needs with specialist support; implement individual education plans, behavior management plans, and individualized services or activities as applicable.
Refer children with suspected delays or other concerns to appropriate services and support families with implementation of ISFPs in collaboration with the Disabilities team and Early Steps.
Collaborate with other teachers, supervisors, parents, caregivers, volunteers, family advocates, and specialists in planning and implementing classroom and program activities.
Support and model developmentally appropriate childcare practices for parents and caregivers, recruit parent and caregiver volunteers, orient classroom volunteers, and document parent participation.
Conduct two home visits and two parent-teacher conferences yearly; prepare two individualized home activities per child each month and provide instructions to families.
Maintain parent bulletin boards and comply with program standards; communicate known reasons for children’s absences to the Family Advocate.
Conduct regular safety and fire/storm drills and ensure emergency procedures and evacuation routes are posted in the classroom.
Maintain documentation required by the USDA/Child Care Food Program and ensure data quality and timely completion.
Attend and actively participate in training, staff meetings, parent meetings, and other program activities; assist with development and implementation of the annual training plan.
Recruit children for the program and participate in community activities, Community Assessment, and Self-Assessment as directed.
Maintain confidentiality and effective working relationships, organize and prioritize assignments, and follow You Thrive Florida policies and applicable Head Start, federal, state, and local requirements.
Perform other duties as directed by supervisors or management.