EHS Teacher

Regina Coeli Child Development Center•Covington, LA

About The Position

The EHS Teacher provides a safe, supervised, and successful educational setting for children in the Early Head Start environment, including classrooms, outdoor play areas, and field trips. The role promotes children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development; encourages parent involvement; develops individual goals; assesses children’s progress; and facilitates transitions into kindergarten. The teacher must meet applicable Federal Head Start Performance Standards and local, state, and agency policies and procedures. The position establishes and maintains a safe and healthy environment, develops and implements developmentally appropriate curriculum and assessment plans, and communicates with parents about children’s progress. It includes conducting required parent/teacher conferences and home visits, participating in parent meetings, and working with appropriate agencies to develop specialized plans for children and families. The teacher documents assessments and classroom and family-related information in CC Gold and PROMIS, supports Family Advocates with documentation, and participates in program assessment and continuous quality improvement. Additional duties include assisting with food service and classroom needs, attending meetings and professional development, maintaining facility security and assisting with inventory, and helping generate in-kind contributions. The role requires occasional driving for home visits, the ability to respond to emergencies, and physical activity including lifting up to 50 pounds and frequent kneeling, crawling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor. Employees must pass a criminal background check, complete a physical examination and TB test every three years, maintain current First Aid and CPR certification, and hold a valid driver’s license meeting the agency’s insurance requirements. The position reports to the Center Director and is classified as hourly/non-exempt.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED and a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential with an infant/toddler setting, or a college degree from an accredited institution in Early Childhood Education, child development, or a related field.
Experience teaching in an early childhood setting with infants and toddlers.
Experience adapting curriculum for children with varied needs, including at-risk, special-needs, gifted, and culturally diverse children.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Intermediate to advanced computer skills, including internet and email.
Ability to supervise preschool children and ensure a safe environment, including monitoring and responding to events in classrooms, outdoor play areas, and on field trips.
Ability to move quickly to respond to active children and redirect them as needed to maintain safety.
Ability to respond appropriately to emergencies or crisis situations.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and frequently kneel, crawl, stoop, bend, and sit on the floor to attend to children’s needs.
Ability to work in an active environment with changes in climate and noise level.
Pass a criminal background check.
Pass a physical examination every three years and complete a TB test every three years.
Maintain current First Aid and CPR certification; training is provided.
Hold a valid driver’s license and meet RCCDC’s insurance carrier driving-record requirements.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish skills are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Provide a safe, supervised educational setting for children in classrooms, outdoor play areas, and on field trips.
Promote the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Early Head Start children, develop individual goals, assess progress, and facilitate transitions into kindergarten.
Follow Head Start Program Performance Standards, Louisiana licensing requirements, the RCCDC written work plan, and agency policies and procedures.
Maintain professional relationships with staff and families while respecting culture, diversity, and ethnicity.
Participate in annual program self-assessment and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
Maintain confidentiality of children’s records.
Report indoor and outdoor safety hazards; detect and report signs of illness, discomfort, or unusual behavior to Family Advocates and Specialists; and report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children & Family Services.
Develop and use integrated curriculum plans reflecting required elements, parental and cultural influences, and children’s developmental needs.
Follow a consistent schedule that includes group experiences, choice time, music and movement, motor activities, skill development, meals, and transitions.
Provide interactions and an environment that support children’s development and involvement.
Establish weekly goals supporting individual and group educational plans and other Early Head Start content areas.
Prepare classroom materials and create or change learning centers as needed.
Promote parental engagement, model appropriate behavior and positive guidance, and communicate regularly with parents about children’s progress.
Conduct required parent/teacher conferences and home visits to assess and support children and families and share educational strategies for school and home.
Help plan and conduct regular parent meetings with team members.
Work with appropriate agencies to develop specialized plans for children and families as needed.
Document baselines and ongoing assessments in CC Gold according to agency benchmarks.
Document classroom issues, parent contact, and home visits in PROMIS; support Family Advocates’ documentation of family and child concerns at scheduled staffing.
Assist with food service and other classroom needs as requested.
Attend meetings, trainings, and professional development activities.
Help maintain facility security and general upkeep and assist with equipment and supply inventory.
Assist with generating in-kind contributions and perform other duties as requested.
Supervise children and monitor classroom, outdoor play, and field-trip activities to respond promptly to safety needs.
Sit with children during family-style meals and eat the Head Start lunch as a model for good nutritional habits.
Drive occasionally for home visits, sometimes in outlying areas.