EHS Teacher

Regina Coeli Child Development Center•Hammond, LA

About The Position

The EHS Teacher provides a safe, supervised educational setting for children in the Head Start environment, including classrooms, outdoor play areas, and field trips. The role promotes Early Head Start children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development; encourages parent involvement; establishes 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 develops and uses integrated, developmentally appropriate curriculum and assessment plans; maintains a consistent daily schedule and supportive learning environment; communicates with families; conducts required parent/teacher conferences and home visits; and documents child, family, and classroom information using CC Gold and PROMIS. The teacher also supports program quality improvement, works with agencies on specialized plans when needed, attends meetings and training, assists with food service and classroom needs, and helps maintain the facility and supplies.

Requirements

High school diploma or 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.
Ability to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of children, including at-risk, special-needs, gifted, and culturally diverse populations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Intermediate to advanced computer skills, including internet and email.
Ability to supervise preschool children and maintain safety in classrooms, outdoor play areas, and on field trips, including responding quickly to active children who need redirection.
Ability to respond appropriately to emergencies or crisis situations.
Ability to drive occasionally for home visits, sometimes in outlying areas.
Pass a criminal background check.
Pass a physical examination every three years.
Complete a tuberculosis (TB) test every three years.
Maintain current First Aid and CPR certification; training is provided.
Valid driver's license and driving record meeting RCCDC insurance carrier requirements.
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.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish skills.

Responsibilities

Follow Head Start Program Performance Standards, Louisiana licensing requirements, the RCCDC written work plan, and agency policies and procedures.
Maintain professional, friendly relationships with staff and families, respecting culture, diversity, and ethnicity.
Participate in annual program self-assessment and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
Maintain confidentiality of children’s records.
Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment; report indoor and outdoor safety hazards.
Detect and report signs of illness, discomfort, or unusual behavior to Family Advocates and Specialists.
Report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children & Family Services as a mandated reporter.
Develop and use integrated curriculum plans that reflect 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 facilitate 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 adjust learning centers to support developmentally appropriate curriculum.
Promote and reinforce parental engagement by modeling appropriate behavior and positive guidance techniques.
Communicate regularly with parents about each child’s progress.
Conduct required parent/teacher conferences and home visits for assessment, support, and sharing information about classroom progress and educational strategies.
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 with documentation about family and child concerns during scheduled staffing.
Assist with food service and other classroom needs as requested.
Attend meetings, trainings, and appropriate professional development activities.
Help ensure general facility maintenance and security and assist with inventory of equipment and supplies.
Assist with generating in-kind contributions.
Perform other duties as requested.