Head Start Early Childhood Teacher

Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership•Watertown, SD

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This role is for a Head Start Early Childhood Teacher in Watertown, South Dakota. The position involves implementing curriculum, planning educational activities, cooperating with specialists for special needs children, facilitating parent-child conferences, and motivating parents to become involved in their child's development. The teacher will also gather data on children's progress, promote emergent literacy and numeracy, and set up the classroom environment. Social service duties include coordinating services for families, performing home visits, educating the public about Head Start, and maintaining client confidentiality. For Head Start Center Teachers, supervisory duties include directly supervising assistant teachers and other support staff, as well as volunteers. Responsibilities also include interviewing, hiring, training, appraising performance, and resolving issues for direct reports.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in an accredited program in Early Childhood Education, Baccalaureate, advanced degree in Early Childhood Education or a degree in a related field, with a pre-school teaching certification preferred.
One (1) year experience working with children, preferably with preschool age children in an Early Childhood facility or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
State awarded certificate for preschool teachers.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Ability to speak effectively before groups of clients or employees of organization.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to be punctual and organized.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Valid South Dakota Drivers License.
South Dakota Certification through the State Department of Education and Cultural Affairs.
Child Development Associate (CDA) Certificate.
Subject to random drug testing.
Other such examination as deemed appropriate and necessary by the ICAP.
Ability to be bonded.

Nice To Haves

Experience with low-income families would be beneficial.

Responsibilities

Implement curriculum with fidelity and assessment as directed.
Plan individual and group activities to stimulate growth in language, social, motor, and cognitive skills.
Access meaningful community resources to support educational activities.
Plan, prepare and develop lesson plans that promote the development of language, social, motor, and cognitive skills.
Promote sound social and emotional growth through recognizing individual differences, diversity and cultural backgrounds.
Cooperate with therapists, school district and special needs specialist in providing services for special needs children.
Facilitate parent-child conferences.
Motivate parents/guardians to become involved in the child's classroom and home activities and be responsive to parent input concerning child development.
Instruct children in practices of personal cleanliness and self-care.
Create a balanced daily schedule of child-initiated and adult-directed activities.
Encourage responsibility by allowing and enabling children to act independently in the area of caring for equipment and personal belongings.
Gathers data on children's progress in each of the eight domains of learning and development on each child in conjunction with the parents.
Accurately uses the data to track progress to generate reports related to the Child Outcomes Framework.
Utilize ChildPlus system as appropriate.
Promote emergent literacy, numeracy and language skills based on the development level of each child.
Set up classroom in defined learning areas.
Establish daily schedule for classroom.
Facilitate all phases of in-kind collection, including educating parents/guardians of the importance of the in-kind, assisting in tracking in-kind contributions, and assuring that in-kind reports are submitted timely and that adequate in-kind contributions are provided.
Coordinate services provided to meet the child and family's needs through finding organizations with resources to meet those needs, if applicable.
Provide integrated and continuous case management services and support to families. (HS ½ day and EHS)
Perform home visits to all families assigned to their Head Start Pre-Birth to Five class, if applicable.
Submit supplies and equipment needs necessary for classroom activities to the Education Specialist.
Seek out opportunities to educate the public regarding Head Start Pre-Birth to Five.
Be available to speak at service groups when given those opportunities.
Encourage and promote the families' achievement of self-sufficiency.
Participate in the Head Start Pre-Birth to Five Career Development Committee Staff Association.
Submit all records/reports in a timely manner.
Compose and type routine correspondence, reports and various other materials and projects.
Operate various equipment to include photocopier, telephone, fax machine, computer, laminator, calculator, VCR and TV, Camera and Camcorder, tape recorder, record player, CD Player, and various classroom materials.
Maintain client confidentiality at all times.
Attend meetings, training, and seminars as deemed appropriate and necessary by ICAP.
Participate in the Career Development Committee.
Perform duties in a manner consistent with safe practices and policies.
Perform other duties as deemed appropriate and necessary.
Directly supervise the Assistant Teacher and any other support staff positions in the Child Development Services department.
Supervise volunteers in the classroom.
Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
Oversee support staff weekly time sheets and forward to the Education Specialist.