Preschool Teacher, Float - Head Start

Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency•Salem, OR

27d

About The Position

OUR MISSION: MWVCAA invests in people and their futures to reduce the impacts of poverty. Our Vision: We envision a just future, where our communities are empowered to reach positive outcomes and everyone is respected for their infinite worth. The Float Teacher works with children to promote their growth in the areas of social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language development. The Float Teacher works in all Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms within their assigned region, substituting for absent staff or vacant positions, as assigned by the Regional Team Resource Specialist. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED; and:
Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related degree with a minimum of 18 credit hours of Early Learning coursework. (Float Teacher I)
Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related degree with a minimum of 18 credit hours of Early Learning coursework. (Float Teacher II)
Two years of experience in early childhood programs. (Float Teacher II)
Driver qualifications are required for this position.
Valid driver license, insured vehicle available for use on the job, and a satisfactory drive record for the previous three years are required.
Successful registration with the Central Background Registry of the Child Care Division.
CPR/First Aid Certification or the ability to obtain within 60 days of hire.
Food Handlers Card or the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire.
Candidate must pass pre-employment physical examination, renewable every two years.
Candidate must pass pre-employment and random drug/alcohol screenings.
Demonstrated proficiencies in Microsoft Office (including Outlook), videoconferencing platforms, and web tools.
Effective interpersonal communication skills, in both oral and written form.

Responsibilities

General Classroom Functions as a Teacher in assigned classrooms, with emphasis on classroom duties and record-keeping.
Ensures safety in the classroom at all times, with appropriate supervision of children, utilizing the transition and counting form and procedure.
Ensures children are released only to parent/guardians, or authorized adults.
When assigned to cover in a particular class for two weeks or longer, the Float Teacher will be responsible for home visits, conferences, emergency drills, IFSP meetings, staffing, observation, screenings, assessments, and lesson planning.
Records children's' daily attendance, working with site team to determine the cause of absences.
Works with classroom team during pre-service, to set up classroom environment, and to maintain the environment by regularly changing/rotating materials, supplies and props.
Creates a supportive climate and positive environment with opportunities for children to make connections with other children and staff.
Uses positive redirection and strategies to provide children with a safe, secure and enjoyable experience at school.
Participates in family style meals, taking USDA required meal counts, and leading conversation at the table to enhance the social and emotional growth of children.
Prepares materials, activities, and projects for class.
Integrates developmentally appropriate movement and physical activities and routines that support health and learning.
Maintains a spontaneous and flexible attitude in meeting children's individual needs, encouraging children to verbalize their own feelings and ideas.
Maintains a clean, sanitary, safe, and orderly classroom.
Develops close relationships with children through nurturing and responsive interactions, along with consistent routines to maintain a continuity of care.
Supports the social-emotional growth of infants and toddlers by using individualized responses and approaches based on their temperaments and needs.
Utilizes consistent responses to infants' and toddlers' actions and behaviors to support learning and provide positive redirection.
Builds social-emotional growth and language development through engaging and connecting with children during large- and small-group time, meal times, diaper changing, and bottle-feeding.
Changes children's diapers in accordance with Program procedures.
Works with parents whose children require potty training support.
Effectively uses the ChildPlus and other program databases to enter or obtain information.
Uses office time efficiently to make and receive parent phone calls, order supplies, preparing children's work to go home, preparing materials for activities, and other office work as needed.
Verifies and submits weekly Meal Counts and Attendance forms.
Attends a variety of classes, workshops, seminars, pre-service training and other Head Start Teacher trainings, and keeps current on developments in early childhood education, and developmentally appropriate practices.
Attends a variety of meetings including individual reflection meetings, region meetings, site team meetings, debriefing after observations, and other meetings as necessary.
Keeps current on and complies with program and agency policies and procedures, Head Start Performance Standards, and other applicable regulations.
Attends and contributes to child/family staffing meetings.
Complies with MWVCAA safety and personnel policies, including punctuality and attendance.
Provides regular opportunities for parent participation by training parents who volunteer in the classroom.
Participates in planning for and implementing monthly parent meetings.
Participates in classroom orientations at the beginning of the school year.
Provides tools, resources and opportunities for parents to observe and practice appropriate redirection skills with their child.
Develops and maintains relationships with parents/guardians, to ensure consistent and frequent communication.