PTHS Center Director

LOUISIANA ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES•Natchitoches, LA

About The Position

The Center Director serves as the educational lead for one or more centers in the Head Start program. Responsibilities include education, family partnerships, supervision of teacher staff, communication and service coordination, record keeping and reporting, ongoing self-assessment and monitoring of compliance, facilities management, program governance, and leadership.

Requirements

Education: One of the following is required:
Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, or
Bachelor’s degree in a related field with at least six (6) courses in early childhood education
Certifications: State-awarded preschool training certification beyond education requirements is preferred.
First Aid and CPR certifications are required or to be obtained.
Work Experience: Experience managing an infant/toddler or preschool program is required.
Experience in fiscal management/budget preparation is required.
Experience with supervision, management, or coaching is required.
Special Skills: Advanced knowledge of infant/toddler health and safety license requirements.
Experience with collaborations and community partnerships.
Strong organization and time management skills with the ability to meet tight deadlines.
Ability to work independently and implement complex policies and regulations.
Ability to communicate effectively in written or verbal format to groups of all sizes and individuals.
Experience executing strategies to engage families to support their children’s healthy development and school readiness.
Excellent decision-making and communication skills.
High degree of tact and professionalism.
Strong positive attitude.
Effective leadership and delegation skills.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree is preferred.
Infant/toddler education/training is preferred.
Director’s academy preferred for district collaborated centers.
State-awarded preschool training certification beyond education requirements is preferred.
Prior experience with including children with disabilities is preferred.
Bilingual in Spanish and English is preferred.

Responsibilities

Education: Serve as education leader for the Head Start center, overseeing implementation of all aspects of education services and providing teachers with supervision, training, coaching, and monitoring.
Support the effective implementation of the education content area, implementing all relevant policies and procedures.
Oversee training of new hires (in conjunction with HR Generalist).
Develop, conduct, or arrange other training as needed for staff, parents, or volunteers.
Work with teachers to implement the program curriculum that incorporates all elements and meets all standards in compliance with Head Start standards and best practices.
Oversee and approve the preparation of weekly lesson plans, including individualization and all other required elements.
Ensure that teachers integrate goals from Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for children with disabilities (in consultation with the Early Learning and Disabilities Coordinator).
Ensure the completion of all required child screenings and assessments, including 45 and 90day requirements for new children and quarterly progress assessments for all children.
Participate in team meetings, home visits, and community events as needed.
Provide teachers with coaching and support for quality improvement and professional growth through regular observation and formal and informal feedback.
Use the Center Director Success Rubric (CDELSR) to self-assess and set goals for continual growth.
Family Partnerships: Supervise or coordinate with Family Services to ensure full implementation of family services and parent involvement.
Support Family Service Coordinators to implement all aspects of the family services program, including support and monitoring of family initiatives.
Coordinate training for parents and community members wanting to volunteer in the classroom.
Ensure parents are integrally involved in developing the program’s curriculum and approach to child development and education through regular meeting with Policy Council members and others.
Assist teaching staff in developing a system offering parents opportunities for enhancing and increasing their child observation skills.
Supervision of Staff: Directly supervise center staff, ensure completion of all human resources activities, and ensure compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
Conduct monthly meetings with direct reports and provide ongoing verbal and written feedback consistent with their individual development plans for performance improvement, ensure adherence to Head Start performance standards, and to plan and direct work.
Plan and adjust work operations to meet changing or emergent program requirements within available resources.
Work with teachers to develop and support their individual development plan, including training plans for each teacher to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher in Early Childhood Education or a related field.
Individual development plans are filed in the personnel folder and a training log.
Assign and review the work of direct reports.
Instruct, train, and work effectively with direct reports from a variety of backgrounds and with differing levels/areas of training.
Model best practices within the service area.
Devise work methods and procedures that support improvements in existing work practices.
Support direct reports in developing and setting goals, priorities, and timelines.
Take required disciplinary action, in an objective and fair manner, following Program Policies and Procedures and EEO requirements.
Make appropriate personnel decisions as needed and submit the most impactful personnel decisions as a recommendation to the supervisor.
Service Coordination Ensure families receive the monthly newsletter.
Ensure children’s individual health, nutrition, disabilities, or mental health needs are met through the implementation of referral system, coordination with appropriate coordinators/specialists, and participation in case conferences as necessary.
Develop a working knowledge of local community resources related to education and transition.
Actively participate in Head Start/Early Head Start community, including staff meetings, mandated trainings, committee meetings, and other program-wide functions as needed, including some evening activities.
Record Keeping and Reporting: Ensure complete and accurate implementation of all required systems for recordkeeping and reporting, including:
Individual child/family files
Master binders
Education portfolios or other documentation of early childhood education services
In-kind contributions from parents or community members
Purchasing and tracking of supplies and equipment
Employee timekeeping
Employee paid time off
Attendance and payments (as appropriate) for Full/Extended Day
Child, family & program information in Shine Insight
Child observations, assessment & planning information in CreativeCurriculum.net
Compliance Management and Self-Assessment: Review weekly MBI (managing by information) and monthly MBI reports and ensure all concerns are addressed in a timely fashion.
Review quarterly MBO (managing by outcomes) report and ensure all concerns are addressed in a timely fashion.
Review quarterly and annual child outcomes data and oversee teacher planning to help all children make developmental gains.
Participate in annual program selfassessment.
Implement all monitoring systems required by Head Start, childcare licensing CACFP or other agencies, including:
Daily visual check of indoor & outdoor safety.
Monthly or quarterly completion of health & safety monitoring tool.
Program Governance and Leadership: Serve on the leadership team of the program, attending regular meetings and occasional retreats.
Participate in annual and quarterly planning to set, plan for, and monitor program goals.
Contribute to the annual review and revision of the program’s integrated service plan.
Establish focus for education service area and act to align area’s goals with the strategic direction and needs of the center.
Ensure that employees in the area understand how their work relates to the center as a whole and the relevant regulations and performance standards.
Improve quality and effectiveness of education service area and overall organization by initiating, sponsoring and implementing organizational change and by helping others to successfully manage organizational change.
Ensure teachers and volunteers understand regulations associated with prevention of occupational disease and injury, including the exercise of universal precautions.
Uphold the shared mission and values of the organization.
Program Operations and Facilities: Serves as the facility designated Fire Warden and participates in development, training and implementation of safety and evacuation plans, conducts fire drills, and other duties as directed to ensure the safety of all center personnel and children.
Ensures that facilities, materials, and equipment are safe, appropriate, and conducive to learning and reflective of the different ages and stages of development of each child, including children with disabilities.
Ensures center-based environments are free of toxins, such as smoke, lead, pesticides, and herbicides.
Ensures arrangements and space, as well as types and use of materials and equipment, match grantees identified curriculum.
Conduct and/or supervise regular safety checks of all facilities.
MARGINAL- Provide courteous and prompt service to all internal and external clients.
Prioritize and address requests and assignments in a professional manner to develop cooperative relationships and to ensure that client confidentiality is assured.
Identify opportunities and recommend methods to improve service, work processes and financial performance, e.g. expense management.
Assists in the implementation of quality improvement initiatives.
Assist co-workers in the completion of tasks and assignments to ensure continuity of service.
Orient new co-workers and actively support teamwork throughout the organization.
Perform other duties as required.