Substitute Early Childhood Teacher (Infant, Toddler, Preschool, & PreK)

Walnut Avenue Family & Women's Center•Santa Cruz, CA

About The Position

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center is a public benefit organization and family center serving women, children, and families in Santa Cruz County. Its mission is to end cycles of trauma, support lifelong learning, and promote healthy relationships. The organization’s programs serve families, including those experiencing poverty, housing instability, and/or domestic violence. The Substitute Early Childhood Teacher is part of the Early Education program team and provides early care and education to children in infant, toddler, preschool, and PreK settings. Substitute teachers are responsible for all teacher duties. The role includes planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum, meeting children’s physical and emotional needs, maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment, communicating with families, collaborating with staff and volunteers, and keeping required program documentation. The position is supervised by the Site Supervisor and is part-time and non-exempt. The hourly pay range is $27.25–$32.25, depending on experience and ECE units.

Requirements

Meet Title 5 teacher qualifications: hold or be eligible for and apply within 30 days of hire for a valid Child Development Permit, requiring 24 ECE units including core courses in child growth and development, child, family and community, and program/curriculum, plus 16 general education units and 175 days of at least three hours per day of experience within the past four years; or hold an AA in ECE or a related field with three units of supervised field experience in an ECE setting.
Meet Title 22 teacher qualifications: have completed at least six postsecondary semester units of specified ECE classes and be currently enrolled in Early Education classes, or hold a valid Child Development Assistant permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. A teacher hired with six units must complete at least two additional units each semester until fully qualified. A fully qualified teacher must have 12 postsecondary semester units in ECE from an accredited college and six months of work experience in a licensed child care center or similar program; coursework must cover child growth and development, child, family and community, and program/curriculum.
Complete 15 hours of health and safety training if required under Health and Safety Code Section 1596.866.
For work in the infant/toddler program, have four additional units in infant/toddler development.
Have English proficiency; English verbal and written proficiency is specified by the agency.
Have a valid/current Infant and Child CPR and First Aid card.
Complete a health screening, including full immunization and negative TB, DPT, and MMR tests.
Pass a thorough background check and fingerprinting; a DMV background check is also required if driving on behalf of the agency.
Have competent computer skills, including basic Microsoft Office knowledge.
Be able to professionally represent the agency through appropriate demeanor and attire; work collaboratively and independently; maintain self-awareness and healthy boundaries; self-reflect on personal beliefs, biases, values, attitudes, and actions; and maintain a comprehensive self-care routine.
Maintain flexibility regarding job roles and duties and apply a strength-based model to support volunteers and coworkers.
Be able to manage volunteers, including welcoming them, setting clear expectations, maintaining healthy boundaries, and addressing performance issues.
Be able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision, evaluate and solve complex issues, and write fluently and articulately.
Commit to a mutually respectful and supportive work environment that values and empowers team members to accomplish program goals.
Meet the listed physical and communication demands, including repetitive hand, wrist, and finger movements; keyboarding and writing; prolonged sitting and/or standing; bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, holding, and lifting up to 40 lbs; hearing normal speech; and communicating in person and by telephone.
Be able to work effectively under pressure, serve participants effectively, make decisions, maintain attention to information and detail, and understand and retain supervisor instructions delivered in person, by email, or by telephone.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish skills are helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

Plan and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum with team members in language development and early literacy, math, social-emotional learning, science, creative expression, and fostering independence.
Monitor children and indoor and outdoor environments for safety and appropriate interactions.
Care for children’s basic needs, including eating, sleeping and resting, diapering and toileting, dressing, and hygiene.
Support children’s emotional needs through nurturing, problem solving, fostering autonomy, respecting feelings, positive communication, facilitating peer interaction, and developing social skills.
Model positive communication skills.
Plan and carry out developmentally and age-appropriate morning and afternoon circle times that stimulate cognitive growth, develop literacy skills, and increase creativity.
Set up stimulating indoor and outdoor classroom environments and activities that support the whole child.
Foster an anti-bias classroom environment and maintain confidentiality about children and families.
Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children.
Model for and mentor teachers, teacher’s aides, and volunteers; share ideas and feedback; support cooperative team relationships and clear communication with coworkers.
Greet parents and children and help children adjust to the center each day.
Build positive rapport with parents, communicate with them daily about their child, exchange important information, respond to their needs and ideas, and inform them about upcoming agency and program events.
Maintain documentation, reports, and charts required for licensing, CDE contract requirements, and program standards.
Perform other responsibilities as required.