Teacher Assistant, Infant A

CHESS•Santa Fe, NM

16d•$19 - $22•Onsite

About The Position

The Teacher Assistant supports lead teachers in classrooms at the Kids Campus Early Learning Center, serves a diverse community, and contributes to continuous quality improvement. The role assists with planning, implementing, and documenting classroom activities; preparing materials and equipment; maintaining classroom sanitation; and ensuring children's safety, participation, and creativity. The assistant supervises and supports children during classroom routines and outdoor play, helps with personal care, and provides classroom coverage when teachers are on breaks or absent. The position also supports home visits, children's portfolios and assessments, communication with families, and compliance with applicable early childhood education, food program, accreditation, and licensing requirements. The position requires on-site work at Santa Fe Community College, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Candidates must pass required background checks and maintain pediatric CPR and first aid certifications. New hires must obtain these certifications and any required ECECD training within 90 days of hire. The employee may be reassigned to other classrooms or age groups and must complete at least three academic credits per semester toward an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education.

Requirements

Teacher Assistant I: High school diploma or equivalent, a Child Development Certificate (CDC), and six months of experience in an early childhood setting; alternatively, a high school diploma or equivalent, at least 12 early childhood education credits, and six months of experience in an early childhood setting.
Teacher Assistant II: High school diploma or equivalent, 29 early childhood credits (equivalent to NM Professional Certificate), and one year of experience in an early childhood setting.
Teacher Assistant III: Associate degree in Early Childhood or a closely related field and one year of experience in an early childhood setting.
Teacher Assistant IV: Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and one year of experience in an early childhood setting; alternatively, an unrelated bachelor's degree, an Early Childhood Teaching License, and one year of experience; or an unrelated bachelor's degree, an associate degree in Early Childhood, and one year of experience.
Knowledge of early childhood education principles, child growth and developmentally appropriate practices, occupational disease and injury prevention regulations, hand washing and infection control, computers, and job-related software.
Skills in decision-making, problem-solving, interpersonal relations, public interaction, oral and written communication, recognizing health and safety hazards, and providing social experiences to students.
Ability to communicate professionally, tactfully, and patiently with coworkers, children, and family members; implement activities in an anti-bias environment; protect children from health and safety hazards; and respond to changing and challenging conditions in ways that enhance program quality.
Successfully pass required background checks, including those conducted by ECECD and Santa Fe Community College, before employment and periodically thereafter.
Possess and maintain current Pediatric CPR and Pediatric First Aid certifications; new hires must obtain both certifications and required ECECD training within 90 days of hire and renew certifications before expiration.
Complete at least three academic credits per semester (Summer, Fall, and Spring) toward an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education, as required for Kids Campus NAEYC Accreditation.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

Assist lead teachers in planning, implementing, and documenting activities.
Set up materials and equipment for daily activities.
Sanitize and clean toys, classroom furniture, laundry, dishes, and surfaces daily.
Promote each child's safety, involvement, and creativity.
Work with individual children and small groups, supervising and assisting them in daily routines.
Prepare children for outdoor play and supervise them on the playground.
Assist children with dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, diapering, eating, and applying sunscreen.
Fulfill teachers' responsibilities in their absence and provide classroom coverage during staff breaks and lunches.
Accompany lead teachers on home visits for Early PreK/PreK children.
Assist teachers with children's portfolios, data collection, and Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) assessments.
Communicate with families in person and in writing to foster strong, transparent relationships.
Comply with NAEYC, ECECD, CACFP, and other applicable licensing and regulatory requirements.
Attend required professional development for the Kids Campus bilingual curriculum, NAEYC accreditation, NM PreK, and ECECD.