Teacher FSA - Adams

Saginaw Intermediate School District•Saginaw, MI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Teacher/Family Services Advocate works with Family Services and the broader team to support child development and positive outcomes for children and families in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards. The position leads a safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate preschool learning environment that promotes kindergarten readiness, and also provides social-service referrals and supports family and parent engagement. The role includes family intervention, coordinating or facilitating program services, monitoring family progress toward identified goals, and maintaining accurate data. The employee may be reassigned among classrooms or centers as operational needs require and may serve as program director for child care licensing purposes. The position combines family services advocacy with preschool program implementation. Responsibilities include building partnerships with families and community resources; supporting enrollment, attendance, health, disability, and transition needs; planning family events and parent programming; maintaining child, family, classroom, and program records; and collaborating with colleagues and community agencies. In the classroom, the employee supports children from birth through age five, including children with varying abilities, through developmentally appropriate learning, positive guidance, ongoing observation and assessment, and active supervision. The position directly supervises the Associate Teacher, classroom Program Support Aide when applicable, and classroom volunteers when applicable. A bachelor’s or advanced degree in Early Childhood Education, or a bachelor’s degree with coursework equivalent to a major in Early Childhood Education and preschool teaching experience, is required. A ZA or ZS endorsement is strongly preferred. The employee must be willing to obtain administrative training within six months and obtain and maintain Basic First Aid and CPR certification. Employment is contingent on required screening and health checks.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Early Childhood Education, or a bachelor’s degree with coursework equivalent to a major in Early Childhood Education and experience teaching preschool.
Previous experience working with young children, preferably preschool.
Willingness to obtain administrative training within six months of employment.
Willingness and ability to obtain and maintain Basic First Aid and CPR certification.
Valid driver’s license and the minimum automobile coverage required by the state; agency-vehicle drivers, if applicable, must be insurable by the Saginaw ISD Head Start insurance carrier.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding Head Start children, families, and staff in accordance with policies and legal requirements, including FERPA and HIPAA.
Knowledge of social work principles and practices, human behavior, customer service delivery, health services in the Saginaw area, family-centered practices, and computer data entry, filing, and recordkeeping.
Extensive knowledge and skills in early childhood development and early childhood education, and knowledge of basic supervision.
Computer skills, including extensive knowledge of Word and Excel, access to email, and knowledge of ChildPlus and Teaching Strategies Gold or willingness to learn them.
Knowledge of state and federal regulations concerning child abuse and neglect reporting and child care licensing.
Ability to read and interpret reports, regulations, and periodicals; write reports, business correspondence, and manuals; present information; and respond to questions.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic and maintain organized records and data.
Ability to use professional judgment, follow directions, take initiative, and make simple and complex decisions as required.
Ability to communicate with patience and tact and maintain professionalism when working with children, families, staff, management, referral sources, and the public.
Ability to prepare and serve food and follow sanitation procedures.
Ability to form mutually respectful, goal-oriented partnerships with families, respect and respond to family culture, language, values, and structures, and support parents as their children’s first and lifelong educators.
Ability to work with children at all developmental levels and collaborate as part of a comprehensive services team.
Acceptable tuberculosis screening results, a clear criminal records check, an initial health exam, and a drug screen are required after the job offer and before employment.
Must obtain Department of Human Services child abuse and neglect clearance and comply with mandated-reporter responsibilities.
Personal qualifications include emotional maturity, willingness to cooperate with program aims, respect for children and adults, flexibility, patience, good personal hygiene, and physical and mental health that does not interfere with job responsibilities.
Education or experience collaborating with parents in their children’s education.

Nice To Haves

ZA or ZS endorsement is strongly preferred.
Bilingual English/Spanish abilities.
Previous case management experience with young children and families.
Previous supervision experience.
Knowledge of local resources, customs, and language is helpful.
Current and former Head Start employees, students, and parents receive preference for vacancies for which they are qualified.

Responsibilities

Work with families through home visits and other appropriate settings to complete written needs assessments and develop and implement family partnership agreements.
Help families identify strengths, address concerns, navigate challenges, and achieve goals; make referrals, follow up on progress, and refer families for emergency or crisis assistance.
Identify, recruit, and enroll children, including children with disabilities; maintain full enrollment and a waiting list; and support transitions into and out of the program.
Work with program staff to analyze child absence patterns and initiate appropriate family support procedures; assist with outreach as needed.
Coordinate with program staff and community agencies to help families meet health and disability requirements, including helping families find a medical home, arrange transportation, and receive appointment reminders.
Track and support completion of medical, health, dental, and disability requirements, and attend IEP meetings when requested.
Promote parent participation in Head Start programming; organize, schedule, facilitate, and present parent functions; provide family resources; and support parent club officers and meetings.
Build and maintain partnerships among families, schools, staff, and community partners, serving as a liaison to support engagement and trust.
Plan and implement school-wide workshops, meetings, and family events that support parent education and engagement.
Advocate for Head Start and families in the community; participate in relevant committees, collaborations, events, open houses, and enrollment activities; and coordinate referrals to community agencies.
Communicate and collaborate with team members to meet program performance standards and individual family needs.
Maintain accurate and current records, files, reports, child records, referral records, health and dental tracking, family partnership data, and ChildPlus data; submit required paperwork on time and provide data for the annual Program Information Review.
Understand, generate, and document in-kind and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirement.
Attend required training, workshops, online training, and cluster meetings, and remain current on Head Start standards, Michigan child care licensing regulations, applicable practices, and developmentally appropriate practice.
Establish a safe, healthy, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate learning environment for children from birth to age five, including children with varying abilities.
Use the Daily Health and Safety Checklist and maintain classroom environments that are free of hazards and clutter and allow visibility of children.
Promote self-esteem, self-direction, self-control, and school readiness through positive methods, modeling, and curriculum development and implementation.
Support children’s social and emotional development and use positive, developmentally appropriate guidance and discipline, including support for challenging behaviors.
Comply with program curricula and supplements, Michigan child care licensing requirements, and Head Start Performance Standards.
Screen, observe, and assess children regularly; analyze developmental data; and plan or make referrals to meet individual child needs.
Participate in recruitment and transportation services, supervise and eat nutritionally prepared meals with children as curriculum activities, and cover other classrooms when needed to meet licensing ratios.
Submit scheduled weekly and monthly paperwork and progress reports; supervise or order supplies as needed; take inventory as requested; and maintain the Parent Club budget.
Collect and analyze individual, family, and classroom information for documentation, screening, assessment, evaluation, planning, and continuous improvement.
Facilitate monthly Parent Club meetings; schedule and document parent-teacher conferences and home visits; and write a monthly classroom newsletter.
Model, mentor, and supervise classroom volunteers, including parents, in coordination with the staff responsible for program volunteers.
Work with local school systems on shared activities, registration, and smooth transitions.
Support family safety, health, financial stability, goals, and aspirations; facilitate networks and activities responsive to family strengths, interests, and needs; and help families use community resources.
Directly supervise the Associate Teacher, classroom Program Support Aide when applicable, and classroom volunteers when applicable.
Use active supervision strategies to maintain children’s safety, including arranging and positioning within the environment, counting and face-to-name checks during transitions, listening for potential danger, anticipating behavior, and engaging or redirecting children.