ABOUT COMMUNITY PROGRESS COUNCIL:
Community Progress Council invites you to be part of its team of dedicated professionals who work to help low-income individuals and families reach self-sufficiency. Our workforce of 240 employees is mission-driven to provide client-centered, coordinated services by building trusting relationships with those in need.
Community Progress Council is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization to serve our community. CPC works to ensure all staff have the knowledge, values, and skills to empower clients and one another - respecting and welcoming each person's unique experiences and cultural differences.
As the community action agency of York County, CPC offers services in more than 20 locations throughout the county. We provide our neighbors with opportunities in early childhood education, nutrition counseling, workforce development, housing and financial education and our Self-Sufficiency Program, all which support low-income individuals toward their goal of achieving financial stability.
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ABOUT CPC'S EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM:
CPC's Early Childhood Education programs provide high-quality, comprehensive school readiness services to families with children from birth to 5 years old. Our early childhood education services strive to meet preschoolers' needs for intellectual, physical, social and emotional growth. This work prepares York County's young children to enter kindergarten prepared to learn.
SUMMARY: Supports program operations by filling the roles of absent staff members. Works with the center-based department to provide custodial care and educational opportunities for a classroom of up to eight (8) infants and/or toddlers. Provides administrative support to the home-based department, including but not limited to filing, conducting intake appointments, materials preparation, event planning, and transportation of families to program events.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
- Be committed to the vision and mission of Early Head Start/Head Start of York County and Community Progress Council, Inc.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with diverse individuals, including children, families, co-workers, and staff in related agencies and the general public.
- Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of pregnant women, human development, early childhood theory, child development, developmentally appropriate practices, and behavior management, and some skills in responsive caregiving.
- Assist in maintaining a clean, safe and positive classroom or socialization environment that facilitates respect, active learning, group management, self-expression, cultural responsibility, child-initiated learning; provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement.
- In collaboration with parents and other teaching or home-visiting staff, plan and prepare developmentally appropriate learning activities for children, in accordance with the program curriculum.
- Under the guidance of the teacher or family development specialist, assist in preparing and maintaining required paperwork: including, but not limited to lesson plans, daily observations of children (anecdotal records), children's education records, attendance reports, medication log, meal counts, health checks, contact sheets, and other documents and records. Keep all records and files accurate and up-to-date complete and up-to-date as required by law and agency policies.
- Assist in preparing information for parent conferences.
- Assist the teacher or family development specialist in combining health, nutrition, social services, and parent involvement component goals into the planned activities for children and families.
- Assist the teacher or family developmental specialist to seek out, utilize, and maintain familiarity and contact with community resources to enhance the program operation for children and families; promote the benefit of Early Head Start/Head Start and early education to community organizations, including school districts and business leaders; refer families to community agencies to facilitate the referral process.
- Assist in carrying out regular health observations to insure children are well and have no contagious diseases, and to check for signs of abuse or neglect; with the assistance of the teacher or family development specialist, report suspicions of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse or neglect.
- Maintain confidentiality of information regarding children and families; assist in reviewing and upholding Confidentiality Policy with parent volunteers, community volunteers and staff from outside agencies.
- Serve as a role model and mentor for parent and community volunteers by performing job duties in accordance with program curriculum, Early Head Start/Head Start Performance Standards, and agency policy and procedures.
- Work collaboratively with teacher, family development specialist, and other program staff to develop and conduct parent education activities, family activities and parent meetings; assist teacher, family development specialist, and other program staff in encouraging parents to attend planned activities and meetings.
- Actively participate in agency task forces and work groups, as assigned by supervisor/management, to assist in developing, implementing and fulfilling goals and action plans of the Head Start vision and mission.
- Actively participate in developing and carrying out an individualized continuing education plan to learn and grow professionally in the field of early childhood and child development; pursue learning opportunities offered inside the agency and in the community; attend required trainings offered by Head Start and Community Progress Council including cross-training in order to perform a number of processes within the program.
- Be willing to participate and engage in the coaching processes.
- May need to vary work schedule (outside of regularly scheduled work hours) to attend program functions and to accommodate parents' schedules for home visits.
Classroom-Based Specific Expectations
- Assist in following a consistent schedule and providing planned experiences and toileting/diapering routines which make possible children's interactions with materials, with other children and with adults.
- Assist in preparing classroom materials prior to the children's arrival to support lesson plans; assist in adapting and changing learning centers and rotating materials, to address and meet individual and group needs.
Home-Based Specific Expectations
- Assist in scheduling, planning and implementing two socialization groups per month
- Assist in effectively training, directing and supporting parents and volunteers to fulfill the role of assistant during socializations and serve as a role model for the parents.
- Provide transportation in CPC vehicle for infants, toddlers and their parent and pregnant women to Group Socializations and social service appointments.
- Recruit eligible pregnant women, children and their families.
Help client to adopt healthy attitudes and patterns of behavior by increasing understanding of self and/or personal problems, and client's role on problem resolution.- In collaboration with all service areas, provide enrolled children and their families orientation to the Early Head Start program.
EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE: Preferred Associate's degree (A.A.) in Early Childhood, Child and Family Studies or Human Development, plus experience working with adults and/or young children; High School diploma or general education degree (GED) plus one year of experience working with adults and/or young children in a formal setting. Willingness to obtain a Child Development Associate certificate within two (2) years of hire.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: Department of Human Services FBI Clearance, National Sex Offender Registry, PA State Criminal History and Childline Child Abuse Certification required prior to hire. A physical assessment including a tuberculosis skin test is required prior to hire as well. Child Abuse "Mandated Reporter" training due within 90-days of hire.