Head Teacher (Full Day Part Day)

Head Start of Lane County offers employment opportunities in several positions such as food service, transportation & teaching with a new wage scale that is 30% on average higher than the previous wage scale.

Position Purpose

To ensure our youngest children have a solid foundation for life. To encourage the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children and to attend to their safety and welfare. To promote family engagement in all aspects of the program. To meet requirements of Federal Head Start Performance Standards and any local, state and/or agency policies and procedures. To abide by the Head Start of Lane County code of conduct and Ethics Statement written within the employee handbook.

Essential Job Responsibilities: Performance Indicators

Classroom Time / School Readiness

• Supervise and monitor children at all times and respond appropriately to crisis or emergency situations that may occur.
• Establish a positive classroom climate.
• Guide the behavior of children in positive, effective ways.
• Follow a consistent schedule which includes small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, meals and effective transitions between activities.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation, socialization and choice-making; ask open-ended questions and follow-up questions to promote further learning and thinking.
• Promote English language acquisition of children who are English- and Dual-Language learners.
• Release children only to individuals with appropriate signed consent.

Individualization, Curriculum and Assessment

• Follow agency-adopted curricula, using effective strategies to guide learning.
• Prepare the classroom environment and materials to support developmentally appropriate curriculum plans and learning experiences.
• Assess individual and group needs, attending to specific interests, strengths and concerns.
• Work with appropriate agencies to develop specialized planning for children and families as needed.
• Coordinate with support staff when indicated, developing a collaborative approach that benefits all children in the classroom.
• Adapt curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children as identified in their individualized family service plans (IFSP).
• Develop and utilize integrated curriculum plans which reflect mandated elements and components, familial and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of Head Start children.
• Establish weekly goals that promote individual and group educational plans and include other Head start components.
• Participate in integrated service meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all components.

Family Engagement and Community Partnerships

• Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces family and volunteer engagement.
• Support the role of families as the first and primary teachers of their children.
• Support families' safety, health, financial stability, life goals and aspirations.
• Maintain regular communication with families based on family's individual needs.
• Conduct the required parent/teacher conferences and home visits for the purpose of assessment and support, and to share information on classroom progress and educational strategies at school and at home. Provide additional home visits if needed.
• Help plan and participate in family activity events.
• Coordinate with the Family Support Coordinator (FSC) as needed to assist families to complete follow-ups (i.e. dental, medical, physical and mental health needs of families, etc.)
• Coordinate with the Early Childhood Education Coordinator (ECEC) and FSC to provide families with timely information and referrals appropriate to their needs.
• Monitor and document attendance concerns.
• Provide learning opportunities for dual-language in the home.

Documentation

• Utilize agency adopted tools for ongoing assessment and documentation.
• Ensure all federal, local, state and/or agency documentation is completed accurately.
• Document all family contacts and home visits.
• Monitor and report child abuse.

Professional Development

• Attend and participate in trainings and appropriate professional development activities.
• Attend and participate in meetings.
• Engage in ongoing self-assessment about job performance.

Additional Job Responsibilities

• Assist with breaks, food service and bus monitoring as needed for the model and other classroom needs as requested.
• Work with other staff to ensure general maintenance and security of facility.
• Assist with inventory of equipment and supplies.
• Assume Substitute Director role as requested
• Other duties as requested.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to apply Early Childhood Development theory in daily activities, and adapt to the individual needs of children.
• Significant decision and problem solving abilities.
• Ability to work as a team member collaborating with staff, families and community resources.
• Ability to maintain respectful relations and communication with staff, families, children and community.
• Ability to supervise preschool children and ensure a safe environment.
• Ability to respond to events happening at all times in classroom, outdoor play areas and on field trips, including school bus. This includes the physical ability to move quickly in order to respond to children who are very active and may need redirection or restraint in order to ensure their safety or the safety of others in the environment. (80-100%)
• Ability to interact with children at their eye level, ie. sitting, kneeling, stooping, bending. (80-100%)
• Lifting up to 50 lbs. (10%)
• Driving for home visits, sometimes in outlying areas. (5%)

Minimum Requirements:

• Educational requirements: Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education (Pre K) or a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education (Pre K) or a "Related"Bachelor's Degree or higher that includes coursework equivalent to a major, 300 hrs instruction (30 qtr or 20 sem credits)in Early Childhood Education . Transcripts are required to validate educational requirements.
• Related Degree holders musthavePre-K classroom (ages 3-5) experience, one year minimum is preferred.Experience should include the ability to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of all children including at risk, special needs, gifted, and culturally diverse populations.
• Complete and maintain annual training hour requirements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Bilingual English/Spanish skills highly desirable.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, word processing, internet and e-mail.
• Must have a valid Oregon Driver's License and proof of insurance and must provide own vehicle for home visits.
• Within 30 days of employment must be Pediatric CPR & First Aid certified and have a current Food Handler's Card.
• Health Appraisal Questionnaire is required at hire and will be updated annually.
• At time of hire must be currently enrolled in Child Care Division-Central Background Registry and must renew every two years.

Position Information

• Part Year or Full Year (with layoff weeks) Bargaining Unit/Non Exempt
• All positions are informed by the Bargaining Unit Handbook and the Bargaining Unit Contract
• Job responsibilities may vary depending upon program model, site needs and locations.
• Supervised by Regional Manager.

This job description was approved by Policy Council on

Head Start of Lane County is an EEO Employer.