TEACHER - Alakanuk Head Start

JOB SUMMARY

This position is 35 hours per week/38 weeks per year with summer layoff. Provides the planning and implementation of the Head Start classroom activities. Integrates all Head Start components into the educational curriculum and for home visits.

• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations, Child & Adult Care Food Program guidelines, to include traditional foods guidelines, Federal and state regulations, Head Start Performance Standards, agency and Child Development Division Head Start/Early Head Start Policies and Procedures and the Head Start Work Plan.
• Establishes partnerships with parents that are respectful, culturally sensitive, and nonjudgmental.
• Conducts parent-teacher conferences and home visits with parents and ensures families’ strengths and needs are addressed.
• Establishes a safe, healthy, nurturing environment for children, including using the principles of Active Supervision at all times.
• Responsible for curriculum and lesson planning that respects the needs of individual children. The materials provided will:
  • Consider the children's interests, disabilities, special talents, and individual style of learning.
  • Consider the individual in relationship to their cultural and socioeconomic background.
  • Help children to become aware of their roles as integral members of the group.
  • Assure children are treated with dignity and respect.
• Ensures appropriate documentation of program operations for class assigned including conducting and entering ongoing observations of children, assessing children’s developmental levels, and utilizing the results in the planning process through the designated assessment system.
• Supports community partnerships for the support of families and children.
• Assists volunteers in learning and abiding by program philosophy while working with children.
• Participates in weekly staff meetings, regular supervisory meetings and all required training.
• Provides the primary leadership role for planning and implementation of age and culturally appropriate activities and supervision of an assigned group of children that promotes their social and emotional development.
• Provides guidance and support to lower range staff to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures.
• Participates in active supervision strategies of positioning oneself to observe all children; watching, counting, and listening at all times, and using knowledge of each child's development and abilities to anticipate their actions and get involved to give appropriate redirection when necessary.
• Maintains classroom in accordance with all applicable health and safety regulations and standards.
• Identifies the educational needs of children through observation and develops individual education plans (IEP’s) as required.
• Uses computers and computer programs effectively to enter data, create lesson plans and process information, and to develop documents, and program materials.
• Assists kitchen and janitorial staff as requested by supervisor and as work schedule permits.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Provides full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made and asking questions as appropriate.
• Ability to respond quickly to children’s needs and emergency situations.
• Speaks clearly and communicates information and ideas effectively so others will understand.
• Ability to monitor and assess performance of oneself and others to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Ability to negotiate to bring others together to try to reconcile differences.
• Ability to read, comprehend, and follow established policies and procedures.
• Ability to manage work time well, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing, and to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Possesses sound judgment and decision making abilities to evaluate the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of…