Preschool Assistant

Description

The Preschool Assistant will provide essential support to educators and children 5 and under to promote a healthy environment where children are safe and can learn. With a focus on student and educator well-being, this position will partner to provide individualized services to students presenting with trauma histories, special health care needs, disabilities and/or delays, as well as dual language learners, in addition to supporting educators with day-to-day classroom needs.

• Connect with children during: transportation to/from school; when providing educator breaks; when substituting in the classroom; when assisting with breakfast, lunch, snack, and/or recess; and when working 1:1 with children to promote skill development.
• Establish meaningful relationships with students for the purpose of understanding of who they are, how they communicate, and what they need to be successful in school and at home.
• Partner with mental health consultants, parents, educators and other agency staff to implement individual support plans and strategies that promote student success. Participate in the development of Individualized Family Service Plans, Individualized Education Programs, and/or Individualized Support/Behavior Intervention Plans, as requested.
• Serve as the first responder for children experiencing dysregulation and/or in crisis. Provide in-classroom support and implement individualized strategies to help return the child to a state of regulation.
• Work with children to strengthen fine and gross motor skills; cognitive, play, and social skills; self-help skills; and to manage sensory input.
• Identify and share strategies that work for individual children with their teachers and parents, guardians, and/or caregivers.
• Serve as a support during transitions to Head Start programming and/or Kindergarten.
• Complete all required paperwork according to program policies and procedures (e.g., attendance records, daily meal counts, child abuse and neglect reporting, volunteer records, family engagement reports, etc.).
• Conduct and document observations/screenings as assigned.
• Assist with family events, home visits, and/or playgroups, as requested/assigned.
• Provide integration of a variety of activities including but not limited to, music, movement and outdoor/active play, health, dental, nutrition and safety into the classroom day. Incorporate learning opportunities that foster the development of skills, behavior, language and literacy, cognition, and motor skills through implementation of program approved research based curriculum approaches.

• Follow and comply with all safety and work rules and regulations.
• Assist with Emergency Preparedness and related safety drills.
• Attend agency meetings and participate in training, as requested.

A short guidance paragraph about the position and its accommodation policies follows, keeping the original language without formatting.

• A passion for early care and education, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed care, and/or infant/child mental health.
• Coursework in early childhood development, education, social work, psychology, or a related field, and a willingness to obtain additional education pertinent to the role. (Financial assistance may be provided.)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times and handle sensitive matters with professionalism.
• Ability to collaborate with others and perform high quality work with minimal to moderate supervision.
• Ability to meet deadlines and maintain a workload that contributes to the overall effective operations of the agency.
• Experience utilizing Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, Power Point, Adobe, etc.).
• Ability to work with diverse populations/family models.
• Must have or be able to obtain CPR and First Aid certificates.
• Ability to maintain good attendance.

• An associate's or bachelor's degree in early childhood development, education, social work, psychology, or a related field, and a willingness to obtain additional education pertinent to the role. (Financial assistance may be provided.)
• Three or more years of work experience in any of the essential duties/responsibilities outlined above.
• Ability to communicate fluently in English and Spanish.
• Certification in infant and early childhood mental health or trauma-informed care, or licensure as a Special Education Program Aide.

Employees must be able to demonstrate at all times that they are physically, mentally, and emotionally able to meet the requirements of their job.

Physical Demands: