Smart Start of Mecklenburg County - MECK Pre-K Success Coach

MECK Pre-K Success Coach

Anticipated

Start Date:

August 15, 2026

Position Type: Full Time, Exempt

Department: MECK Pre-K

Reports To: Curriculum and Teacher Support Director

Direct Reports: N/A

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County (Smart Start or SSMC) is a Charlotte-based non-profit that funds local programs for children ages birth to five and their families. The organization is a catalyst for improving the lives of the 85,000+ young children in our community, with a focus on health, family, early education, and literacy. We mobilize resources and forge partnerships to support evidence-based policies, practices, and programs to ensure all children enter kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed.

Smart Start has a budget of over $35 million comprised of funding from the state of North Carolina, Mecklenburg County, and private donations and grants. SSMC funds approximately 25 programs annually serving over 25,000 young children and their families and administers Mecklenburg County's MECK Pre-K program, which provides free Pre-K to children in the community. SSMC also operates programs and campaigns internally, including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Guiding Parents to Services, Ready4K, and The Basics Mecklenburg and Parent Powered .

The organization is also the leader in research, data, convening and collaborating on issues related to children Prenatal-to-five in the Greater Charlotte area.

The MECK Pre-K Success Coach works with the childcare center administrators, MECK Pre-K Curriculum and Teacher Support Manager, and all MECK Pre-K Support staff (other Success Coaches, Family Support Specialist) to provide direct support and leadership to MECK Pre-K teachers related to state and county standards in high-quality, early childhood instruction. This position is a resource for MECK Pre-K teachers to ensure that all program services meet the MECK Pre-K classroom policies, specifically the implementation of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD.

• Supports the philosophy and vision of SSMC and MECK Pre-K program.
• Models and sets a high standard of evidence-based instructional practices that align to State and MECK Pre-K Program policies and procedures.
• Conducts regular site visits to observe teacher-student interactions and classroom instruction with students, providing specific feedback, make instructional recommendations in teaching strategies, and discuss next steps in teaching strategies with teaching team (teacher & assistant teacher) and Site Administrator.
• Assesses and supports needs of assigned teachers, serving as a resource to teaching team (teacher & assistant teacher).
• Guides teachers in developmentally appropriate content pedagogy, learning environments, planning and assessment, instructional strategies, reflective practices and effective family/community/school relationships.
• Guides teachers in implementing evidence-based practices for addressing the needs of children with unique learning needs, including challenging behavior.
• Works collaboratively with other Success Coaches and MECK Pre-K Support Team to arrange professional development opportunities that support teachers' needs related to evidence-based practices and meeting expected outcomes in the MECK Pre-K classroom in consultation with the MECK Pre-K Curriculum and Teacher Support Manager. Teamwork is critical.
• Participates in appropriate professional groups, committees.
• Seeks consultation from MECK Pre-K Support Team and/or external agencies (e.g. TA providers, Consultants from My Teachstone & Creative Curriculum) as needed to ensure consistent implementation of high-quality services in Mecklenburg County.

• Attends required professional development: CLASS certification, Teachstone Training Modules, Teaching Strategies (Curriculum & GOLD), UNCC-EESLPD Orientation, and Teacher Evaluation training.
• Reviews, analyzes and interprets data from CLASS assessments and Teaching Strategies fidelity tool to ensure that Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold are implemented to fidelity in the MECK Pre-K classrooms.
• Conducts CLASS™ observations in assigned MECK Pre-K classrooms in which they do not coach the teacher.
• Provides onsite embedded professional development through side-by-side coaching techniques that include observations, modeling lessons, and videotaping to support evidence-based practices in classroom instruction.
• Assists teachers in aligning their teaching practices with appropriate standards, curriculum and assessments (i.e. CLASS, Creative Curriculum, and Teaching Strategies GOLD).
• Coordinates/collaborates with partner agency staff as they provide Technical Assistance (TA) to assigned teachers and/or classrooms.
• Conducts regular conferences with new teacher, teacher assistant and Site Administrator to insure consistent and coordinated…