Teacher Assistant - Head Start and Early Head Start

Essential Duties and Requirements
:
To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Assists the classroom teacher in planning, organizing, and implementing individual and group activities to meet the social, emotional, physical, and educational needs of infant, toddler and preschool children. Will observe and record specific behavioral data as described in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and routinely communicate observations and progress with teachers, program staff, and parents. Responsible for meeting Head Start performance standards, following the agency policies and procedures, and Child Care Licensing rules and regulations.

• Provides classroom leadership in the absence of the teacher to ensure consistency of the daily schedule, implementation of the lesson plan and other activities. Always provides direct supervision of students while in the classroom.
• Ensures classroom is set up and materials are prepared for implementation of the daily schedule including all learning activities, all meals, story time, and other activities.
• Assists the teacher in creating a nurturing learning environment through communication, play, and socialization that supports the social-emotional, cognitive, and physical and language development of children ages birth-5.
• Assist with planning and implementing learning experiences that ensure effective curriculum implementation and use of assessment. Participates in weekly lesson plan development with teaching team.
• Conduct standardized and structured assessments, within mandated time frames, for each child that provide ongoing information to evaluate the child’s speech and developmental level. Utilize the information from all observations to determine a child’s strengths and needs, inform and adjust strategies to better support individualized learning and improve teaching practices. Enter all observations into appropriate systems following documentation procedures.
• Observe, document, and address challenging behaviors to determine cause and implement preventive measures, teach a new behavior, communication, and/or social skill to minimize or eliminate the behavior.
• Follow appropriate practices to keep children safe during all activities, including, at a minimum:
• Reporting of suspected or known child abuse and neglect to Franklin County Children Services according to agency procedures and the Ohio Revised Code Section .
• Safe sleep practices, including ensuring that all sleeping arrangements for children under 18 months of age use firm mattresses or cots, as appropriate, and for children under 12 months, soft bedding materials or toys must not be used.
• Appropriate indoor and outdoor supervision of children at all times.
• Only releasing children to an authorized adult
• Adhere to all standards of conduct described in Head Start Performance Standards §1302.90(c)
• Systematically and routinely implement hygiene practices that ensure:
  • Appropriate toileting, hand washing, and diapering procedures are followed.
  • Safe food preparation
  • Exposure to blood and body fluids is handled consistent with standards of the Occupational Safety Health Administration.
  • Documentation of feeding and diaper changes for Early Head Start children.
• Follow, and practice procedures for:
  • Emergencies
  • Fire prevention and response.
  • Protection from contagious disease
  • The handling, storage, administration, and record of administration of medication
  • Documenting children’s attendance upon arrival and departure
  • Maintaining procedures and systems to ensure children are only released to an authorized adult.
  • Child specific health care needs and food allergies that include accessible plans of action for emergencies.
• Participates in the center Child and Family Review (CFR), IEP/IFSP, parent meetings and transition process to share pertinent information about the child and family with other…