Floater Assistant Teacher

Apply now Job no: 508992 Position type: Full-Time 12-Month Department: 012102 - Human Sciences
- Early Childhood Location: Harrison County Categories: Support Staff, Head Start Positions Position Open Date: Mar 19 2025

This position serves as a Floater for a Head Start center. The Floater works collaboratively with the Teacher to ensure the successful operation of a classroom of children and works with a team of other classroom staff and family members to implement curriculum to achieve outcomes for children of all abilities.

Throughout its history, Mississippi State University-Extension Service (MSU-Extension) has demonstrated a deep commitment to programs that directly impact young children and their families. In the past decade, MSU-Extension has distinguished itself as Mississippi’s premier infrastructural support of high‑quality early childhood education.

May 2025.

The Floater demonstrates competency to perform functions that include:

• Uses knowledge of the principles of child growth and development to work with children and communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintains a child‑centered curriculum and learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self‑motivation to promote development in all domains for children of all abilities.
• Addresses challenging behaviors by observing to determine possible causes of the behavior, implementing preventive measures, teaching the child new social and communication skills and partnering with families to support the child at home.
• Uses observations of children and anecdotal notes to document children’s progress and individualize curriculum.

• Planning & Evaluation
• Professional Development
• Communication
• Technology

• Communication and Service Coordination
• Record Keeping and Reporting
• On‑going Monitoring/Self‑assessment
• Planning and implementing learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving readiness for school by developing literacy and phonemic awareness, language use, vocabulary, reading appreciation, and problem‑solving abilities.
• Establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy learning environment.
• Supporting the social and emotional development of children.
• Encouraging the involvement of families in a Head Start program and supporting the development of relationships between children and their families.

Education:

• CDA credential or enrolled to complete within one year of hire, or a degree in Early Childhood Education or related field with nine (9) credits in Early Childhood Education or enrolled to complete degree (with related credits) within one year of hire.

Experience:

• Experience teaching preschool children including group experience with children from birth to four years old.

Licensures:

• Meets required standards as specified by the State Department of Health/Child Care Licensure Standards for staff including finger‑printing and background check.
• Obtains certification in CPR and First Aid within nine months of employment.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Substitutions:

• An equivalent combination of related education and related experience may be considered for this position.

• Current understanding of Mississippi Child Care Licensing requirements.
• Current understanding of Head Start Performance Standards.
• Anticipates the needs of children.
• Organizes and executes daily activities.
• Works well with other staff.
• Intermediate computer literacy skills in email and Microsoft Office.

• Physical exam and background checks are required.
• Travel required locally or long‑distance up to 10% of the time for work‑related meetings and other functions.
• Must be able to lift a child weighing 40 pounds, 20 times a day if needed.
• Moderate to loud noise levels.
• Position involves inside and outside supervising children as weather permits, monitoring children on bus routes, and exposure to…