Co-Director

At OHU, our Hope Members are the heartbeat of our organization. Together, we have built a culture of support, trust, and care.

“We are such an inclusive organization, we don’t turn anybody away. Everybody is welcome. Working here, I feel like family. I’ve never felt so appreciated working in a place before. They really take care of you here, listen to your concerns and act on them. It’s just amazing! And it’s really easy to make it amazing when the people you work with are amazing.”

Shari Conley, Joliet Early Learning Center (Joliet, IL)

The ELCD program at OHU is known for its closely-knit teams who often work together for years at a time! The team members join their shared love of educating young children towards creating a warm and positive working environment. New employees who come from a corporate environment quickly fall in love with the atmosphere at an OHU child development center!

• Being responsible for identifying the child and family’s educational program needs and developing a plan to ensure the implementation of OHU’s educational program directions and goals
• Assisting staff in individualizing the curriculum, including implementing IEPs
• Analyzing child outcomes quarterly to determine trends and areas of focus for continued educational services to enrolled children
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory, funding, and accrediting agency requirements
• Working with the other assigned director to review the Illinois State Board of Education contract deliverables needed for the grant
• Overseeing the child screening and assessment processes
• Managing child transition policies, procedures, and systems
• Actively participating in obtaining NAEYC and maintaining accreditation for COA and quality rating through the Illinois Excele Rate system
• Overseeing four teachers as the assigned Instructional Coach
• Being responsible for developing a strategic staffing and professional development plan that ensures high‑quality performance standards of the agency, the National Academy for the Education of Young Children, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and other stakeholders
• Providing training and technical assistance for teachers and center directors
• Assisting teachers in developing professional development plans
• Maintaining the record of staff qualifications
• Participating in hiring new teaching staff
• Being responsible for coordinating the purchase of educational supplies and recommending appropriate equipment and materials necessary to support the curriculum while remaining within budgetary guidelines
• Reviewing classroom inventories and orders for educational supplies to ensure appropriateness
• Keeping abreast of opportunities for additional funding and grants related to education
• Reviewing classroom inventories and orders for educational supplies to ensure appropriateness
• Developing positive and supportive relationships with parents and families
• Providing or coordinating workshops or training resources related to educational programs and curriculum
• Serving as a resource to families to support children's early learning and development
• Building respectful, culturally sensitive relationships with families
• Communicating effectively with families through written and oral communication
• Assisting with managing staff and program expenses for enrollment
• Developing ongoing relationships with professional, civic, and community groups for the advocacy of quality care and education
• Developing relationships with community organizations, colleges, and universities that provide teacher education programs
• Providing parent training/workshops related to the curriculum and educational program for children
• Providing program, classroom, and center staffing support as needed

• OHU program leaders work to provide warm and supportive leadership that flexes around your life as much as possible when needed
• Staff Celebrations (including weekly lunches!)
• Ongoing professional development tailored to yours and your classroom needs
• If you desire to advance in your career over time, program leaders will work with you to do so (OHU has 5 child development…