Early Childhood Wellness and School Readiness Specialist

Early Childhood Wellness & School Readiness Specialist

The Early Childhood Wellness & School Readiness Specialist promotes the healthy development, social-emotional well-being, school readiness, family engagement, and overall success of young children enrolled in Head Start, Preschool for All (PFA), and Preschool for All Expansion (PFAE). The specialist collaborates with children, families, staff, and community partners to support positive learning environments, strengthen family partnerships, and ensure children are prepared for success in school and life.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Child Development, Screening & Referral
• Conduct developmental, behavioral, and social-emotional screenings.
• Review screening data and assist in identifying support needs.
• Gather and analyze child outcome data from DRDP, Brigance, ASQ, ASQ-SE, and other assessment tools.
• Coordinate referrals and follow-up services for children and families.
• Assist with individualized support planning.
• Monitor social-emotional, behavioral, and school readiness indicators.
• Classroom Consultation & School Readiness Support
• Conduct classroom observations and provide strengths-based feedback.
• Support implementation of developmentally appropriate practices.
• Assist teachers in creating positive, language-rich learning environments.
• Promote strategies that strengthen school readiness skills.
• Support implementation of Pyramid Model practices and universal supports.
• Assist classroom teams in developing action plans based on student data.
• Sunshine Circle & Social-Emotional Learning
• Coordinate and support Sunshine Circle implementation across all classrooms.
• Model social-emotional learning activities.
• Promote emotional regulation, problem-solving, friendship skills, and classroom belonging.
• Support children in developing self-confidence, persistence, resilience, and self-regulation.
• Child-Centered Support & Intervention
• Observe and support children demonstrating behavioral or social-emotional concerns.
• Develop individualized support plans with teachers and families.
• Assist with de-escalation strategies and positive behavior interventions.
• Support student success through tiered interventions and classroom-based supports.
• Participate in student support meetings and problem-solving discussions.
• Family Engagement & Wellness
• Meet with families to discuss child development and school readiness.
• Facilitate parent workshops and family education opportunities.
• Connect families to community resources and support services.
• Promote family well-being and positive parent-child relationships.
• Support family engagement activities and program events.
• Family Partnership & Goal Setting
• Collaborate with Family Support Specialists regarding Family Partnership Agreements and family goals.
• Assist families in identifying strengths, needs, and desired outcomes.
• Participate in family conferences and support meetings.
• Promote family leadership and advocacy opportunities.
• School Readiness Leadership
• Participate as a member of the School Readiness Team.
• Assist with development and monitoring of School Readiness Goals.
• Analyze child outcome data related to social-emotional development and approaches to learning.
• Participate in data review meetings.
• Support kindergarten transition planning and activities.
• Attendance & Student Engagement
• Collaborate with Family Support Specialists regarding attendance concerns.
• Identify barriers impacting attendance and participation.
• Support attendance improvement efforts and family outreach.
• Promote consistent student participation and engagement.
• Inclusion & Disabilities Support
• Collaborate with Early Childhood Special Education staff and related service providers.
• Support inclusive classroom practices.
• Assist teachers in implementing accommodations and modifications.
• Participate in transition meetings and support planning.
• Promote equitable access to learning opportunities.
• Kindergarten Transition Support
• Assist with preschool-to-kindergarten transition activities.
• Collaborate with receiving schools and kindergarten staff.
• Support families during transition planning.
• Provide recommendations and supports for students requiring additional transition assistance.
• Staff Coaching &…