Preschool Assistant Teacher

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Center Education Coordinator or Assistant Center Education Coordinator, this position is responsible for providing comprehensive educational services in compliance with DHS regulations, Head Start Performance Standards, program guidelines, policies, and procedures. The Assistant Teacher is responsible for implementing the early childhood curriculum into the classroom by assisting in the creation of lesson plans, and developing and executing individual learning plans to meet the needs of every child (in particular those in the primary care group), including observing, assessing, and documenting each child’s progress.

Also responsible for maintaining active supervision of children and for providing ongoing communication with parents, including during home visits, parent conferences and other events.

• Provide comprehensive services for children in early care and education classrooms maintaining compliance in the program’s guidelines and procedures. Adhere to Head Start performance standards as well as MN DHS licensing regulations and Child & Adult Care Food Program.
• Strictly follow the highest standards of confidentiality and ethics when working with children, parents, and peers.
• Engage each child in the classroom with hands‑on learning and assist the lead teacher as they execute their role.
• Assist in the creation and implementation of detailed and comprehensive lesson plans using Creative Curriculum (per Curricula and Intentional Planning Procedure), which includes intentional planning to support children in attaining individual child‑level goals and to achieve measurable outcomes determined by Teacher observations and ratings in the program’s child assessment tool.
• Document, level and finalize each child’s development within the assigned primary care group using the designated online assessment tool TS GOLD (per Assessment & Child Goals: Individualizing for Children Policy).
• Observe each child on a regular basis in all developmental domains to establish individual child goals that are meaningful and measurable. Responsible for recording authentic observations and accurate documentation to track and achieve measurable child outcomes and established programmatic school readiness goals.
• Partner with parents to establish child goals and present results of the child’s progress towards meeting the goals using the program’s assessment tool to parents in a manner that is easy to understand.
• Communicate with parents regarding the child’s overall development including the child’s successes and areas of potential concern or needed improvement (per Family Teacher Conferences policy).
• Assist in the design of a safe and developmentally appropriate learning environment ensuring active supervision is maintained at all times (per Teaching and Learning Environment Policy).
• Actively participate in the Inspection of the classroom indoor and outdoor space daily ensuring that materials are safe (per Daily Potential Hazards Checklist), including cleaning and safety checklists. Report all major issues to management. Conduct daily informal health checks of each child. Actively participate in all emergency drills (per Emergency Safety Lockdown policy).
• Assist in developing and implementing trauma‑informed classroom supports. Utilize and follow the program’s social‑emotional curriculum. Create opportunities for children to build trusting relationships within healthy boundaries. Model appropriate expression of feelings (per Promotion of Children’s Mental Health, Social and Emotional Well‑Being policy and Pyramid Implementation in Classrooms policy).
• Provide positive behavior supports with the understanding that behavior of children is a form of communication that can be shaped through the development of strong relationships with children (per Behavior Guidance Licensing and Classroom Approach policy and Pyramid Implementation in Classrooms policy), consistent expectations, natural consequences, and on‑the‑spot behavior replacement guidance.
• Participate in classroom assessment in determining the implementation of Pyramid practices through the use of the Teaching…