Head Teacher

Head Teacher

Head Start of Lane County offers employment opportunities in several positions such as food service, transportation & teaching with a new wage scale that is 30% on average higher than the previous wage scale.

Position

Purpose:

• To ensure our youngest children have a solid foundation for life.
• To encourage the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children and to attend to their safety and welfare.
• To promote family engagement in all aspects of the program.
• To meet requirements of Federal Head Start Performance Standards and any local, state and/or agency policies and procedures.
• To abide by the Head Start of Lane County code of conduct and Ethics Statement written within the employee handbook.

Essential

Job Responsibilities:

• Classroom Time / School Readiness
• Supervise and monitor children at all times and respond appropriately to crisis or emergency situations that may occur.
• Establish a positive classroom climate.
• Guide the behavior of children in positive, effective ways.
• Follow a consistent schedule which includes small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, meals and effective transitions between activities.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation, socialization and choice-making; ask open-ended questions and follow-up questions to promote further learning and thinking.
• Promote English language acquisition of children who are English- and Dual-Language learners.
• Release children only to individuals with appropriate signed consent.
• Individualization, Curriculum and Assessment
• Follow agency-adopted curricula, using effective strategies to guide learning.
• Prepare the classroom environment and materials to support developmentally appropriate curriculum plans and learning experiences.
• Assess individual and group needs, attending to specific interests, strengths and concerns.
• Work with appropriate agencies to develop specialized planning for children and families as needed.
• Coordinate with support staff when indicated, developing a collaborative approach that benefits all children in the classroom.
• Adapt curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children as identified in their individualized family service plans (IFSP).
• Develop and utilize integrated curriculum plans which reflect mandated elements and components, familial and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of Head Start children.
• Establish weekly goals that promote individual and group educational plans and include other Head start components.
• Participate in integrated service meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all components.
• Complete required screenings within 45 days of child's first day in program.
• Family Engagement and Community Partnerships
• Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces family and volunteer engagement.
• Support the role of families as the first and primary teachers of their children.
• Complete family partnership agreements.
• Support families' safety, health, financial stability, life goals and aspirations.
• Maintain regular communication with families based on family's individual needs.
• Conduct the required parent/teacher conferences and home visits for the purpose of assessment and support, and to share information on classroom progress and educational strategies at school and at home.
• Provide additional home visits if needed.
• Help plan and participate in family activity events.
• Coordinate with the Family Support Coordinator (FSC) as needed to assist families to complete follow-ups (i.e. dental, medical, physical and mental health needs of families, etc.)
• Coordinate with the Early Childhood Education Coordinator (ECEC) and FSC to provide families with timely information and referrals appropriate to their needs.
• Monitor and document attendance concerns.
• Provide learning opportunities for dual-language in the home.
• Complete all required assessments with families in a timely manner.
• Documentation
• Utilize agency adopted tools for ongoing assessment and documentation.
• Ensure all federal, local, state and/or agency documentation is completed accurately.
• Document all family contacts and home visits.
• Monitor and report child abuse.
• Professional Development
• Attend and participate in trainings and appropriate professional development activities.
• Attend and participate in meetings.
• Engage in ongoing self-assessment about job performance.

Additional

Job Responsibilities:

• Assist with breaks, food service and bus monitoring as needed for the model and other classroom needs as requested.
• Work with other staff to ensure general maintenance and security of facility.
• Assist with inventory of equipment and supplies.
• Assume Substitute Director role as requested.
• Other duties as requested.

All communications are potentially sensitive and are subject to Head Start's policy on confidentiality.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to apply Early Childhood Development…