Assistant Teacher, Early Head Start

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Position Title:

Assistant Teacher

Department:

Early Head Start

Open Date:

November 14, 2023

Reports to:

Program Area Supervisor

Close Date:

Until Filled

Work Location:

1001 SW Baseline, Hillsboro

Hiring Rate:

$20.00 With ORO Step 7

FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

Position Status:

Regular Full Time (RFT)

Benefit Status:

Eligible for Benefits

Work Hours Per Week:

40

Number of Positions:

2

Months Active:

All

Positions Supervised:

0

Special Note on Central Background Registry Requirement:

In order to be offered any position within our Head Start program, you must be currently enrolled in Oregon's Central Background Registry. If you are not currently enrolled, you may still be considered for this position, but no offer of employment may be extended to you until this requirement has been completed. For information on how to enroll in Oregon's Central Background Registry, please visit www.childcareinoregon.org or call the Office of Child Care at 1.800.556.6616.

Benefits: All regular full-time (RFT) status positions of 20 hours per week or more year round or part year of .50 FTE or higher are eligible for our outstanding benefits package including:

• Individual Medical with premium covered at 90%
• Free Dental insurance for the employee
• Employer matched retirement dollar for dollar for the first 3%
• Generous paid sick and vacation time
• 13 paid 0bserved holidays
• Free life and long term disability insurance
• Medex travel assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Rich and diverse mission-based working environment
• Possible student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

Position Summary:

In support of the Agency's mission, the Assistant Teacher is responsible for building strong nurturing relationships with young children aged 6 weeks to 3 years old. The Assistant Teacher will assist the Teacher in planning and implementing a developmentally appropriate learning environment that includes meaningful experiences that prepares children for success in school environments. In partnership with the Teacher, the Assistant Teacher also helps promote family engagement in their child's learning. Additionally, the Assistant Teacher aids the Teacher in encouraging a high level of parent involvement and the delivery of family support services to advocate for greater self-sufficiency of Head Start families. Responsibilities include compliance with federal and state Head Start Performance Standards, Agency/Head Start Policies and Procedures, Oregon Childcare Division regulations, and Spark/QRIS standards.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for understanding and implementing the appropriate policies and procedures and performance standards as prescribed by the Community Action Head Start Program.
• Assist in maintaining a safe, healthy, orderly and nurturing classroom environment.
• Follow and support the class room schedule and routines as developed by the Teacher.
• Encourage exploration, problem-solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice-making as developmentally appropriate.
• Assist the Teacher in the preparation and implementation of lesson plans and classroom materials to support a developmentally appropriate education program.
• Serve and track meals and snacks according to program Food Service procedures.
• Implement and support Primary Care-giving routines and philosophies as developed by the Teacher.
• Work in partnership with classroom staff to encourage collaborative team interactions that facilitates respectful relationships, embraces diversity and encourages constructive problem-solving.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled planning and team meetings.
• Ensure that no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.
• Develop and maintain consistent, positive relationships with children, treating them with dignity and respect.
• Apply a developmentally appropriate and positive approach to guiding children's behavior, according to program policy.
• Collect, analyze, and record objective and complete observations on children.
• Support the successful inclusion of children with special needs.
• Maintain confidentiality when working with children and families in all written and verbal communications and documentation.
• Develop and maintain respectful relationships with families; documenting regular contact. Set and maintain professional boundaries with families.
• Conduct home visits as needed.
• Assist the Teacher to develop parent-focused activities to establish a positive link between home and school as needed. Support the parent as the primary educator of the child.
• Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement in the classroom.
• Welcome and engage parent volunteers.
• Assist with facilitating parent site/center meetings, parent participation in policy council and weekly family update meetings.
• Strictly adhere to all safety policies and procedures at all times and respond/correct any at-risk safety issues immediately.
• Strictly adhere to agency code of ethics and standards of workplace behavior.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet business needs including regular and reliable attendance and adherence to all company workplace behavior standards.

Marginal Functions and Responsibilities:

• Other marginal functions and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Education/Training/Experience:

• Education: Minimum of a Child Development Associate Credential (Infant/Toddler); sufficient to be placed at Step 7 or higher on the Oregon Registry. Transcripts, diplomas and/or Oregon Registry Step Certificates are required to validate educational requirements. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Experience: Minimum of one year experience teaching in a Certified Child Care Center or comparable group care program in the care of children ages 0-3.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Intermediate computer literacy and familiarity with applications such as databases and spreadsheets, word processing, email and internet.
• Must be able to successfully pass applicable background and Oregon Central Background Registry checks prior to new hire processing and beginning actual employment.
• Completion of appropriate Fit for Duty and TB Testing according to Head Start regulations prior to date of hire.

Preferred:

• Associate's Degree or higher in the field of Early Childhood Education OR an Associate's Degree out of the field that includes coursework sufficient to be placed at Step 7 or higher on the Oregon Registry. Acceptable coursework would be a minimum of 12 quarter college credits or 8 semester college credits in at least 2 Core Knowledge Categories (as defined by Oregon Registry). Transcripts, diplomas and/or Oregon Registry Step Certificates are required to validate educational requirements.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish, written and verbal.
• Two or more years of experience teaching children ages 0-3.
• Prior Head Start program experience.
• Training and/or education in working with children with special needs.

Required Licensing or Other Special Certifications:

• Current Oregon Registry Step Certificate (or acquired within 90 days from date of hire).
• Current First Aid/CPR certification (or acquired within 30 days from date of hire).
• Current Oregon Food Handler Card (or acquired within 30 days from date of hire).

Required Physical Demands of Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Work is conducted mostly in a classroom environment.
• Occasional phone use.
• Occasional use of video terminal and keyboarding.
• Ability to monitor and respond to events going on at all times in the classroom and outdoor play areas.
• Physical ability to move quickly in order to redirect children for the purpose of insuring a child's safety or the safety of others in the environment.
• Ability to respond appropriately both physically and mentally to an emergency or crisis situation, such as to provide CPR and/or First Aid to a child, to evacuate a building, etc.
• In normal work day, may stand/walk __4__ hrs/day; may sit _4_ hrs/day; may drive __1 hrs/week; may use hands for repetitive grasping, pushing and pulling, typing and fine manipulation _2_ hrs/day; may use hands at or above shoulder level for _1_ hrs/day.
• In normal work day, may bend, squat, and/or climb frequently. Frequent kneeling, stooping, bending and sitting on the floor or in small chairs.
• Work is moderate in nature, frequent lifting and/or carrying up to children and/or objects up to 25 lbs., with occasional lifting of a child weighing up to 60 lbs.
• May require walking or standing to a significant degree, or sitting most of the time with a degree of pushing and pulling of arm and/or leg controls.

How to Apply for this Position:

To be considered we must receive a completed Community Action Employment Application form. You are welcome to also include a cover letter and resume at your option. Transcripts may be required for certain positions. Applications can be completed on our website: www.caowash.org or you can print off the application to complete or pick up the application form at either of our following locations:

Hillsboro - 1001 SW Baseline St, Hillsboro OR 97123

Beaverton - 5050 SW Griffith Dr, Suite 101, Beaverton OR 97005

Be sure to submit your application in a timely manner. If you choose not to complete an online application, you can send your completed application form, optional resume and cover letter and any other required documents via fax at 503.357.6057. If you prefer to mail your application be sure to mail attention Human Resources at the Hillsboro office address above.

All application submissions will be acknowledged with a receipt notification. If you are selected for an interview, we will contact you.

All current Community Action employees are encouraged to apply for openings at Community Action which they are interested in. For current employees, some qualifications may be met by an equivalent combination or education and experience at the discretion of the employer.

COMMUNITY ACTION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Community Action is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or other protected status in accordance with applicable federal and state equal employment opportunity laws. Applicants with disabilities may request accommodation to complete the application and selection process. Please notify Human Resources at least three (3) working days prior to the date of need.

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