Position Summary

Ensures, supports, and promotes each child’s safety, health, and development in cooperation with their parents and other early childhood professionals in a manner consistent with the Head Start Performance Standards, USDA, and day care licensing regulations. Plans and develops a developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum which meets the needs of the children and families.

Level placements are based on individual skills and performance as well as education and job requirements.  Placement and promotions are done through the recruitment process.  Demotions are done through the disciplinary process or at the request of the employee.


Essential Functions

Regular and consistent attendance is an essential function of this position.

1.	Establishes a well managed, child oriented learning environment which is safe, healthy, interesting, attractive, and responsive to the social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development of each child served by:
•	Implementing and complying with the program work plan in all service areas for assigned group of children.
•	Meeting with appropriate staff, parents, and professionals to share curriculum, progress, and needs; assisting in the planning and conducting of monthly parent training, team building strategies, and ongoing training of assistant teachers and of volunteers to the program.
•	Implementing and complying with Head Start Performance Standards, OCDC policies, Child Care Division (CCD) licensing requirements, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and USDA procedures for safety, health, nutrition, emergency, and sanitation including the supervision of children at all times.
•	Promoting sound nutritional practices.
•	Providing a safe environment that will prevent and eliminate injuries.
•	Maintaining clean classroom equipment and space as outlined in the Child Development Associate (CDA) essentials.
•	Openly receiving feedback from members of the Specialist team and implement plans of action to comply with Head Start Performance Standards and OCDC policies.

2.	Provides leadership to staff and volunteers through active direction and actual involvement in the care, teaching, guidance, and training of children ensuring effective program operations, by:
•	Completing developmental screening and follow-up, conducting and recording observations for assessments and evaluations, and creating plans for classroom which incorporate this information for each child in assigned group as required.
•	Developing and implementing comprehensive, individualized educational plans for each child in the class in collaboration with parents, co-workers, and consultants.
•	Planning and scheduling home visits and parent/teacher conferences to discuss child progress, provide child development education and to establish ongoing individualized development plans for each child with the child’s parents or guardian.
•	Meeting with appropriate staff to discuss and develop curriculum, participate and strategize in Case Management Team (CMT) meetings for interaction/guidance of children, plan weekly/monthly program/socialization activities and assist in planning and conducting yearly in service training consistent with the program work plans.
•	Participating in staff, parent, and advisory meetings.  
•	Developing work assignments for classroom team.  
•	Completing all program paperwork as required.
•	Riding the bus and assisting in safely transporting children to and from scheduled field trips.

3.	Promotes quality child care services for the benefit of children and families ensuring a program responsive to their needs by:
•	Taking advantage of training or educational experience that will help him/her grow more competent.
•	Working to resolve issues and problems among co-workers cooperatively and respectively.
•	Demonstrating understanding of the philosophy of the program and describing its goals and objectives to others.
•	Continually evaluating own performance to identify needs for professional growth.

4.	Maintains confidence and protects program operations by:
•	Observing strict confidentiality regarding children and families and making parents and staff aware of this policy.


5.	Continually applies safety practices in all facets of the performance of duties by:
•	Complying with agency safety standards.
•	Supporting participation of a safe environment.
•	Immediately reporting any unsafe or hazardous working conditions and/or injuries.

6.	Maintains positive team relations within the assigned classroom and during program related activities by:
•	Participating in regular team meetings with classroom staff. 
•	Participating in weekly team meetings with the Education Coordinator and/or Education Supervisor.

7.	Ensures equipment and supply inventory maintenance by:
•	Conducting spot checks and ensuring all inventories in classroom matches inventory list.
•	Continually inspecting classroom equipment and report any deficiencies to the appropriate supervisor.
•	Following all established purchasing/inventory procedures and guidelines.

8.	Maintains an open, friendly, and cooperative relationship with each child’s family by:
•	Ensuring that information and services are provided to the parents in their primary language.
•	Promoting parents as the primary educators of their children.
•	Encouraging parents to talk about important family events and sharing information frequently with parents about their child’s experience in the center.
•	Demonstrating understanding of typical parent concerns/anxieties.
•	Respecting parents’ point of view and attempt to resolve the differences.
•	Cooperating with other program staff to help parents obtain clear and understandable information about their child’s special needs.
•	Assisting in parent involvement activities and encouraging parents and other family members to share skills and talents.

9.	Establishes and maintains parent involvement on a local level by:
•	Planning activities for parents and volunteers within the classroom.
•	Recruiting and providing orientation to parents/volunteers as needed.
•	Ensuring documentation of in-kind generated from parents and volunteers are properly completed as outlined in program work plans.

10.	Maintain professional and technical knowledge by: 
•	Attending educational workshops, attending designated training workshops or seminars, participating in training and coordinating activities as part of the statewide OCDC team. 

11.	Contributes to team effort by:
•	Attending staff, parent, and other meetings as required.
•	Fostering an understanding of Head Start, its mission, goals, objectives, and program services.

12.	Provides emergency services as an Mandatory First Responder by:
•	Responding to child/adult emergencies by using First Aid and CPR skills.
•	Contacting appropriate medical personnel.
•	Ensuring documentation related to incident is completed.
•	Participating in fire drills and assisting in the evacuation of the children.

13.	Other responsibilities:
•	Performing other work related or assigned duties.

14.  Leadership, Training and Mentoring (Infant Toddler Teacher 2 only)
•	Provides ongoing coaching and mentoring to teaching staff and other assigned personnel, apprentices and volunteers as directed or indicated in review of classroom observations such as CLASS or Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale, Revised Edition (ITERS-R).
•	Develops and delivers training at pre-service and teacher meetings.
•	Participates and strategizes in Case Management Team Meeting for guidance of children, planning program activities.
•	Teachers at this level may have additional responsibilities related to leadership, staff development and supervision.

Education and Job Requirements

Infant/Toddler Teacher 1:  
?	High School Diploma, GED, or Diploma de Educacion Secundaria AND
Infant Toddler Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate 

Infant/Toddler Teacher 2
?	AA/AS degree or higher in early childhood education; OR
?	AA/AS degree in child development, human development, education, elementary education, human ecology, child and family studies, special education, home economics, or family and consumer studies that includes coursework equivalent to a major relating to early child hood education AND 6 months actual work experience working with infant toddler age children: OR
?	BA/BS degree or higher in any field and coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education AND 6 months actual work experience working with infant toddler age children

See Staff Development’s Early Education Related Degrees and Coursework Guidance for more information on coursework related equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education.

Director of Human Resources may consider and approve any variances in Education Requirements using the Job Description Qualification Exception process.




Other Job Requirements

1.	Demonstrated knowledge of Head Start system.
2.	Possess current First Aid and CPR cards with infant/child CPR.
3.	Must possess and maintain food handler’s card.
4.	Ability to travel occasionally.
5.	Ability to pass agency sponsored physical examination.
6.	This position is an authorized driver and must possess current driver’s license, good driving record, and auto insurance coverage as defined by OCDC Policy.
7.	Ability to relate positively to children and adults.
8.	Must be enrolled in Oregon Central Background Registry.
9.	Must maintain any current education licensing.

Other Skill Requirements

1.	Bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Bilingual fluency may be required at some work sites.  
2.	Must have ability to operate computers and possess basic knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Word and other software.
3.	Excellent supervision and organizational skills.
4.	Excellent communication skills.
5.	Effective training/development skills.
6.	Must perform duties with moderate direction given, operating from established directions and instructions.  Decisions are made with general agency policy constraints, but requires independent decision making.

Physical Requirements of the Job

Please see attached Physical Job Analyses.  Submit one or both as job demands.

Job Conditions

May work outdoors intermittently with exposure to typical Oregon weather.  There may be frequent interruptions, evening or weekend work, working long hours during peak periods.  May work in a confined and small classroom space with minimal room for maneuverability. 

Mental Requirements of the Job

Continual interaction with co-workers, parents, and children to provide information.  Must relate positively to children and adults.  Frequently faces deadlines with attention to detail and must complete tasks and required documentation in a timely manner. Considerable amount of variable levels of concentration with frequent or constant interruptions.  Must be able to handle multi-faceted tasks on a frequent basis.