About the role :
As an Early Childhood Special Educator, you will play a pivotal role in providing specialized support within our classrooms for children aged 3-5. Your primary responsibility is to collaborate closely with classroom teachers, serving as a resource and model for implementing strategies that support children with diverse learning needs. Equipped with specialized training in special education, you will bring a unique perspective to the classroom, offering insights and strategies to address behavior needs and enhance understanding.Who we are:
At Clayton Early Learning, we stand as an innovation hub dedicated to cultivating vibrant and equitable communities. Our mission revolves around collaborative partnerships with families, fostering a holistic approach to the early years through a commitment to the whole child and whole family. By actively engaging with families, we aim to uncover effective strategies, embrace continuous discovery, and lead the charge in advancing systemic change.
Our vision is rooted in the belief that by nurturing the foundation of early childhood, we contribute to the well-being and prosperity of individuals, families, and communities at large. Through our relentless pursuit of what works, we strive to create an enduring impact on the lives of children and families, setting the stage for a future of shared success and thriving communities.What we want you to do:

• Partner with classroom teachers to provide direct support in implementing strategies tailored to meet the needs of children with diverse learning profiles.

• Model effective practices and provide guidance to teachers on understanding the underlying reasons behind behavioral challenges, offering a different lens to approach classroom dynamics.

• Collaborate with our Inclusion Coordinator to participate in early intervention training sessions, actively contributing strategies and insights to support children's developmental needs.

• Utilize evidence-based curriculums such as Creative Curriculum and Conscious Discipline to inform instructional practices and promote social-emotional learning in the classroom environment.

• Attend meetings related to early intervention and actively contribute by offering strategies and insights based on your specialized training.

• Assist in data collection to support the multi-tiered system of support, aiding in the identification and referral process for children who may benefit from additional interventions.

• Work exclusively with children aged 3-5, providing targeted support within the classroom environment to foster their academic, social, and emotional development.

• Maintain ongoing communication with classroom teachers, providing feedback and support to ensure the successful implementation of strategies designed to meet individualized learning goals.

• Collaborate with other members of the early childhood team to create a cohesive and inclusive learning environment that celebrates the unique strengths and needs of each child.

• Continuously update your knowledge and skills through professional development opportunities to stay abreast of best practices and emerging trends in early childhood special education.

• Adhere to all relevant regulations and guidelines set forth by regulatory bodies, ensuring compliance with standards of practice in early childhood education.

• Embrace a collaborative and reflective approach to your work, actively seeking feedback and opportunities for growth to enhance your effectiveness in supporting children's learning and development.

What we are looking for and what you must have:

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Knowledge of early childhood education theory and practice, experience in Head Start/Early Head Start Performance Standards and knowledge of State licensing requirements
• Comprehensive understanding of complex educational organizations and the intersection of federal, state and local regulations for program administration, and the ability to interpret and implement complex policies and regulations
• Current PPD-TB and physical examination
• Successfully pass a Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background checks
• Pass a National Sex Offender Registry Check
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred
• Ability to foster an environment that focuses on quality results while motivating, developing, and supporting a diverse staff encouraging continuous improvement and working effectively as a member of a diverse team.
• Strong compassion for children with the ability to interact with children and families in a positive manner
• Demonstrated experience working with children aged 3-5 with diverse learning needs, including those with developmental delays, behavioral challenges, and trauma-related needs.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed practices and their application in the early childhood classroom.
• Familiarity with evidence-based early childhood curriculums such as Creative Curriculum and Conscious Discipline.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with classroom teachers and other team members to support children's individualized learning goals.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with children, families, and colleagues in a professional and empathetic manner.
• Proficiency in data collection and analysis to support the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and staying current with best practices in early childhood special education.
• Ability to remain flexible and adaptable in a dynamic classroom environment, prioritizing the needs of children while collaborating with team members to achieve shared goals.

The perks:

• 401k with 5% match
• 16 Company-paid days for Holidays
• Vacation and Sick time
• Medical, Vision, and Dental benefits
• FSA Plans
• College Investment plans
• Identify theft and Protection plans
• A fun, dynamic, and exciting environment

Compensation:

• $58,000-$62,000 Annually

Our Core Values:
At Clayton we work to foster a community characterized by trust, dignity, love, and justice, with our children and families, our team members, and other partners on our campus and beyond. We see these values in action each and every day as they strengthen our Clayton community and our service to the children, families, and educators we serve.
Community -Community fosters belonging, resiliency, stability, and strength. We are committed to creating a caring, trauma-informed, professional community at Clayton and we are committed to being a positive member of the many communities we partner with and serve. Community means living the seven Sanctuary commitments: nonviolence, emotional intelligence, social learning, democracy, open communication, social responsibility, and growth and change.
Collaboration -Collaboration builds trust and relationships and brings new ideas, skills, and knowledge to help us do better work. We are committed to approaching our work as one team across Clayton. Collaboration means working across teams and departments and with our external partners.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging -Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging leads us to reflect the communities we serve and bring the widest variety of ideas and innovation to our work. We are committed to building and sustaining an organization centered on diversity, equity, and belonging. Diversity means building a team that is reflective of the world around us, in all aspects of our personal and professional backgrounds. Equity means recognizing that we need to provide different resources to meet different needs and circumstances that are often the result of systemic injustice; it is core to everything we do in service of our children and families and in how we work with each other. Inclusion refers to a community where all members are and feel respected and are able to participate and achieve their potential. A true sense of belonging means that everyone who enters the Clayton campus is valued for who they are and can meaningfully say "I belong here."
Growth - Growth allows us to develop as professionals and to provide the best services we can to the children, families, and educators we serve. We are committed to growing as individuals and as an organization. Growth means we are continually learning how to do our individual and collective work better and we adapt and evolve our programs and practices to reflect new learning and to meet changing needs.
Stewardship -Stewardship enables us to have the greatest impact we can with the resources we have. We are committed to being good stewards of our community and our resources. Stewardship means using our financial resources wisely and responsibly so that we can sustain our work into the future, taking care of our unique and beautiful campus so it can remain a resource for our community, and caring for our community and team and treating each other with respect and responsibility.
Fun -Fun reduces stress, keeps us motivated, builds connections, and models for our children the joy that can come with learning and working together. We are committed to having fun! Fun means noticing and sharing things that bring us joy, being creative in our work, making connections with each other, and finding humor and hope in our work.
Clayton Early Learning is an equal opportunity employer that values workplace diversity. We strive to create an inclusive work place that embraces diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. We prohibit discrimination of employees or applicants on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disability, or any other classification considered discriminatory under applicable law.