POSITION SUMMARY: Responsible for day-to-day operation and management of the classroom. Responsiblefor guiding and directing the learning experiences for infants, toddlers and two years-old by providing a developmentally appropriate learning environment.

Hours: 7:30am-3:30pm

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Maintains an open, friendly, and cooperative relationship with each child and family.
• Encourages each child's family to be actively involved in the Early Head Start program.
• Promotes/supports parent-child bonding and nurturing parent-child relationships.
• Promotes/supports feelings of security and trust in infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds.
• Greets infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds and their parents/caregivers warmly and with enthusiasm each morning.
• Assures that: each infant, toddler, and two-year-old is warmly greeted upon arrival; each infant is held; and each child is transitioned to become a part of the learning environment.
• Talks, sings, and reads to infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds frequently throughout the day.
• Responds quickly, in a soothing and tender manner to infants, toddlers and two years -old cries or calls of distress.
• Responds consistently to infants/toddler’s needs for food and comfort.
• Implements individualized feeding plans for infants, sit with toddlers and two-year-olds, and shares family-style meal; models manners and good nutrition.
• Tends to children's personal hygiene needs, remaining especially attentive to but not limited to: routines such as diaper changing, cleaning, feeding, and changing soiled or wet clothes.
• Respects children’s curiosity about each other; ensures that children treat each other gently.
• Organizes each day's activities to provide children with a variety of individualized experiences and opportunities that allow them to develop curiosity, initiative, problem-solving skills, and creativity, as well as a sense of security and a feeling of belonging to the group.

• Conducts developmental screenings and ongoing assessments of infant, toddler, and two-year-olds to determine motor, language, social, cognitive perceptual and emotional skills.
• Completes timely, neat, accurate documentation of screenings, assessments, individualized plans, attendance, daily health checklist, feedings, daily activity logs for parents/caregivers, home visits,inventories, and other documentation as may be deemed necessary for providing quality services.
• Completes menu worksheet for assigned infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds.
• Submits weekly, written developmental plans to the CDS for each child, according to growth and needs, with input from parents/caregivers.
• Maintains a safe, clean, care-giving environment, practices good personal hygiene and hand washing, and assures the wellbeing and safety of all of the children in that environment.
• Maintains a positive, calm attitude and a pleasant, soothing voice, and models this attitude and voice for parents and others working or volunteering in the program.
• Maintains a cooperative attitude of working together with other Infant, Toddler, and Two-Year-Old teachers and supervisors, parents and volunteers in planning and implementing activities for the program/classroom.
• Utilizes developmentally appropriate discipline techniques.
• Protects all children from physical punishment or verbal abuse by anyone in any program activity, andimmediately reports any such incident to the center director or person in charge.
• Provides for the physical safety of each child from arrival time until departure time.
• Assists the family advocate in teaching and modeling developmentally appropriate practices for parents/caregivers in caring for their young children.
• Observes children to detect signs of illness, injury, abuse, neglect, emotional disturbance, or other special needs, and reports these signs immediately to the CDS or person in charge.
• Plans activities for children with special needs, with training and technical assistance from disabilities and mental health specialists; implements individual education plans, behavior management plans, and/orindividualized services or activities as outlined for these children.
• Attends all training opportunities and staff meetings as provided and scheduled.
• Performs any other tasks deemed necessary by supervisors.
• Demonstrates proficiency and application in the learning environment of the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System).

• Guides children in developing basic concepts as prescribed in the education, nutrition, health, dental and mental health plans
• Develops Education Child Portfolio for each infant, toddler, and two-year-old in the classroom with required and current documentation and ensures accuracy and completion.
• Ensures referral is completed and submitted to the appropriate service area for any infant, toddler, and two-year-old with a suspected delay or any other area of concern.
• Participates in supporting the family with the implementation process of the ISFP in collaboration with the Disabilities team and Early Steps.
• Maintains a safe, clean, and orderly classroom and playground area. Monitors and reports in writing to supervisor any needed repairs and takes appropriate action to correct any unsafe area.
• Establishes and maintains an adequately supplied classroom, ensuring the physical and developmentalneeds of all infants, toddlers and two-year-old are met. Prepares requests for and purchases all classroom supplies/equipment with supervisor approval.
• Provides and participates in learning experiences that allow infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds to solve problems, initiate activities, explore environments, and develop language through hands-on learning.
• Supports the development of infants/toddlers positive self-concept and social skills through the promotion of cultural and ethnic acceptance and experiences.
• Provides direct supervision to children at all times; maintaining child/staff ratios in accordance with policies and regulations.
• Provides information to Family Advocate of any known reason for child absence.
• Ensures regular safety and fire/storm drills are conducted. Assures that emergency procedures and evacuation routes are posted in the classroom.
• Maintains and documents regular contact with parents/caregivers ensuring two home visits and two parent/teacher conferences are conducted yearly.
• Recruits parents/caregivers as volunteers in the classroom/center. Documents/reports parent participation in center activities.
• Prepares two individualized home activities each month per child and provides activity instructions to parents.
• Acquaints volunteers with the classroom.

• Prepares parent bulletin board and ensures compliance with program standards.
• Emphasizes the importance of cleanliness/hygiene, assuring that hand washing takes place at appropriate times throughout the day including but not limited to after diaper changing/toileting, nose cleaning, and before/after mealtime.
• Ensures children’s hands and face are clean upon departing for the day.
• Promotes and assists children with tooth brush routine after lunch.
• Assists in the recruitment of children for the program. Participates in community activities as requested that enhance the Early Head Start program.
• Maintains appropriate documentation required by USDA/Child Care Food Program and ensures quality of data and timelines for completion.
• Actively participates in center/classroom activities, parent meetings and annual parent activities as requested.
• Acts as an advocate and role model for Early Head Start families. Recruits infants, toddlers, and two year-olds for the program.
• Assists in the development and implementation of the annual training plan, including pre- service, in-service, T/TA, and ongoing training requirements.
• Attends and actively participates in training programs, staff meetings, and othermeeting/trainings.
• Maintains confidentiality in all aspects of client, staff and agency information.
• Maintains effective working interaction with coworkers and outside contacts that will enhance the operation of the Head Start program.
• Organizes and prioritizes all assignments as directed.
• Participates in community activities that enhance Head Start / Early Head Start programs as directed.
• Participates in Community Assessment and Self-Assessment and performs reasonable related functions.
• Uses and follows the policies/procedures of Head Start, federal, state and local regulations/laws, and federalregulations/laws including the Head Start Performance Standards, applicable transmittal notices, and other administrative orders/directions.
• Uses and follows the policies/procedures of Mid Florida Community Services, Inc., including but not limited to Personnel Policies, Occupational Health and Safety policies, payroll policies/practices, etc.