*Position is grant-funded through December 2025. Grant is subject to renewal based on funds.

SALARY: $55 - 60K DOE

OVERVIEW: 

The Fine Arts Coach will be a member of the Early REACH (Raising Educational Access for Children in Harris County) team and have expertise and professional background in strategies for maintaining a high-quality fine arts curriculum within early childhood settings. The Coach will demonstrate an understanding of the benefits of the arts in young children up to five years of age. The Coach must have a continuous quality improvement approach, as well as a firm experiential understanding of the impact of fine arts in early childhood education (ECE) on student and family trajectories. Additionally, the coach will work with external partners and local childcare centers in Harris County to expand access to high quality early childhood programming. The Coach will provide training and technical assistance to childcare directors and teachers to ensure effective coordination, implementation and monitoring of the fine arts curriculum in the centers participating in the Early REACH program.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides coaching and professional development for Early Childhood Directors and Teachers. Manages a portfolio of early childcare education centers, located in Harris County, Texas, prioritizing individual educator and child needs to meet program outcomes in fine arts. Implements and highlights the area of the arts as an additional tool for educators and families to improve children’s social and emotional development, cognition, and overall development. Provides guidance to educators in executing the Reggio Emilia Approach in an early childhood classroom environment that leads to positive child outcomes emphasizing the role that the arts play in the classroom. Develops age-appropriate instructional strategies to achieve the art curriculum goals and utilize an asset-based approach when interacting with directors, teachers, and parent partners to build on each teacher and child’s individual assets. Communicates clear learning objectives while encouraging students to express their own personalities and thoughts through the creative process. Assesses and evaluates students’ performance on a regular basis and prepare progress reports. Collaborates with the Family Engagement Specialist in infusing music as a vehicle to improve parent engagement. Provides one-to-one coaching to directors and teachers allowing for focused discussion and feedback.
• Monitors investments and promotes excellent program service. Conducts bi-monthly center site visits to improve children’s social, emotional, cognition, and overall development of music and other fine art mediums. Works with center staff and external assessors, to conduct and support teachers in their creation and implementation of a Music Action Plan for Early REACH classrooms. Attend director meetings and quarterly family engagement trainings as necessary to meet program goals.
• Serves as subject matter expert in Fine Arts in early childhood education. Develops and maintains current information on the arts community as well as best practices to assist educators in arts implementation. Develops in-depth understanding of community resources through research, involvement in community planning and advocacy groups and other activities. Uses knowledge to make recommendations about funding priorities, new activities, and direction. Participates in community collaborations, partnerships, and local organizations involved in community impact work, identifying appropriate roles for the program. Develops expertise of initiative partners by planning trainings, sharing information, and other activities.