About the Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council: The Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council (ACECC) is one of thirty-five Early Childhood Councils in the State of Colorado. The local Early Childhood Councils provide an efficient, community-based infrastructure to support a state-wide early childhood system. The Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council is made up of members from our community; including principles, preschool directors, nurses, early childhood mental health specialists, specialists working with children and families with disabilities or in need of additional support, along with others dedicated to helping the youngest members of our community.

Position Description:  The Specialist is a member of ACECC's Trans-Disciplinary Team. The team is designed to be responsive to providers interested in elevating their program's expertise to a higher level in one or more topic areas. The Specialist supports all early childhood care and education providers who have completed their CSQI rating and earned a Level 3 or higher. Programs receiving support from ACECC will achieve a greater understanding to apply concepts that build upon their current quality journey. The Specialist is responsible for consultation to preschool/childcare administrators, owners, directors, providers, and teachers employed to assist in promoting Colorado's Quality Standards. 

Principal Responsibilities:

This position will continuously partner with individuals who work for licensed childcare homes and centers, agencies, and organizations. The specialist will listen, communicate, educate, inspire, motivate, create, and sustain excellence in ECE education programs in conjunction with the partnering professionals. The specialist will support choices, understand challenges, and fuel innovation.

Duties:

Address and improve the quality of care by helping providers develop and implement an improvement plan; bringing needed resources to provider, including health and safety resources; modeling quality adult-child and adult-adult interactions; and helping providers problem solve in order to accomplish targeted improvements.

Address and improve the ability of providers to impact school readiness by providing providers with public school readiness standards and information to guide curriculum and programming; providing consultation around specific school readiness standards, especially early literacy; and providing training specific to social and emotional development.

Help providers identify children with emotional, behavioral, mental health, and developmental needs that put them at risk for expulsion, and support effective inclusion with resources, referrals, coaching, education, and modeling as well as linking families and care providers with resources. Provide support and strategies to address the needs of children working on specific IEP goals. 

Serve as stewards of resources to improve the quality of the settings and facilitate the purchase of equipment and materials based on improvement strategies as they relate to quality standards. 

Attend ACECC Program and Partner Meetings as deemed appropriate.

Provide outreach to families, partners, and the community-at-large regarding ACECC’s mission and vision.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

Experience with Environment Rating Scales and Quality Assessments with Programs (such as ITERS, ECERS or FCCERS and/or understanding through formal education or verified work experience in National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation.

Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or closely related educational field with core hours in ECE coursework. 2 years’ experience as a CSQI coach, school administrator or principal of a child development center or an early childhood director.

Strong computer and technology skills especially with Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Outlook, Virtual Platforms, and database management

Demonstrated ability to work effectively as a team member and independently work on several projects simultaneously.

Ability to work in all early childhood care and educational settings across Arapahoe County

Knowledge and experience working with Colorado Shines, Colorado's Universal Preschool (UPK), Colorado's Early Learning & Development Guidelines, Colorado Early Childhood Special Education

• Ability to organize and prioritize workload.

• Strong verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.

• Presentation skills related to early childhood content.

• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse audiences.

• Comfort, ability, and understanding of the critical need to work evenings and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Administration, Leadership, and Policy Studies. 

Colorado Coaching Credential 

Instructor in topics, curriculums: CLASS, Creative Curriculum, Pyramid, Expanding Quality in Infant and Toddler Care (EQIT) 

Experience supporting other coaches formally and informally.